On October 7th, Golden West High School hosted the annual VEF Showcase, a night where all of Visalia’s performing arts groups get to perform their shows for the rest of the schools.
By: Aiden Lupian
Showcase Night is a night filled with music, dancing, and cheering. But for the seniors of the Redwood Band it was a night with not only those things, but also emotion and excitement, as this performance marked the first of their last year of marching band.
Seth Souza, ‘25, is the Drum Captain for Redwoods percussion and he feels “bittersweet” that this is his final Showcase performance. He says, “It feels weird in a way, knowing that this is the last time [I’m] performing here for Redwood.”
And Souza isn’t the only senior that feels this way about the showcase, Frankie Alvizo, ‘25, who is the clarinet section leader, says, “Honestly, it’s bittersweet. Part of me is satisfied with the dedication and work I’ve put in throughout the past years, but part of me is also a little sad to know that there won’t be a showcase for me to perform at next year.”
As mostly four year members, the seniors have made many memories over the years. Lead Drum Major, Jazrine Nieto, ’25, while only being with Redwood for a little under 3 years has still been able to make many fond memories. She says, “Some of my favorite memories would be having a solo last year, and being able to be a drum major this year. It’s been quite an experience for me.”
Photo A.Ceballos/Gigantea
Souza has had lots of good memories as well. He says, “The fun bus ride home, chatting with my close friends about how the run went, and the rush of adrenaline before we perform.”
With being in a group for such a long time, it’s only a matter of time until it influences your high school experience. Whether it’s the people you meet or the places you get to go to, band has had a big impact on all these seniors’ high school years.
Sal Farias, ‘25, says, “I’ve met so many new people because of band and if I didn’t do band in high school I wouldn’t know some of the amazing people I know now.”
Although a bit upset to see their high school music career get nearer to its end, these seniors still have lots of hope for the future of their program. Alvizo says, “I really hope that it continues to grow and get better. I also hope that band continues to be a positive influence on the students involved.”
“Being in band has influenced me to be involved and to have fun because it’s time consuming and takes dedication,” says Nieto.
Souza says he hopes, “the band remembers what went right the previous season, and work on what went wrong.”
So much growth has occurred not only in the program itself, but also in the individuals that are involved in the program. They’ve grown not only as musicians but as people as well.
Souza says, “It has helped me learn about who I am, who I want to be when I grow up, and what kind of leader and friend I should be to those around me.”
Aiden Lupian
Aiden Lupian (´25) is a second year writer for the Gigantea who loves to tell a good arts story and really looks forward to all the stories he can write, and people to connect with
Tags: band, music, rangers, Redwood, redwood band, redwood band showcase, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs, rhs band, rhs band showcase, seniors
