Yosemite High School Badger Band was welcomed to the stage of the Santa Paula High School auditorium where they joined the Cardinal band for an evening concert.

Cardinal band welcomes Yosemite High for a concert of the classics

April 27, 2016
Santa Paula News

When Yosemite High School band director, Francisco Marquez, approached Santa Paula High School’s band director, William Melendez, about hosting a concert that featured each of the school’s musicians on one stage, the response, quite frankly, was a no brainer.

Marquez, a 2009 graduate of Santa Paula High School, and Melendez, a native of Central California, met as students at California State University Fresno. 

“Francisco brought me to Santa Paula in 2012 to help with a band camp,” Melendez said. “I really liked it here, and the director at the time liked my work. It was only a matter of a few years before he contacted me to let me know he was retiring. He told me I should apply for the position.”

Meanwhile Marquez was beginning his career at Yosemite High School in Oakhurst, Calif. The two stayed in contact, and the irony of Melendez leading the band of which his friend was once a part seemed like fate.

With his peer at the helm of the Cardinal band, Marquez came up with an idea: why not bring the two schools together for a combined concert?

On Thursday, the Yosemite High School Badger Band was welcomed to the stage of the Santa Paula High School auditorium where they joined the Cardinal band for an evening concert. 

Performing classic compositions, including Into the Storm, Amparito Roca, Fantasy on American Sailing Songs, In the Mood, Zoot Suit Riot, and closing with a presentation of Michael Jackson’s Rock with You, the bands’ talents echoed through the campus for more than two hours.

“This is very special for me,” said Marquez, who was joined by his colleague and director of Yosemite’s jazz band, Pat Mierkey. “My world’s are colliding.”

The bands each highlighted their individual skills with solo performances, coming together at the end for a powerful rendition of Jackson’s 1979 hit.

“This is my way of giving back to the community,” Marquez said. “This school gave me so much. I am glad to be bringing my students to where it all started for me.”

With a combined headcount of more than 150 students, the only problem was in finding enough space for each musician. A good problem to have, Melendez said, as his program continues to grow.

“Santa Paula’s band program has more than 120 students this year,” he said. “We are expecting more than 150 next year.”

The issue of space is something he eagerly awaits to address, but for now, Melendez is proud of the music coming from his first year as director.

Marquez feels the same way.

“Our students work hard,” he said. “We are heading to Disneyland after this to decompress. But today was surreal. My roots are here. This is home.”





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