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Mira Costa Bands Prepare for New Beginning

May 10, 2021 08:39AM ● By Jeanne Fratello
The Mira Costa Bands and Colorguard programs lost out on in-person music-making, camaraderie, and major events during the pandemic. But now they're preparing to start fresh by committing to new events and formats in the next two years, including a trip to Hawaii.

Band director Joel Carlson has just released a video announcing future plans for the award-winning program (see below for video).

"The ever-resourceful band director Joel Carlson has come up with an inspired plan to create a whole new beginning for the Mira Costa Bands," said Andrea Custer, the co-president of the Mira Costa Bands & Guard Booster. "We hope [the video] will give families who were interested in band - but shied away from it because they didn’t have the best experience in music during distance learning - confidence that the fun of bands is back."

One new option for students is to participate in a Parade Band, which will be open to all band students. The parade band will require a much lower time commitment than the regular Marching Band that performs field shows.

Upcoming highlights include:

The Stadium Concert - Mira Costa High School, June 3
Monster Mashup (Marching Band and Colorguard field shows) - Fall 2021
The Hollywood Christmas Parade (Parade Band and Colorguard) - December 2021
The President's Cup National Concert Band Festival (Concert Band) - Washington, D.C., Spring 2022
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Parade (Parade Band and Colorguard) - Honolulu, Hawaii, Spring 2023

The Parade Band will also participate in the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair parade (once it is held again) and go to Disneyland (once they open to parades).

Prospective students, take note: Any student at Mira Costa can participate in Colorguard - it is a sport like any other at the school. Any music student at Mira Costa can participate in the Marching Band. If the student is a band member, they can be in any section in the Marching Band. If the student is an orchestra or choir member they can participate in the Marching Band's drumline unit. Marching Band is a sport, so rehearsals are held after school.

For more information, see MiraCostaBands.com under the “Join” tab, or email band director Joel Carlson [email protected] with questions.

The Mira Costa Bands have been far from quiet over the pandemic. Visit their YouTube channel to watch the Corona Band/Carlson Band play "I Want You Back," "The Power of Love," and more.


Mira Costa Bands - A New Beginning

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