SBHS Band Stay Busy With Over 100 Events This Year

At SBHS, the band and choir program has been nonstop all year round, with performances, competitions, and community events packed into nearly every week. The program is led by band director Tyler Ravelli, who is wrapping up his fourth year at SBHS. Students often move straight from class to rehearsals, making it a big part of daily campus life.

Ravelli said the group has done “over a hundred” events this year, and it really feels like it. In just the past couple of months alone, students have taken part in around 40 performances, from school sports games to festivals and competitions. That stretch included the Westlake Jazz Festival, the SBCC String and Wind Festival, drumline and color guard competitions, and even performances at basketball and lacrosse games. A lot of the time, students are performing multiple times in a single week.

The drumline earned first place in its AAA division this season, and the color guard placed third, both standing out in what Ravelli called a very competitive field. At the SBCC festival, students performed a space-themed concert set and even worked with a clinical focus on improving how they read music. “We had a really good season,” Ravelli said, adding that the level of competition makes those results even more meaningful. These wins have “helped motivate the group” heading into the final stretch of the year.

Although we are nearing the end of the year, their schedule isn’t slowing down just yet. Upcoming events include dance recitals, the Chalk Festival, a trip to Universal Studios to perform at CityWalk, graduation, and a final parent showcase on June 19. There’s also a band banquet and a day where junior high students come in to see where they might fit in the program next year. Each event adds something special and something different.

One of Ravelli’s favorite moments this year came after the Milpas Parade was canceled. Instead of letting it go, the program created its own on-campus parade showcase with elementary, junior high, and high school students all performing. “It was super fun for me because I was in the box announcing everything to everyone,” he said. 

For Ravelli, what stands out most isn’t just the number of performances, but how the program works together. “Everyone brings something special and unique to the team,” he said. “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” He added that it’s all about each student understanding their role and stepping into it with confidence, which is what makes the program come together. A balance between independence and teamwork is what defines the group.