Four high schools from the Poway Unified School District delivered outstanding performances at the 21st Annual Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) Field Show Championships, held on November 18, 2023. The event marked a celebration of musical talent, creativity, and discipline, showcasing the best of high school marching bands and color guard.
The Rancho Bernardo High School Royal Regiment secured the Gold Medal in Division 6A for the third consecutive year, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to excellence in music education. Their captivating field show, titled “Second Star To The Right,” was brought to life under the skilled direction of Duane Otani and Zachary Christy, with drum majors Abigail Chong, Jack Franey, Caleb Lee, and Kieran Pattison leading the way. Anna Ashman & Brinley Lokey served as auxiliary captains, with Jade McMahon & Marcos Rivera as percussion captains. You can view their winning performance here.
Westview High School earned the Bronze Medal in the 5A Division, mesmerizing the audience with their field show rendition of "The Heist from The Pink Panther." Mitchell Way and Andrew Fresquez directed this talented group, with drum majors David Jang, Heewon Chon, Mina Hurt, and Angelica Wu at the helm. The team was further supported by auxiliary captains Erika Takaya & Valerie Hsu, and percussion captains Francis Tian & Anh Vo. Their performance can be viewed here.
Mt. Carmel High School, a 5-time past champion (2015-2019), placed 8th with "Cityscapes," while Del Norte High School finished 11th with "Glass Pieces," both contributing to the district’s rich history of achievements in the SCSBOA Field Show championships.
The SCSBOA Championships is a culmination of months of tireless preparation and dedication by students, directors, staff, families, and volunteers. This year's event was a testament to the power of music education in shaping young talents and fostering a sense of community.
"Marching band is such a unique activity. It is the combination of music, visual art, and athleticism. Done at its highest level, it rivals the finest Broadway productions in terms of storytelling and can take audiences on amazing journeys of emotional highs and lows all in the span of about 7-9 minutes," said Brian Belski, SCSBOA Vice President of Field Adjudication.
PUSD proudly extends our heartfelt congratulations to all participating schools, directors, staff, volunteers and especially the students, whose passion and hard work culminated in this spectacular event. For many seniors, this championship was a final moment on the performance field, making it all the more memorable.
About SCSBOA: The Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association is committed to promoting excellence in music education and providing performance opportunities for students and educators in Southern California. Today, the SCSBOA is the largest professional organization serving music teachers in 11 southern counties of California. It serves over 2,500 schools in the Southern California region, affecting over 100,000 students in instrumental music.