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Marching Band

Welcome to the Mt. Carmel Band, Orchestra and Color Guard program! This nationally recognized program has demonstrated consistent musical excellence throughout its 35+ year history. Mt. Carmel Instrumental Music Department is considered one of the top programs in all of Southern California. Many of the top academic students at Mt. Carmel participate in our music program and consider it a highlight of their high school experience. These are the nicest and best students at Mt. Carmel and the type of students you will want your student to be around and make friends with.

History
Mt. Carmel’s two-time Grammy Award-winning band and orchestra were directed by nationally recognized director Warren Torns (1944-2022).

In 1988, under the direction of Tom Cole, the Marching Sundevil Band was featured in the opening scenes of the movie “Little Nikita”, starring Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, and Richard Jenkins. 

In 2005, Mt. Carmel’s Music Department hosted the Holiday Bowl High School Band Competition. 

In 2006, the Marching Sundevils performed for the 11th time in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.

In  2010 Mt Carmel performed in both the Fiesta Bowl field tournament and parade review.  Mt Carmel took 2nd in the field show competition by .05  points and 1st place in the parade making them the overall champions of the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship. 

Between 2015 and 2019, the Mt. Carmel Marching Band and Color Guard, under the direction of Garry McPherson (now retired) won 1st Place at the SCSBOA Band Field Championship where they competed against the top twelve 6A Division high school marching bands in Southern California. The school’s marching band has racked up more trophies than the entire athletics team combined. When visiting the Mt Carmel Band Room there are so many trophies they are literally stacked on top of each other.

  1. Two-Time Grammy Award Winners
  2. One of the Top 3 Marching Bands in Southern California
  3. Five-time SCSBOA Gold Medal Winners. A list of the winning shows is below. To see videos of these championship performances click here
      • 2015 “enTANGOment”
      • 2016 “Discover The Ancient Skies”
      • 2017 “Dark Hearts”
      • 2018 “Scrolls of The Ancients”
      • 2019 “Kaleidoscope of Mind”

The annual Mt. Carmel Tournament of Bands has been held each October since 1976 and is the largest and most widely attended parade and field competition in San Diego with over 30 bands in attendance.

Currently, the Marching Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble II, Wind Ensemble I, String Orchestra, and Symphony Orchestra are led by Martin Fierro

 

SCSBOA Championship Performance Videos. Five-time Gold Medalist and Tournament Grand Champions