This is an all day event at Corona Del Sol High School. Address: 1001 E Knox Rd, Tempe, AZ 85284
MRHS is scheduled to perform at 6:45pm. If you plan to attend please arrive in advance in order to allow time to park.
Mountain Ridge High School and the Mountain Ridge High School Bands are happy to announce that Ivan De La Cruz has been appointed as our new Assistant Director. Ivan brings a wealth of experience in music education and arts administration to our campus. Before moving to Arizona and the West Valley suburbs of Phoenix in February of 2020, Ivan De La Cruz served as the Associate Director of Bands and Visual Program Director for the Dublin Coffman High School Band in Columbus, OH from 2014-2019. De La Cruz helped lead the band to two Bands of America (BOA) Outstanding Visual Performance Awards (2016 & 2017), as well as its first class (AAA) Championship at the BOA Canton Regional in 2017. Prior to moving to Columbus, De La Cruz spent the previous four years teaching in The Woodlands, TX as an Assistant Director of The Woodlands High School Band. During his tenure at The Woodlands, the program was a consistent finalist at the Bands of America Grand National Championships and was crowned the 2013 Grand National Champion.
De la Cruz’s performance career includes time as a member of the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps from 2001-2002 and the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps in 2003. As an educator, De la Cruz served on the Cavaliers’ visual staff from 2004-2010, and the Santa Clara Vanguard visual staff from 2011-2019 before moving into his current role as Corps Director with the organization.
In addition to his work as an educator, De La Cruz also works as a visual designer for numerous schools throughout Texas, Mississippi, Ohio, Arizona and New Mexico, where a multitude of these programs are successful both at the local and state level. He serves as a marching band adjudicator, consultant, and clinician throughout the country. He has also served as a visual judge in the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association, Mid East Performance Association, and the Indiana Percussion Association over the last 5 years. Currently, De la Cruz lives in Goodyear, AZ with his lovely wife Alyssa and their two dachshunds – Charlie and Lilly.
2021-22 Pride of the West Start-Up Day – Saturday, May 15th!
Registration/Instrument Check-Out – Saturday, May 15th at 7:00 AM
Current 8th Graders and students new to the program will be able to register, and check out an instrument for use over the summer beginning at 7:00 AM in the MRHS Auditorium Lobby.
Parent Meeting – Saturday, May 15th at 8:00 AM
We are looking forward to seeing you at our Parent meeting on May 15th, 2021!
The Parent Meeting is for at least one parent for each current and future student in the Marching Band. Please make arrangements to attend this very important meeting, as Mr. Vogel will be going through the expectations of the program, the handbook, the fall rehearsal and performance schedule, procedures and information, and answering questions. Masks are required on our campus, as is maintaining at least 6 feet social distance.
If you are unable to attend, or are uncomfortable attending in-person events, this event will be repeated via Zoom at 5 PM on Saturday, May 15, 2021. Mr. Vogel will email all current and future students the direct links, meeting IDs and passwords to each Zoom meeting. If you have not received this important information before the event, please email Mr. Vogel at aaron.vogel@dvusd.org with your student’s name and DVUSD ID number. Students new to the District, let Mr. Vogel know which school you are coming from. Thank you!
Start-Up Day – Saturday, May 15th – 8:00 – 4:00 PM
The season officially kick-offs with our Marching Band Start-Up Day in May! All incoming freshmen as well as continuing band students are required to attend. Events include:
Volunteer Training #1 – Monday, May 17 at 4:00 PM via Zoom
Volunteer Training #2 – Tuesday, May 18 at 7:30 AM via Zoom
All parents AND students are encouraged to volunteer for our Band. Please make arrangements to attend our Volunteer Training via Zoom on either Monday or Tuesday after Start Up Day. Volunteers/Chaperones must attend a DVUSD Volunteer Training every 3 years.
The Zoom links and passwords will be emailed out to all Band/Guard students/parents. Please email CDollyAnderson@gmail.com is you did not receive the Zoom link.
MRHS Band was awarded their first ever Division 1 State Championship Title at the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA) State Marching Band Championship at Glendale Community College. With a score of 96.941, the Pride of the West broke a the record for the highest score ever achieved at the ABODA State Marching Band Championship. Additionally, the Pride of the West was awarded the caption awards for High Auxiliary, High Visual Performance, High Music Performance, and High General Effect! Sharing in the celebration with the Band (2nd photo) was Dr. Curtis Finch, Superintendent of the Deer Valley Unified School District as well as Mountain Ridge’s sister school’s band, the Sandra Day O’Connor Eagle Pride Marching Band, who took placed 6th (3rd photo). #MRHSBandAZ #MRHS #DVUSD #PrideOfTheWest #RidgeRocks
MRHS Band was awarded first place at the Arizona Marching Band Association (AzMBA) State Marching Band Championships. Their score of 86.750 was enough to bring the trophy to Mountain Ridge. Additionally, the Pride of the West was awarded the caption awards for High Auxiliary and High General Effect! #MRHSBandAZ #MRHS #DVUSD #PrideOfTheWest #RidgeRocks