For the first time, the California State Band Championships will be held at Aliso Niguel High School on Nov. 15, 2025. CSBC is a circuit for school and independent marching bands all across the state to compete against each other in certain divisions or rankings. This year, the 2025 championship tournament will take place at ANHS with Capistrano Valley serving as the official host.
After months of preparation and long rehearsals, a home competition provides a completely different experience not only for the band members and band director, but also for everyone who are typically involved in ensuring smooth competition days, including the booster parents and volunteers.
“Planning and coordinating this competition was different from other comps because we didn’t have to plan for transportation, which was nice,” said Mr. Chen, the band director.
Away competitions often mean long bus rides, unfamiliar campuses and late nights with schedules similar to 7 a.m. call times to be ready to rehearse at school and an 11 p.m. dismissal. Long days like these can be inconvenient for the hardworking Marching Band students especially after Friday night halftime performances as competitions usually fall on Saturdays.
Mr. Chen noted that, “This competition feels more relaxed; transportation was one less thing to worry about which is good for champs as we don’t need to spend time stressing about that.”
Furthermore, this competition will be different from the others due to the competition site not aligning with the host school. The planning and coordination of this event have been, according to Mr. Chen, “interesting” and “weird.”
He said, “I have already had vendors contact me because they thought we were hosting it so I had to tell them that we are only the champs site and that is something they have to talk to Capo about. It was also different because we have been assisting the Capo Valley parent volunteers with planning for the set up”.
On top of that, the team is especially excited for the home field advantage. Like any other sport, performing where you practice is a huge benefit, and marching band is no different. It’s the same turf these performers have dedicated months rehearsing on, which helps them feel more at ease heading into championships. That comfort allows members to focus more on their technique, timing, and musical expression, since they are already familiar with performing on home turf.
The home championship is even more meaningful for the senior class, most of whom have dedicated all their four years in the program to weekly rehearsals, sectionals and full ensemble band practices. As the end of their final field show, not only of the fall marching season but of their marching band career at ANHS approaches, it feels like a full-circle moment. Performing on home turf adds a deeper personal layer to the event for the seniors as they reflect back on the years of memories, challenges and friendships made throughout their experience as a part of this program. This last show for many of the seniors represents a lasting legacy as it is a chance for them to leave a final mark on the turf they have spent so much of their high school years on.
The band president, Tristan Espinosa (12), shared “Overall, this show has a different kind of energy compared to away comps because we’re able to represent more school spirit.”
