Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by Fred Matthes

The LGHS Marching Band performs on the football field earlier this year.

It's New Year's in London!

By Shari Kaplan

For the 80 to 90 members of the Wildcat Marching Band at Los Gatos High School, just about every day is "band day"--whether it be practicing music, going over footwork or polishing and tuning their instruments.

On June 8, however, the entire town will recognize what Mayor Randy Attaway has proclaimed as "Los Gatos High School Wildcat Marching Band Day" in honor of the band's past kudos and its upcoming trip to the annual London New Year's Eve Parade. This will also be one of many planned fundraisers to help raise the minimum of $150,000 needed to send all band members to London for a week.

The Wildcat Marching Band is one of only two California bands invited to perform in the London parade, which is viewed by a million spectators and broadcast throughout Europe.

The June 8 festivities will begin with a noon concert at the Los Gatos Town Plaza, in which the band will play marches, big band numbers, TV and movie themes and generally what band director Judy Bingman calls "light music--things you can tap your feet to." The LGHS Jazz Band will also be performing.

Afterward, students will break into small groups to travel the streets of downtown Los Gatos, stopping to entertain at the businesses that have contributed to fundraising efforts for the London trip. Passersby will have an opportunity to make donations if they wish. To keep the students marching along, Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza will be hosting the band for a free lunch of pizza and soda.

With John Herberich at the helm of fundraising efforts, rummage sales, car washes, scrip sales, corporate donations and proceeds from the Band Boosters' Snack Shack will also help fill the band's coffers over the coming months.

"I'm charged about the trip. The kids are really excited and the parents feel it's quite an education experience for the kids," says Bingman. Along with airfare, food and lodging, she says, the tour package includes seeing a musical, cruising the River Thames, visiting historical sites and a chaperoned New Year's Eve party with students from around the world.

In the nearly 10 years she has been involved with the band, Bingman says she often finds herself thinking, "there's nothing that could beat that!" after every successive honor. During spring break in 1993, for example, the band performed at the Disney World Electrical Parade and the All American Music Festival. In 1995, also during spring break, the band traveled to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to perform at the United Nations, the Great Adventure Theme Park and several schools.

For more information about the band, the June 8 program or making donations, call 354-2730, ext. 241.