By: Owen Fugit

On Nov. 4, the Los Gatos High School Marching Band and Color Guard took the field at Independence High School (IHS) for their last competition of the season. This event saw bands from across the Bay Area perform and compete to win their class. There are five classes, with one to seven bands per class. LGHS placed third in their class with a score of 76 points out of 100, which is the highest score they achieved this season. The marching band and color guard performed their show, titled Legacy, at the event. 

Trombone player and LGHS junior Azad Goudarzi recalled his experience at the competition, explaining how “the show went well…I think it was better than last season,” and how the community came together during this final presentation. When asked about Legacy, Goudarzi said he enjoys the community of Legacy, but says the show is very different from those he enjoyed during his freshman and sophomore years due to the use of props. According to Goudarzi, the props made the show more interesting and added a new feature that he and other marching band students found interesting. Senior and eight-year clarinet veteran Andrew Truesdell added how Legacy gives each part “moments in the show,” which is something he and other students enjoyed along with the props. 

On competition day, students spent hours packing trailers and driving to IHS, where they spent even longer watching other bands perform before performing themselves at 8:15 PM. The marching band had a very short amount of time to practice before the show, as they were only given a tiny window before their set, which lasted for the better part of eight minutes. Among all the rush that day, the columns, which are an important prop for the show, were mismatched. Goudarzi explains, “The wheels were on the wrong set of props,” and the “[two pillar’s] tops were switched.” Thankfully, Goudarzi and others managed to catch the issue and fix it as the props were wheeled onto the field for the performance. Aside from this one incident, the show ran without a hitch, earning LGHS a seasonal high score of 76 points. 

While the curtains are closing on Legacy, the marching band and color guard will continue performances into December. The marching band also marched down Main Street at Disneyland on Nov. 9 and will perform at the Los Gatos Holiday Parade. LGHS marching band and color guard have given their all this season, starting with day-long practices in August and culminating in great scores and a performance in Disneyland. Fans can catch Marching Band’s final performance on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the town holiday parade.

(Sources: IHS, WBA)