Temecula Marching Band wins California State Band Championships

(Temecula, CA) The Great Oak High School marching band, aka The Spirit of Great Oak, took the Gold Medal in the California State Band Championships last Saturday night, November 19, 2022, in Huntington Beach California. The finals of this state competition had the best of the best, sixteen marching bands from all around California, some coming from as far as the San Joaquin Valley. Great Oak’s performance, with a program entitled The World Awaits, brought the house down, leaving the crowd cheering for more. This is Great Oak’s first CSBC Gold Medal in the high school’s nineteen-year history.

“I am so very proud of these young musicians. They worked so incredibly hard for this. They really deserve it,” said Jerry Burdick-Rutz, Great Oak’s Band Director.

Tears of joy and exhaustion were shed when the first-place announcement was made. The scoring was tight with Cerritos High School taking second place by less than a single point margin. Great Oak’s first-place prize included medals and a $1,500 award which will go toward the Spirit of Great Oak’s music program.

Watch their award-winning performance:
2022 CSBC 4-6 Championships: The Spirit of Great Oak Marching Band

The Spirit of Great Oak marching band has been on the world’s stage marching in parades in Paris, France, and London, England. In 2024 Great Oak will participate in the New Year’s Day parade in Rome, Italy.