Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Ken Rydeen directs the Saratoga High School band during morning practice.

New director is leading the Saratoga High School band

First appearance is September 14 at Los Gatos High for a football game

By Cecily Barnes

This school year, Saratoga High School's band will march to a different leader, new band and orchestra director Ken Rydeen.

Born and raised in San Jose, 26-year-old Rydeen has been eyeing Saratoga's marching band longingly for years.

"I wanted to come into this program," he said. "I knew about [it], and I think it's an excellent program."

Rydeen has a lot of band experience. After playing all through high school, he went on to major in music performance at San Jose State University. After college, he worked with Santa Clara Vanguard (a drum and bugle corps), the Spirit of Sunnyvale and various other community bands.

Rydeen said he is delighted to be at Saratoga High School.

"I walked in here and everyone was like, 'What do you need?'" he added. "I just mention what I need, and I have three people jumping on it."

All last week, Rydeen hosted the Falcon's Band camp, beating in time with the band for eight hours a day. This one-week intensive practice jump-starts the band into action.

"We go through dusting off the cobwebs," Rydeen explained. "We went over basics in marching and marching techniques."

About 100 students will participate in Saratoga High School's marching band this year. And Rydeen has been swinging his director's baton furiously to get a show together. The band will perform at football games and local events. The band's first appearance is Sept. 14 at Los Gatos High School for a football game.