Band Banquet 2019!

By Ivy Kwok, BX

On December 2nd, the band traded their uniforms for beautiful dresses and fancy suits at the annual gathering in Pauley Pavilion Clubhouse for Band Banquet 2019!

A sample of the lovely decorations created for the event by members of PsiEK!

The event, hosted by Directors of Band Activities Sara Acosta (Psi) & Melissa Perrin (EK) and emceed by actives Ivy Kwok (Psi) and Blanca Arriaga (EK), was a huge success! The evening started off with cheerful mingling, candid photoshoots (complete with the Snapchat geofilter!), and the final stretches of the annual Penny Wars charity fundraiser. Bus #2 proved to be victorious in the friendly competition, and they started everyone off in the line for delicious salad, pasta, and signature garlic knots catered from C&O. The flutes had a victory of their own as well, and their selfless charity food drive efforts were rewarded with dessert at banquet — Diddy Riese cookies!

The wonderful and talented Emcee's for the evening, Ivy Kwok (Psi, BX) and Blanca Arriga (EK)!

Some delicious catered food, featured alongside the custom Snapchat filter created for the event!

After dinner, each section’s leaders went up to present their section awards, which spanned the entire creativity spectrum, from sweet and inspirational to hilarious and wild. Soon after, Assistant Director Paul Addleman shared a few words about the successful progress of the band’s Spark campaign, gave recognition to the hard workers behind it, and gave a special shoutout to Tabetha van Heest for her incredible dedication this season as the new Band Assistant.

Next, it was the drum majors’ turn to speak, and they took turns presenting the Freshman of the Year awards, as well as speaking on behalf of Interim Director of Athletic Bands Kevin McKeown, who was not able to attend banquet but wanted to express his infinite gratitude for the entire band for making his first season so wonderfully terrific.

Drum majors Matthew Espinoza, James Eichenbaum, and Emma Boone with the three Freshman of the Year award winners!

Each senior received a personalized mason jar, filled with notes of love and encouragement written by attendees during the event.

The heartwarming sentiments were interrupted with some comic relief in the form of a kazoo rendition of “Mo Bamba”, one of the band’s newest stand tunes that was requested by a member of the football team earlier in the season. Shortly after, the heartfelt emotions resumed as the senior slideshow played on the screen, as the seniors collected their mason jars of handwritten notes, as the season’s shows were projected, as band banquet helpers were honored, and as everyone wrapped up the night with endless fun pictures and bittersweet farewells!

​

---

A few of the pictures taken at the event! Left, a group of bandsmembers posing with matching stuffed animals. Right, a large group of flute players in their signature section pose!

Band Camp Activities 2019
Fall Recruitment Events
​Introducing Our Interim Director, Kevin OG McKeown!
The Band's Trip to Tucson
​Joint Networking Night 
Band Banquet 2019!
Get to Know a Line!
​Get Involved!