Students March to Beat the Bands

At a time when most teenagers’ musical tastes run more toward rap, rock and pop, thousands of young musicians are showing that marching bands’ music can be just as cool.

About 3,000 youths from 29 bands and color guards representing schools from throughout Southern California took the field Saturday for the 15th annual Highlander Field Competition at Granada Hills High School.

For eight hours, band members strutted their stuff before an appreciative crowd and judges who rated their musicianship and showmanship.

The daylong event was also a fund-raiser for the Granada Hills Highlanders Marching Band Parents Assn., a booster group that raises money to help pay band expenses.

“The band is a tightknit group,” said Mary Haulbrook, whose son, Bryan, plays cymbals for the Highlanders. “You see parents pulling together to look out for each other’s kids. The band brings a sense of community to the school.”

About half of the competing bands came from San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita Valley high schools, while the others came from as far as San Diego, said Al Nelson, Highlander band director and event organizer.

South Hills High School in West Covina took top honors, reflecting countless hours of marching and practicing.

Valley schools won awards in three categories for bands of varying sizes: Canoga Park High School won first-place awards for band and color guard and second place for percussion; Kennedy High School of Granada Hills won first place for percussion; Francis Polytechnic High School of Sun Valley won first place for color guard and second place for percussion; Saugus High School won first place for band and color guard and second place for percussion; Van Nuys High School won third place for band; and Hart High School of Newhall won second place for color guard and percussion and third place for band.

The event was hosted by Granada Hills, Cal State Northridge and Patrick Henry Middle School of Granada Hills, whose bands also played but did not compete for awards.

“Our kids really loved playing here,” said Davon Henson, a music teacher at Patrick Henry, after his band came off the field. “Our school feeds into Granada Hills and the younger kids really look up to the Highlander band.”

The competition was a warmup event for Los Angeles Unified School District high school marching bands that plan to compete in the citywide championships, to be held Saturday.