Band Spectacular Doesn’t Miss a Beat

At the 29th annual Simi Valley High School Band Spectacular, the Tiger Marching Pride from Gilbert High School in Gilbert, Ariz., proved that there is more to a half-time show than a John Philip Sousa tune.

On Saturday, the 155-member marching band wowed the crowd at the Simi High football field with a rendition of “One More Time” by jazz great Chick Corea.

Culminating countless hours of practice and miles of marching, 13 high school marching bands and color guards took to the field for a half-time show to beat all half-time shows.

The music began at 2:30 p.m. and went on for nearly five hours.

“It has always been my contention that bands performing in field shows has to be one of the most challenging art forms to execute in any art arena,” said Larry Elginer, director of Simi High’s Marching Pioneers.

The annual Band Spectacular is the largest fund-raising event of the year for the Marching Pioneers of Simi High and the Simi Valley Music Boosters. Proceeds are used to get musicians and color guard members to parades and half-time shows and to pay for instruments, uniforms, coaches and competition fees.

Most of the groups hailed from Ventura County, but schools from Los Angeles County also performed.

Golden West High School from Visalia in Tulare County sent its 139-member Trailblazer Band & Color Guard to perform “Ascension” by Robert T. Smith. The 165-member Marching Hawks from Centennial High School in Bakersfield featured songs by, among others, Aaron Copland during its 15-minute set.

Gilbert High’s group traveled the greatest distance for Saturday’s event.

Each group was judged on its performance by the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Assn.