Dr. David Betancourt has directed band for 18 years at Cerritos College.
One of the bands includes Pep Band, which students can get a unit credit for. The course can be taken for a maximum of four times.
The responsibility of the Pep Band is to provide entertainment and school spirit at scheduled home football games.
The class emphasizes on the development of individual musicianship through large group rehearsals. Performances include both on and off campus events.
On Saturday, October 15, Betancourt directed his students to perform at homecoming. The band played the instruments on the bleachers along with family and friends that were cheering for the football team.
The band showed school spirit by wearing blue hats with “Pep Band” embroidered in white. Betancourt himself showed spirit by painting his face half white and half blue.
“We need to know how to fit into the game without getting in the way of our players. We kind of provide a musical canvas for the game. A lot of the students need to memorize the songs because sometimes they will need to play at a snap of a finger. We practice every week, once a week,” he said.
Amongst one of the band members was Fernando Hernandez, criminal justice major.
Hernandez shared that he has been a part of the Pep Band since 2013. He prepared along with the rest of the group on Thursday nights until they get it 100 percent right.
“I wouldn’t change anything about the event it has been the same for years, this is a tradition for us to play. You learn variety of music, Betancourt shows us that you can bring old music and still have fun with it,” he said.
The band has members that have joined for years but also has members that have just joined.
Amber Marin, political science major joined the band while it being her first semester here at Cerritos College. She joined along with one of her friends.
“My friend made me join the band with her. We were in Pep Band in high school so it just felt like a natural transition,” she said.
The homecoming vibe is amazing according to Marin but she would love to see more people in the stands because it would be a better vibe with a fuller crowd.
“Being able to play for people who genuinely love the school as much as we do is just really amazing we are happy to provide that extra little entertainment,” she said.
Betancourt and the band keep the school spirt alive at games whiling having fun.
“We have a good time and we just enjoy it because we contribute to the game and get the crowd pumped up and even the players,” Betancourt concludes.
