By Mary O’KEEFE

While many students at Crescenta Valley High School are busy buying backpacks and squeezing in the last little bit of summer fun, members of the CVHS band are getting ready for the 2017-18 school year.

For two weeks before school begins, 132 musicians and color guard members set their alarms for “early” and make their way to the CVHS field for band camp.

“It’s not fun, but it is worth it,” said Ardis Griffin, a senior this year.

This is Griffin’s second year with the marching band; prior to that she was in the color guard.

“I switched to learn a new instrument,” she said.

She has begun playing baritone horn in the marching band, and she also plays the violin in the orchestra.

Students will spend about 80 hours in practice before they perform at the end of camp for their parents. Each morning they arrive at 7 a.m. at CVHS. They start with field practice then separate into groups for more practice, then gather back together until they are dismissed at 3 p.m.

But to think it is all marching, all the time would be wrong.

“We went to the beach,” said music director Mathew Schick.

About 70 members and parents went to the beach to build bonding relationships ¬– which is very important when conducting so many students, especially during competition.

“We are one big family,” Griffin added.

A big family that works very hard, not just at band camp but during the school year as well. Band members arrive at school at 6:45 a.m. once school begins and practice until first period every day. They continue with more extensive practices on Wednesdays, Thursdays and, of course, football games on Fridays. When there are competitions, their number of rehearsals increases.

“We are much more competitive than in the past, when I was a sophomore,” Griffin said.

Their work paid off in 2015 with a win at the California State Band Championship.

But it is not just competitions that bring accolades to the band. During the school year, the CV Instrumental Music Dept. members will perform at CVHS musicals, as well as at several functions, from the California Council of the Blind Mutt Strut to the CV Chamber of Commerce Hometown Country Fair and Montrose Christmas Parade. The award-winning jazz band is well-known in and out of the CV area as they bring big band music back to its glory during events like Jazz Night at the Cafe.

Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman would be proud at how the orchestra brings their music back to life for a new generation.

And all of this doesn’t include the annual events when they perform, like the spring and winter concerts. This band is extremely busy and Schick does not take the donation of time and hard work for granted. During band camp, Schick organizes the students’ time so there are a variety of lessons taught, from leadership to working as a group.

And it is not just those who are playing instruments that are award-winning. The color guard has a history of winning, including the bronze medal in the Winter Guard Association of Southern California.

The students work hard and they challenge themselves while supporting each other. All of this is evident when they play.

Their first performance for their parents, family and friends of just the first movement of this year’s field show “Scheherazade” will be at 6 p.m. this Friday kicking off their new year, according to Dave Jones, CV Instrumental Music Foundation spokesman.

“Scheherazade” will be performed at every CVHS home football game, as well as at several competitions throughout Southern California, stated Jones.

For more information or to donate to the band, visit www.falconmusic.org.

  Mary Okeefe