Rival Schools’ Musicians Play in Harmony

There will be no cross-county rivalries tonight when the 75 top band musicians from a dozen Ventura County high schools take the stage to perform in concert as the Ventura County Honor Band.

As Rebekah Schaub, a French horn player in the Thousand Oaks High School band, said at Thursday’s rehearsal, “Our rivals in football season are Newbury Park High and Westlake High, but here we have no rivals.”

Westlake High flutist Becky Walker agreed. “We’re just trying to play well. We’re not in competition at all.”

The results may be heard at 8 p.m. tonight, when guest conductor Mitch Fennell from Cal State Fullerton lifts his baton for the opening strains of two John Philip Sousa marches, plus works by John Barnes Chance, Gustav Holst and Franz von Suppe at the Ventura High School auditorium.

Thursday was a marathon rehearsal day, as the students played snatches of each work over and over again for a conductor they had never practiced with before.

Fennell conducted an ongoing conversation with his musicians as they rehearsed.

“Come with me, horns . . . now, pa pa pa really strong . . . get a little brighter.

“Bass drum, where are you striking the drum? . . . Try hitting it at 4 o’clock.”

One veteran honor band member, baritone sax man Marc Cline from Nordhoff High, said he likes playing new music for a new conductor.

“It’s challenging. Usually you have months to practice before a concert,” Marc said. “Here, it’s four rehearsals. Plus you never have the same conductor--that’s challenging, too.”

Which is exactly Fennell’s goal with the students. “It’s an opportunity for them to perform the way professional orchestras do--prepare a large volume of music in a short time with an unfamiliar conductor.”

This is the 10th year that Hueneme High School band director Michael Doty has brought young musicians from throughout the county together. He and a few other high school band directors hold auditions in January for students nominated by their school band directors.

Tickets for the concert, available at the Ventura High School auditorium, are $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.

The auditorium is at 2155 E. Main St.