Live Oak Marching Band again wins competition
Morgan Hill – For the second year in a row, Live Oak High’s Emerald Regime Marching Band has been named the best in its class in all of California.
The Western Band Association held its finals competition Nov. 19, and the Emerald Regime performed “Selections from National Treasure” by Trevor Rabin, placing first in the AA Championships in Long Beach.
“Last year, when we won, we were surprised, almost to the point of shock; this year, I think the kids kind of expected to win,” Director Greg Bergantz said Wednesday. “They worked hard, they peaked at the end of the season, which is kind of the norm for this band, but they really peaked.”
Though the band has won many awards over its three decades of existence, this competition holds the most importance to band members.
“This is big for us because by the time you get to this level, everyone has polished their shows, the judges are the dream team of judges, all specialists in their field, this is just a very demanding competition,” Bergantz said.
Bergantz arranged the music for the band, assisted by Matt Ring and Dana Guerin. The band’s precision movements on the field were choreographed by Peter Gomez.
As the efforts of Bergantz and his staff to create a compelling show for the band are a cooperative project, the success and the very existence of the band, he said, are due to a community effort.
“We want to thank the entire community, because we could not do this without them,” he said. “The saying, ‘It takes a village,’ well this is truly an example of that. From the Boosters, who support us, to the people who support us by attending our bingo, to the many other ways we are supported by the community – this band is really a product of the community.”
Community support has also enabled the band to travel the world over the years. Most recently, members visited Hong Kong and Singapore last spring. The band has performed for many different audiences in many different cultures.
“That’s such a different experience than what we go through during competitions,” Bergantz said. “When we perform overseas, it’s more of an exhibition. We put our best foot forward, certainly, but there’s not the intense pressure that comes with competitions. There are so many distractions, the kids are very interested in exploring their new surroundings, learning about the people and the place, not just giving their all to their performance.”
The band indoctrinates incoming members with a sense of pride in their work and a goal of excellence. When new band members come in, they must give up a week of their summer, learning from the seasoned members during band camp.
“It can be ominous for a freshman coming into the band,” Bergantz said. “A few don’t make it, realizing it’s a lot more commitment than what they were prepared for. But the ones that do, they learn so much from the other members. We had a kind of young group this year, but they really stepped up to the challenge. I think we were all proud of them.”
The band finished its competitive season with the first place finish in Long Beach. They now move into concert season and won’t hit the field again until August.
