The Valencia High School Marching Band and Color Guard is holding the 9th Annual Pride of the Vikings Field Tournament at the Valencia High School Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 23, at 3:30 p.m.

This event brings together some of the most radiant color guard pageantry and thrilling marching bands in Southern California as they all compete for first place. There will be raffle prizes, food and merchandise. Admission is $10.

The Valencia Field Tournament kicks off the marching band season and is the first opportunity to see and hear these talented students perform. All seven Santa Clarita high schools will be competing — Castaic, Canyon, Golden Valley, Hart, Saugus, West Ranch, and Valencia. Those who haven’t experienced one of these breathtaking performances are in for a treat. A marching band and color guard team work together to interpret a piece of music—over several movements—with sound, color, choreography, dance, and props, set to a show theme. Some are highly theatrical; some are abstract and ethereal; all are guaranteed to amaze.

Valencia High School’s 2021 program is called “CloudStates.” Kelvin Flores, director of Instrumental Music at Valencia High School, describes CloudStates as “the journey of a storm.”

“In the beginning we are awoken by the chirping of birds,” says Flores. “Blue flags saturate the field. The music is bright and exciting, and we get the comfortable feeling that comes with clear skies.”

As the performance continues, the music gets more intense. Thunder warns us that a storm is imminent. We hear the sound of gentle rain and begin to sense the calm before the storm. Lightning strikes! The storm rages—aggressive and powerful—but when it passes, iridescent white flags light up the night, representing sunlight breaking through the storm. The program finishes as, majestic and victorious, the sun sets in a magnificent spectacle of color.

Flores sees the show as a representation of our own victory over life’s turmoil. “Life can throw storms at you, tossing and turning you with various degrees of force,” he says, “yet the sun always perseveres! It’s a perfect metaphor for the times we find ourselves in and the battle the world is continuing to fight.”

Creating a performance like “CloudStates” takes many months of planning, practicing, and perfecting. Competition marching bands are judged artistically and musically, so creating a show that sounds and looks amazing takes the collaboration of numerous people. The Valencia Band and Color Guard began designing their show concept in February. In July 2021, they began introducing the music and began teaching the fundamentals for marching, learning the choreography of the color guard, the movement of the flags, and learning the drill sets.

As the year went on more musical movements were incorporated, additional choreography learned, and the entire show completed. Students have spent up to 18 hours per week, every week, learning “CloudStates”—a show that lasts only seven minutes!

“We’re so proud of the show, so proud of the hard work our students have put in, and thrilled to be offering a return to normalcy and a metaphor for hope in CloudStates,” Flores says. “We hope to see as many people as possible at the field show to support all these amazing high schools and experience the joy and amazement of a marching band competition.”

To learn more about the 9th Annual Pride of the Vikings Field Tournament, visit fieldshow.prideofthevikings.org. More information about the Valencia High School Marching Band and Color Guard can be found at prideofthevikings.org. Valencia High School is located at 27801 N. Dickason Drive, Valencia, CA 91355.