Herndon High School band plans big concert to celebrate 75th anniversary

Herndon High School’s Pride of Herndon will celebrate its 75th anniversary later this month with a spring bash.

The band — which served as a landmark program in the county — was established in 1947. Since then, the program has ballooned into a program with nearly 200 students.

Here’s more from the program on the band’s legacy and accomplishments:

The Pride was established in 1947 by dedicated parents and citizens who convinced Vladamir Johnson, a Russian interpreter and part-time music teacher from Washington, D.C., to rehearse with a group of fledgling musicians in the rural town of Herndon. At the time of the first rehearsal, most of the students had never seen, let alone played a musical instrument, yet the band’s first performance was a short eight weeks later. Over the years the band program at Herndon High School has grown from the initial group of 40 musicians and 6 majorettes to almost 200 students. The band program has been recognized with countless awards and honors, traveled abroad, and instilled a love of music in countless students.

This year, the program includes 115 students overall, who fill a variety of roles in marching band, symphonic band, wind ensemble and other groups.

Alumni will take part the spring concert, which is slated for May 25. The program is slated to begin at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium (700 Bennett Street). The event includes a work called “Like Diamond, Shine” specially commissioned for the anniversary.