Thriller, Blinding Lights, Uptown Funk, Land of a Thousand Dances, and the National Anthem.

What do all five songs have in common?

They were each played together by the Rancho High School band and the Day Creek Intermediate School 8th grade band at Friday’s RCHS football game. This was DCIS’s first band performance at RCHS ever.

DCIS band students practiced for weeks in preparation for the performance. 

“[I was] memorizing the pep tunes, and standing up while playing. When we got [to RCHS before the performance], we had to learn the movements, because when we played, we had to move in different directions,” said Ella G., an 8th grade band student.

The Day Creek band students were very excited to play and to see all their hard work pay off. 

“[I was excited] because [although] I knew that I wasn’t planning on doing marching band in high school, before, I wanted to do it because the whole band was going, and I knew it would be a lot of fun because it’s a high school football game. People yell, scream, sing, and we get to play and dance around, and do all this fun stuff,” Ella said. 

From the students to the director, everyone seemed thrilled for the performance. 

“I’m really excited to give the students of Day Creek an opportunity to come out and play. They can get a little glimpse of what happens at the high school level versus the middle school level. It was really cool to see them assimilate into our block and the things that we do here at Rancho,” said James Ana.

The band students from both RCHS and DCIS were all proud of their performance and skill. 

“[The Day Creek band] has a different perspective on band, and that gives us a different outlook on how to play our instruments and a whole life in band in general,” said Rose A., a RCHS band student. “These middle schoolers, they’re really fun, and [having] them hang out with us, it felt really fun.”

While band students and staff were proud of their work, their parents were also pleased.

“We’re so proud and excited to be here,” said Claudia Olavarez., the mother of one of Day Creek’s band students. 

Although the band students delighted the crowd, they were all still anxious to play in front of their very large audience.

“I was nervous because there were all these high schoolers everywhere, and they’ve done this before, so if I mess it up I’m going to look really dumb,” said Ella G.

Though students may have had to push through some nerves, Rancho’s band director couldn’t have been more pleased with their performance.  

“I look forward to having every one of the [8th grade] students at Day Creek here at Rancho High School [next year],” said Ana.