Even someone as relentlessly supportive as a booster mom had her doubts a little over a year ago as then- Musical Director Denny Bui walked down the long line assembled on the track at Titan Stadium and shook hands with the uniformed young people.
“Look at all those seniors,” she exclaimed. “What are we going to do next year?”
Answer: Best finish in school history.
Last weekend, the band placed 5th at the Southern California Schools Band & Orchestra Association’s Division 3 championships, which were held last Saturday at Colony High School in Ontario. It’s the best showing in the history of San Marino High School.
“We were really solid the entire season,” said first-year Musical Director Shota Horikawa. “We were seeded first for a large part of the season and the lowest we ever finished at a competition was second place.”
The Titan Marching Band, Percussion and Colorguard swept first place in each discipline at the Rowland Field Tournament in Rowland Heights on Saturday, October 13.
On Saturday, October 20 at the Baldwin Park Field Tournament, the Titan Marching Band placed first in the 3A division with its performance of this season’s theme, “Hawking” while the Percussion crew captured the Sweepstakes Award. Percussion placed first in the overall competition, beating out nine other schools in the 3A, 4A and 5A divisions.
The Titans finished first again on consecutive weekends at Wilson and Los Altos High School, with the Percussion unit again claiming the Sweepstakes Award at Los Altos on November 3.
At Vista High School in San Diego on Saturday, November 10, San Marino finished second.
“I really have to acknowledge each and every young person in the group,” said Horikawa. “And this community is so helpful, especially our band parents.”
Student leadership includes Drum Major Stella Yao, Assistant Drum Majors Brandon Cheung and Amanda Anderson; Drum Captains Tessa Weiss, Kyana Huang, Catherine Lichtman, Jacob Yim and Colin Yokoyama and Color Guard Captains Stacey Lau and Amanda Liu.
Marching Band staff includes Percussion Caption Head Scott Tanaka, Color Guard co-Caption Heads Andrew Arce and Edgard Areas and Visual Caption Head Caleb Gasteiger.
“They are all so helpful, so professional,” Horikawa said. “I am very proud to be associated with this school, these people and this community.”
