Photo Galleries
The Team to Beat
When Raymundo Vizcarra was challenged with resurrecting the Fairfax High School band program after 20 years of dormancy, he had no idea of the challenges and achievements that lay ahead.
A first-year teacher, Ray was excited about creating a marching band from scratch but encountered skepticism everywhere he turned. “I went around to local middle schools to let them know we had a music program now—hoping they ‘d send their students here—but I didn’t get that many kids at first,” says Ray. “I guess they didn’t trust me yet.”
Even Ray’s colleagues questioned his lofty ambitions. “I always dream big and when I came here I told people I really wantedto win a championship. They’d roll their eyes and say, ‘Oh Ray, just worry about getting them to play a B-flat scale in tune.”
But Ray wasn’t ready to give up on his dream. Given a graffiti-covered classroom at the school in West Hollywood, Calif., he scrubbed and painted until it looked new. He continued recruiting at the school until he filled his class, even though only 5 percent of the students had any musical experience. “We practiced literally every day in the summer,” Ray recalls. “It was very grueling and high energy, and I literally had to teach them note by note.”
Ray watched in awe as his students blossomed, both musically and personally. “I had one student who was so shy, she always had her head down. I put her in one of the leadership positions, and she just opened up.” The band continued to improve as they played at the Fairfax football games and performed their first exhibition at the LA Unified Championships.
The following year, Ray was ready to up the ante. Wearing hand-me-down uniforms from Cerritos High School, the Fairfax Marching Lions entered five competitions, marching against bands from across Southern California. To everyone’s surprise, the band placed in the top three of each competition, coming in second at the state championships and placing first in the L.A. School District’s Division I Band and Drill Championship.
“We went from being the school no one had ever heard of to the one everyone’s out to beat,” says Ray. “I think it shows if you put your trust in your students, they’ll put their trust in you. We competed against kids who’ve studied music since elementary school and still came out on top. I guess we’ve proven that, with lots of hard work and determination, anything is possible.”
NAMM Member Connection:
Nick Rail Music • Proud NAMM Member Since 1995
Without instruments to call their own, the Fairfax Marching Lions turned to the well-established rental instrument program at Nick Rail Music in Santa Barbara. “I’ve always been Impressed with Ray’s ambition and energy,” says owner Nick Rail. “It’s great to see him succeed, but also to share his story with other band directors just getting started. Seeing him helps me remember the initial passion that got me into this business. He’s a great example of someone who doesn’t take no for an answer.”