Senior Gregory Desantis zones into the rhythm of the percussion ensemble in preparation for a competition. Photo by Katie Vo.
Disclaimer: Rebecca Do is a part of FVRR’s Front Ensemble and percussion.
By Rebecca Do
During the start of the 2021 school year, students were introduced to many aspects of the school during the “Smart Start” program. One of these said aspects was the introduction of the school’s music program and by default, included the marching band.
Most can remember the syncopation of Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” music video echoing in the halls from classroom to classroom. That music video featured the Fountain Valley Royal Regiment (FVRR) and specifically, the percussion line.
Like all marching bands, FVRR has ‘sections,’ within the band. The percussion section consists of the drumline, which marches on the field, and the front ensemble also referred to as “pit,” which stays still in the front. Instruments in the front ensemble include marimbas and vibraphones. The drumline consists of quad drums, snare drums and bass drums.
FVRR’s had their last season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now, they’re getting back onto the field and into competition. During the pandemic, there were no tournaments to prepare for, resulting in no practices at all.
“Online band practice was nowhere near as fun as in-person practice,” sophomore and pit member Alexander Pham said. “We also had little motivation to practice [our instruments] since we didn’t have any performances to look forward to. Our instructor couldn’t see if our technique was good or not. Especially since I was new to my instrument, I didn’t make a lot of progress and I struggled a lot.”
The online school year was difficult for many students, but when extracurricular activities take place online, it makes it even harder. When FVRR finally got back in person, the excitement and momentum of being on the field proved an upgrade from their online course.
“It’s really nice getting to do practices again. During quarantine, we only did video assignments and it wasn’t very fun, but now we’re back on the field and moving,” snare captain senior Greg DeSantis said.
The marching band had their first and only Western Band Association (WBA) show on Oct. 2, at Mission Viejo High School, where they performed their Mars-themed show “Stranded.” The percussion line stole the “High Percussion” or the best percussion award despite earning third place overall.
Grueling practices also may seem stressful to the average student, but some percussion members enjoy the heat of the 3 p.m. afternoon sun and the 8 p.m. evening breeze.
“It’s such a great way to relax and relieve all my stress from school, just to hit the drum,” freshman Annie Ngo said.
Members of percussion each have special, individualized reasons to join the section whether it be because of family influence or a passion for playing the instrument.
“When the full band performed at our middle school, I thought it was so admirable to see how passionate she [my sister] was on the marimba,” junior and pit captain Vivi Nguyen said. “Since I already had piano experience, I wanted to try front ensemble for my freshman year too. I stayed in percussion because I’ve built a strong bond with the members and it brings me so much joy to play in band again after quarantine. I’m super excited to move up to the marimba this year and I’m looking forward to a great year with pit!”
FVRR will be performing predominantly in the California State Band Championships (CSBC) league, as opposed to the WBA league this school year, a change from past seasons.
The WBA is a nonprofit that organizes marching band competitions and actively promotes music education in California, Nevada and Arizona, whereas CSBC encompasses strictly California.
Their second competition was in the CSBC league at Costa Mesa High School last Saturday on Oct. 9, where they performed their show “Stranded” again. FVRR placed first, winning sweepstakes and tournament champion; winning sweepstakes had them winning High Percussion and Auxiliary by default.
“Winning a competition and seeing not just me, but my peers do so well really set a fire under me to push myself to do better,” senior drum major Jacob Baker said. “To see the potential we have at the moment, and what we can become in the future is not only exciting but also extremely rewarding. Our program has put hours upon hours into perfecting this product and I am beyond proud to say that we are among the best of the best.”
FVRR has six more shows to get through until the marching band season ends on Nov. 20. For now, the practice fields await our Barons as they prepare for them.
