Lake Washington High School Marching Band returns to the field after nearly four decades

Redmond, Wash. – The Lake Washington High School (LWHS) community will celebrate a historic moment on Friday, September 19, as the LWHS Marching Band, known as the Marching Kangs, take the field for the first time in nearly 40 years. The band will perform during halftime at the home football game against Redmond High School, marking a proud return of a foundational tradition.

Under the leadership of interim director John Northey and sophomore drum majors Carter Peterson, Eitan Moreno and Stefan Catrinescu, the newly revived Marching Kangs have been rehearsing daily in preparation for their debut performance. The program was reestablished in the spring of 2025 by Director of Bands Matthew Kruse, with strong support from LWHS Music Boosters and neighboring school band programs.

Principal Christine Bell announced the band’s return in May, and within weeks, students, families and staff mobilized to bring the vision to life. Sixty-five students dedicated a week in August to intensive rehearsals, learning marching techniques and new music. A generous anonymous donation of $15,000 enabled the purchase of new drums and marching equipment, while volunteers inventoried vintage uniforms from 1980 still stored in the band room.

The Marching Kangs’ revival is part of a broader resurgence of marching band programs across the region. Redmond High School reintroduced its band last year, and more than 2,500 students from 32 Washington schools participated in the 2025 Husky Band Day at the University of Washington. LWHS is proud to contribute to this renewed energy in music education.

The band’s fundraising campaign, Bring Back the Beat, is helping to support the purchase of new instruments, uniforms and equipment.

The return of the Marching Kangs is a symbol of resilience and renewal following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which deeply impacted music programs across all grade levels. With 95 students now participating, the LWHS Marching Band is once again building school spirit and musical excellence—just as it did when it first debuted in 1944.

The band will debut at the home football game between LWHS and Redmond High School at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 19, at Mac Field on the campus of Lake Washington High School.

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About Lake Washington: Lake Washington School District is a high-performing public school district serving Kirkland Redmond and Sammamish Washington. It is the second largest district in the state of Washington with over 30,000 students in 55 schools.