The senior members of the Santa Monica High School Band had a serenading sendoff on Tuesday evening, taking part in the band program’s annual "Pops" concert featuring highlights from movies, video games and popular music history.
Performing during the showcase were the concert band and symphonic band, the symphonic winds, the wind symphony and the wind ensemble; all under the direction of Kevin McKeown and Terry Sakow. Selections included the instant Disney classic "Let It Go," songs from games like "Undertale" and "Cuphead" and highlights from films such as Ratatouille and Mission: Impossible.
The evening was a celebration of a successful year for the band program, winning a multitude of awards from voting bodies like the Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association and the California All-State Music Educators Conference. In addition, the wind symphony traveled to Seattle over spring break to participate in the WorldStrides Heritage Festival, winning the coveted Gold Rating to gain an invitation to the 2025 Festival of Gold in San Francisco or Chicago.
thomas@smdp.com
