Valley View Students March for the Mouse

On Wednesday, Jan. 20 members of Valley View High School’s Crimson Regiment performed in the 5 p.m. parade route past Condor Flats in Disney’s California Adventure Park. This is the second year the band has performed in a parade at Disneyland according to Director of Instrumental Music, Loren Gamarra. Additionally, the band worked with Sal Lozano in a workshop provided by Disney two years ago. “It is one thing to a performance for competition, but it is still important to perform for fun,” Gamarra said. “It was great to personally walk the route with the band, but more rewarding to see their excitement. They were more excited to be in the performance and to go back stage than they were to be in the park." “Disneyland is where we know we can have fun and not worry about mistakes in the way we would with a competition,” Senior Color Guard Captain Melissa Martinez said. “It was great seeing the kids cheer,” Senior and Drum Major Mathew Guevara said. “It was my job to lead the band and present them. It was so exciting to see kids excited to watch the band. Disneyland is a family place, and I hope maybe that we can inspire other kids to want to join the band someday.” “The group this year is a special group that has come so far,” Gamarra added, referring the Crimson Regiments season. This the first season in a decade where the band has had a field show, previously being a parade band mostly. In addition to their triumphs in having a field show, the band recently at the Perris Christmas Parade on Dec. 5 swept the awards. The band had scored an 88.00 winning the Sweepstakes Award for the entire parade distinguishing them as the best band that competed in the parade. This award came with a cash prize of $1,000. “The kids worked so hard this year,” Gamarra said. “We started preparing back in June, with camps through-out the summer, and rehearsals during the season. The best part of the season is constantly improving, getting better with each performance. They knocked it out of the park and I was very proud.” Additionally, the band took first with Drum Major Mathew Guevara placing first, as did the Color Guard and Drumline. “For me it was a personal goal to break my average score of 70 and I reached 80,” Guevara said. Guevara has been with the band since it began picking up again in 2011. He has watched the band personally grow from 40 to its current size. For him the past few performances had meant a great deal, “Being the conductor and hearing that last chord of the show, was very rewarding to me. I am confident in future years that they will grow and continue to get better.” “It has been rewarding to meet as many friends as I have,” Martinez added. “We are like one big band family, and having gotten to know everyone and grow as we have, has been the most rewarding.” "I hope we continue to work hard and improve," said sophomore Lindsey Finkelstein. "I am so proud of all the leaders and students that make this band great." “It is really amazing to see how they have grown and to know how dedicated they are to continue growing,” Gamarra said. “This is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives."