Pittsburg band marches to beat of own drum

Oakland Tribune, Oct 18, 2008 by Paul Burgarino

PITTSBURG -- Fans clad in orange and black cheer wildly when Pittsburg takes the field on Friday nights. But the team in shoulder pads and helmets is not the only one that brings the crowd to its feet.

Yes, Pittsburg residents love their football, but they also love the drum cadence and specter of the Pittsburg High School Marching Show Band. The band has been high-stepping for more than three decades, delighting crowds at home football games with its peppy music.

The band is also a draw away from the football field, as evidenced by years of involvement in local parades and a recent invitation to be one of 11 schools nationwide to participate in next year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

With 140 members, Pittsburg's band is larger than most other high school bands in the area, and expectations placed upon members -- mostly by themselves -- are arguably greater. For each home game and parade, the band has to memorize a different routine.

When the Friday night lights aren't focused on the gridiron action, they're on the band. Before kickoff, the group -- nicknamed "The Pride of Pittsburg" -- performs a pre-game routine that includes the Star Spangled Banner and "Big C," Pittsburg's adopted fight song.

The band aspires to be like the UC Berkeley band, director Jennifer Martinez said. Martinez, a 2000 Pittsburg High graduate and band alum who dreamed of one day leading the Pittsburg band, took over the program in 2006.

At halftime, the band is again on the field, performing a different show each game. Each show is punctuated with "Script Pitt" -- where the band forms the word "Pitt" on the field.

"There's a lot of excitement, seeing the crowd there cheering and playing under the lights," said junior Edner Monter, who plays the sousaphone.

Added senior tenor saxophonist Joey Martinez: "Games aren't complete without the band; we get people amped."

"Our goal is to always put on the best show we can, to leave the crowd saying wow," said senior Roy Gocuan, the band's drum major. Gocuan is the student "head honcho," the one in the front twirling the large baton to keep the band in step.

Earlier this month, the band learned a new, customized routine for the San Francisco Italian Heritage Day Parade, playing "Mambo Italiano" and a new halftime routine remixing the Ozzy Osbourne song "Crazy Train."

Martinez arranged the parade song that Monday, and the students memorized it at practice the next day. The halftime song was arranged by students Fernando Lozano and Dominic Escajeda.

This season has been "brutal," as the Pirates had four early- season home games and several parades, Martinez said. "I'm so proud of our kids, the way they really pulled it together and learned all the routines and executed," she said.

The band will next play the Hollywood Santa Parade in Los Angeles on Nov. 30 and a home football game on Halloween night.

While the band's performance looks polished, it takes a lot of work during the week to reach that point. The effort starts with a two-week band camp before the school year starts.

The band learns its pregame routine and a portion of its halftime show during this time, assistant band director Karen Bascomb said. The band practices each day during school for an hour, marching through new routines while in street clothes.

Being a band member entails a lot of work after school. The band has a three-hour practice session on Tuesday nights, mandatory practices for each instrument section throughout the week, and is expected to memorize songs. Having sheet music while on the field is unacceptable, band members say.

"If we can do it, anyone can," sophomore clarinetist Rick Flores said.

Practice often isn't as crisp as their teachers would like, but once the uniforms go on, there seems to be an "instant change," Bascomb and Martinez said.

Most of the drive to perform comes from the students, Bascomb said, adding that they "have a lot of pride." Being late is also a no-no, as some band members chided a peer for being tardy for "call time."

Sophomore clarinetists Katherine Greene and Mariel Duran echoed the sentiment of many of their fellow members -- the band is "like a family."

"Being in band is exciting, busy but exciting. It's something to be proud of," Greene said.

Added Duran: "Yeah, it's kind of one giant dysfunctional family."

It makes sense, Martinez said, because the band is together so much during the day, even eating lunch or hanging out before and after class in the band room.

"Everyone fits in here," senior Michael Perry said.

Perry is a band manager -- one of several students in charge of making sure the band has everything it needs. Many of the students have been playing since junior high, and this will be their last experience playing organized music. Most band alumni follow the program years after graduating.

At the Oct. 10 game, most in the crowd seemed to enjoy the halftime show, swaying to the music coming from the field, despite a brisk wind.

Leticia Rodriguez, a Pittsburg band member from 1978 to 1981, said she thought the band was fabulous, particularly the brass section.