Redondo Union’s band program hitting the high notes
March 8, 2015
Updated September 6, 2017
A string of wins this year has boosted the popularity of Redondo Union High School’s band program, but the performers and their leader remain focused on self-improvement and setting goals.
New band director Raymundo Vizcarra said those two elements are part of his recipe for success.
“I always tell them to set the standard and exceed it, set goals and achieve them and if you win a first place in the mean time, that is even better,” he said. “The focus isn’t on winning, which I believe is what has worked to make them very successful.”
Mr. V., as his students call him, took the reins in the middle of concert band season last February.
Senior drum major Cole Greenbaun said the band program has seen a lot of change over the past few years. When he and fellow drum major Benjamin Gosney were freshman, the previous band director left and an interim stepped in, taking them into their sophomore and junior years.
Under Vizcarra’s direction since last spring, the program has found success.
“The band won a total of five sweepstakes last fall, just one after the other,” he said. “We won first in all competitions except for one. This year’s seniors hadn’t won a first place, so it was great for them to experience this success.”
But the journey started last spring with taking first place at the West Field Tournament in Torrance in both band and dance guard, then taking first in drum line and dance guard, and finally taking sweepstakes in the high visual effect and performance categories. Taking sweepstakes was a real feather in the caps of the band and dance guard members. They did it again at the Centennial Field Tournament and at the San Gorgonio Field Tournament in San Bernardino.
The concert band and the wind ensemble also both earned excellent ratings at the La Canada Festival. At the Montebello Festival, the concert band and the wind ensembles each earned a superior rating. The last time the RUHS band took a superior rating was in 2004.
At the Drums Across California competition, the indoor drum line took first place and rose to Division 2 champion. And at the Heritage Festival in San Francisco, the concert band took first place and received a silver rating, the wind ensemble also took first and received a gold rating, and the dance guard also took first and a gold rating.
“A lot of the band members were skeptical of the direction Mr. V. was taking when he stepped in, but everyone stuck with it and we loved what happened by the end of the year,” Gosney said.
Vizcarra also created a winter indoor drum line, indoor dance guard and a freshman symphonic band.
“Having them participate in a winter program will keep them in practice and have them even stronger when they come back in the fall next year,” he said.
The concert and wind ensemble bands have been fine-tuning their routines in the weeks leading up to the spring competition season. Gosney and Greenbaun are looking to end their high school band careers on a high note.
The pair predict that will cause next year’s membership will “blow up.” Vizcarra agreed, saying while the success is sweet, it also presents new challenges, including a greater need for more marching band uniforms and funding for more instruments.
“With this new found popularity, we anticipate a surge in membership from next year’s freshman class and from within the high school,” he said. “We have three tubas and six students playing the same instrument next year.”
Along with the tuba shortage, he said a number of students will be playing baritone saxophone and tenor saxophone. As of now, there are four students playing only two each of these instruments. While most students have their own instruments, the school provides the larger instruments due to their high price tags. For example, a new tuba costs about $2,300.
Vizcarra is hopeful for support from the community. His goal is to provide more music to the public.
“Next year we are working to get the marching band in more parades. In the past RUHS band hasn’t really done many parades, but we will be doing that in the next season,” he said. “I hope to take some of the band members to the Rose Parade next year.”
As for the drum majors, they hope to pass their legacies on. Gosney, who plans to minor in music at the University of Colorado in the fall, anticipates his brother, a freshman, will have continued success with Vizcarra, while Greenbaun hopes his 11-year-old sister will follow in his tracks and become a music major.