New and Improved Eisenhower Marching Band and Color Guard
The Ike Marching Band and Color Guard is proud to present our 2026 show: Birds of a Feather! Under the direction of Chloe Pierce and Dean Millett. The theme for this show, in a nutshell, is community. At the start of our show, we are scattered, lost, and alone, and by the end, we have found our way back to the flock. That raw emotion of not feeling like you quite fit in and then finding your people really hits you in the feels. Now let’s see who makes our program what it is. Color Guard coaches Kyle Edwards and Ray Rosado, Assistant Coach Kylieann Rhoads, Drill by Henry Bergey, several Instrument Techs, a fantastic team of student leaders, and a rockstar Parent-Booster team. Our work for this show started in June of last school year during June camp. After several more summer meetups, two amazing weeks of band camp, and several after-school rehearsals, our show is just about ready!
Our marching band is so much more than just performing at games and assemblies. We are active members of the community here in Yakima. We constantly use teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Being a part of this program means developing skills beyond playing an instrument or tossing a flag. None of this amazing work would be possible without our Booster team. While going to competitions and performances is so fun, it costs a lot of money to run a marching band program like ours. How can you help? Great question! Our program runs several fundraisers throughout the year, and you can reference Ikeband.com for more fundraising info.
Now you may be asking yourself, “What is the difference between color guard and band?” or even, What’s the difference between drumline, drum majors, and percussion?” Well, let’s take a look at what each section brings to the show. First up, we have Color guard. Guard is the visual part of our show (and my section!). They toss flags, wooden rifles, and sabers while dancing. Without a guard, the story of our show would be very difficult to tell. Next are the woodwinds. Clarinets, flutes, piccolos, and saxophones are all part of this section. Each has its own section leader, but they can all be categorized as part of the woodwind family. Next is the brass section. They are split into high brass (trumpets, mellophones) and low brass (trombones, baritones, tubas). Like the woodwinds, they have their own section leaders, but are all a part of one brass section. Next is the percussion section. They are split into two groups: drumline and front ensemble. You will see the drumline marching on the field and the front ensemble on the front sideline. Last but certainly not least, we have our Drum Majors. Senior Drum Major Vincent York and Junior Drum Major Valeria Rodriegez make up the duo that conducts the band. Their job description is to conduct the band, teach, and lead within our program, and serve as the primary liaison between the band and the directors.
Now that you know more about the marching band program here at Ike, come out and see us perform our show at games, see us at assemblies, show up to one of our fundraisers, browse ikeband.com, and check us out on Instagram! @eisenhowermarchingbandofficial and @ike_colorguard!
