CVHS band marches to success on state and regional stages

Cedar Valley High School’s marching band continues to hit all the right notes, solidifying its reputation as one of Utah’s premier high school band programs.

The group recently concluded its competitive season by taking fourth place in the 6A division at the Utah Marching Band State Championships in St. George.

“We’ve had an extremely successful competitive season this year,” said Mitch Hall, Cedar Valley High’s band instructor. “Cedar Valley is a 5A high school, but because we have such a strong band program, we opted to compete in 6A. Placing fourth is a huge accomplishment for us.”

The band also made finals for the fourth consecutive year at a regional competition featuring top bands from California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and New Mexico.

Following their competitive success, the band celebrated by taking a trip to Disneyland, where they performed in the park’s iconic parade down Main Street as part of Disney’s Imagine Campus program. Cedar Valley was one of only two Utah high schools selected to perform, joining Maple Mountain High School.

“Performing in the parade is a magical experience for the students and for the band program,” Hall said. “The students were excited to go backstage at Disneyland and then have all eyes on us as we marched through the park, finishing down Main Street and around the Christmas tree at the entrance to the park.”

Cedar Valley’s band program has seen exponential growth since the school opened in 2019. The program started with 80 students, including 68 in the marching band. Today, the program boasts over 300 students, with 235 participating in marching band — making it the second-largest marching band in Utah.

This dedication has earned the band numerous accolades, including an invitation for its Wind Symphony to perform at the Utah Music Educators Association annual conference in 2022.

Cedar Valley’s jazz band, percussion ensemble, and color guard have also garnered competitive success, drawing students eager to join the program.

“We love being a part of the community,” Hall said. “The earlier we receive invitations for events, the more likely we are to make them happen. With as many people involved—students, staff, and parent volunteers—it takes time to coordinate logistics, but we always try to do what we can.”

The band remains deeply tied to the Eagle Mountain community, regularly performing at events such as Pony Express Days, ShopFest Utah, and the Christmas Light Parade in Fairfield.