Great Oak High School's Marching Band Wins State Championship

TEMECULA, CA — The Great Oak High School marching band knows how to bring the house down.

Better known as the Wolfpack's Spirit of Great Oak, the marching band took home the gold medal over the weekend at the California State Band Championships in Huntington Beach.

The achievement marks Great Oak’s first CSBC gold medal in the school’s 19-year-history.

“I am so incredibly proud of these young musicians. They worked so incredibly hard for this. They really deserve it,” said Jerry Burdick-Rutz, Great Oak’s band director.

The state competition finals featured the best of the best with 16 marching bands from across the state. Great Oak’s performance — with a program entitled The World Awaits — left the crowd cheering for more, according to Burdick-Rutz.

"Tears of joy ... were shed when the first-place announcement was made," Burdick-Rutz said. "The scoring was tight, with Cerritos High School taking second place by less than a single-point margin."

Great Oak’s first-place prize included medals and a $1,500 award, which will go toward the Spirit of Great Oak’s music program, Burdick-Rutz said.

The Spirit of Great Oak marching band has been on the world’s stage marching in parades in Paris, France and London; in 2024, Great Oak will participate in the New Year’s Day parade in Rome, according to Burdick-Rutz.