Ensembles
Valhalla High School showcases a variety of instrumental music ensembles for students of all proficiency levels.
Valhalla Vanguard
(Marching Band)
Valhalla Vanguard is Valhalla High School's Award Winning Marching Band under the direction of Adam Pezdek. It is made up of four classes: Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Percussion Ensemble, and Colorguard. Vanguard operates during the fall season, competing in Southern California field tournaments and performing at home football games, pep rallies, and community parades. Vanguard is California State Band Championships 2017 3A Division Champions, and performed in the 2016 Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Wind Ensemble
The Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Adam Pezdek, is made up of three classes: Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Percussion Ensemble. It operates during the winter and spring, performing in seasonal concerts on and off campus as well as Southern California music festivals and Valhalla High School's Graduation Ceremony. The Wind Ensemble performs contemporary and traditional wind band literature, orchestral transcriptions, marches, and popular music.
Symphonic Orchestra
The Symphonic Orchestra, under the direction of Adam Pezdek, is a full orchestra made up of the Advanced Orchestra class and selected members of the Symphonic Band and Percussion Ensemble classes. It operates during the winter and spring, performing in seasonal concerts on and off campus. The Symphonic Orchestra performs both contemporary and traditional arrangements of full orchestral literature as well as full orchestra transcriptions of popular music.
Advanced Orchestra
The Advanced Orchestra is a string orchestra, under the direction of Adam Pezdek, that meets as a class. It operates during the entire school year, performing in seasonal concerts on and off campus, as well as Southern California music festivals. The Advanced Orchestra performs both contemporary and traditional string orchestra literature and popular music.
Beginning/Intermediate Orchestra
The Beginning/Intermediate Orchestra is a string orchestra, under the direction of Casey Hernandez, that meets as a class. The class is titled "Beginning Orchestra," however the majority of the students arrive having 2-3 years experience, making it function as an intermediate orchestra. Students with no musical experience are split from the orchestra and given accelerated instruction by Adam Pezdek for 2-3 months at which time they return to the orchestra. It operates during the entire school year, performing in seasonal concerts on and off campus, as well as Southern California music festivals. It also serves as a feeder to the Advanced Orchestra. The Intermediate Orchestra performs both contemporary and traditional string orchestra literature and popular music.
Colorguard
Our Award Winning Colorguard, under the direction of Gio Ayon, meets as a class and rehearses after school and on weekends. It operates all year long. During the fall season Colorguard joins Vanguard (Marching Band), competing in Southern California field tournaments and performing at home football games. During the Winter and Spring the Colorguard competes in Southern Calornia Winter Guard events. Our Colorguard is Winger Guard Association of Southern California's (WGASC) 2017 Division High School AA Round 5 Gold Medalist.
Drumline
Drumline meets together as a class and operates all year long. During the fall season Drumline joins Vanguard (Marching Band), competing in Southern California field tournaments and performing at home football games and pep rallies. During Winter and Spring Drumline joins the Wind Ensemble, performing at seasonal concerts on and off campus as well as Southern California music festivals and Valhalla High School's Graduation Ceremony. Additionally, during Winter and Spring Drumline competes and performs as a Winter Percussion unit, under the direction of Jake Harman, in Southern California percussive arts events.
Small Ensembles
Valhalla High School offers a variety of small ensembles. These groups are by invitation only and for highly motivated students who have demonstrated a desire to further develop their musical abilities. Ensembles meet during lunch and after school throughout the entire year and include:
The Berserker Brass Brand - a contemporary style brass band
Orange Brass - a traditional brass quintet
Orange Strings - a traditional string quartet, sometimes a double string quartet
Orange Winds - a tradition woodwind quintet
Small Ensembles perform pre-concert lobby shows at seasonal concerts on and off campus, as well as at a Small Ensemble Showcase in the Spring.