Throughout the years, the OHS Band has steadily risen to be one of the top performing Oregon bands in pep and orchestral band. In fact, Oakland High School is one of the few 2A high schools that still has a band program, and a strong one at that. Its director and educator has been leading the band program at Oakland for thirteen years. Over this time, the OHS Band as a whole has seen tremendous growth. Without the support of the school alumni and its director and educator, the amount of success the band has seen in its life would not have been realized. This article will focus on the pep and orchestral band, as well as the band’s awards and achievements.
Regarded as one of the best by people across the state, the Oakland Pep Band is many musicians’ favorite band activity. The athletes agree, complementing the band by saying that it makes the games more lively. A senior starting forward on the State Championship-bound basketball team remarked, “I think the band brings a lot of energy… not just speaking for myself, but for the team as a whole. It almost gives a playoff intensity to regular season games.”
The musicians of the band also find the pep band quite exciting. The trombone section leader states her enjoyment of Pep Band over Orchestral Band: “I enjoy Pep Band more, there’s less stress on being absolutely perfect, and you don’t have to feel bad if you’re having an off day tone-wise.” Without the band, the football, basketball, and volleyball games would not feel the same, and the energy and motivation that the band provides would be nonexistent.
However, the biggest priority in OHS Band is the Orchestral Band; there is a season completely dedicated to orchestral music competitions between similarly-sized schools. Despite the difficulty of having to perform for judges, the instrumentalists agree that it is a fun challenge. The flute section leader states, “Pep Band–don’t get me wrong–is fun, but there’s nothing like walking on a stage where you’re being judged. The adrenaline is otherworldly.” The OHS Band has received various awards and recognitions, not only in the Orchestral Band, but also in the Pep Band. Just last year, the OHS Orchestral Band placed fourth out of eight in the state competition. In the Pep Band, they have received various sportsmanship awards during their energetic playing.
Overall, the OHS Band continues to play strong and play loud as they go into their season. We wish them the best of luck in their upcoming qualifier at Roseburg High School!