How the pep band at Acalanes contributes to school spirit on the sidelines
By Federica Fregola, James Ammerman, and Kennedy Wilson, Online Content Manager and Staff Writers
As students file into the bleachers under Friday night lights, the band can be heard playing a plethora of instruments that turn the crowd into a roaring student section. The AHS (Acalanes High School) Pep Band displayed their talent, energizing the crowd and players with upbeat numbers throughout the games.
The pep band is an Acalanes musical group that plays at school events to build school spirit and keep morale high.
“The pep band is composed of wind and percussion instrumentalists with the goal of showcasing spirit and pride on campus. Performance opportunities include various pep rallies, community events, and sporting events” Acalanes Instrumental Website.
Pep band offers a striking contrast to the average band class, differing from the standard concert setting most instrument players at Acalanes are accustomed to.
“Pep Band is a high-energy version of the school band,” said Band teacher Edwin Cordoba. “Students who spend most of their time performing in a formal concert setting suddenly get to be loud, silly, energetic, and spontaneous”
The importance of the band is in the overall mood of the crowd and making sure that the band’s presence is felt by the surrounding fans.
“[The band] really does brighten up the mood because it tells us that we're doing something as a whole for spirit,” said student conductor Gian David.
While the student leaders support the band and ensure order, another part of the pep band is the underclassmen, who continually aim to craft an energetic atmosphere with their instruments, trying to make sure everyone fulfills their part of the vision.
“It's very high energy. Everyone plays really loud. Everyone's like trying to do their best” said First tenor and sophomore Logan Lewis. “[We’re] trying to make sure that all of the different people know their parts and play them correctly and play them well.”
The pep band always brings their efforts to the stands, but this spirit especially relies on the fans' spirit to make a bigger impact on the game and allow for a larger presence to be felt at events.
“A pep band is like a form of cheering,” said David. “And so, it's a nice feeling when everybody starts cheering along with us.”
Every performance presents challenges before and during the show, requiring student leaders and members to make sure that everyone is bringing their full effort. While demanding, the effort pays off when a seamless performance leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
“Everything happens in the moment, and both the band and leadership feel responsible for keeping the fans, parents, and everyone else engaged,” said Student conductor David Ellerbrock. “[We] want to see how much we can improve throughout the season and hopefully reach a point where we feel like we could not have played any better.”
Without a class specifically designated for pep band rehearsal, time spent practicing for shows is minimal. Students are expected to be performance-ready, regardless of preparation time.
“Half an hour before we have to go, we'll rehearse some songs that we haven't done before, and during class, once a week, maybe, for 30 minutes, we'll practice some of the songs,” said Lewis.
The Acalanes pep band’s pieces are much different from what is usually seen in other bands.
“We typically perform short, recognizable pieces, school songs, and arrangements that keep the audience engaged,” said Cordoba. “There is something really special about [it].”
