The opening notes of the theme from “Blazing Saddles” signaled the first official public performance of the Ramona Bowl All Star Band.

Most of the band’s current 40 members played during a pre-show for the “Ramona” outdoor play on April 25 in Hemet.

“I think they did a really good job for their first time out,” said T.J. Hepburn, band director for the All Stars. “I felt people who came to watch enjoyed the change and I think we will be able to incorporate the band into more things at the bowl.”

The band was created last year to take advantage of an invitation for American marching band musicians to participate in London’s 30th annual New Year’s Day Parade and Festival on Jan. 1, 2016. Lord Mayor Catherine Longworth traveled to Hemet to present the formal invitation last September.

“In principle, you are representing your schools, your cities, your state and your country,” she said. “It will broaden your lives to be independent and traveling abroad.”

The Ramona Bowl All Star Band includes students from seven middle and high schools in the San Jacinto Valley, but recruitment is opening up to surrounding areas. Any charter or home school students who can play their instrument and are properly registered with their local school district are also eligible.

“A new person would need to make an initial payment of $1,000 to catch up on trip payments. We can accept new members until October,” Hepburn said.

The total cost per person is $3,150 and offers an eight-day stay in London with lots of sight-seeing opportunities. The nonprofit Ramona Bowl Association lent its name to help support the project but all fundraising falls on the students.

Band member Juan Topete, 16, is looking forward to attending a symphonic performance while in England. He has been playing trumpet for five years.

“I like all the different tones you can create with just three valves,” he said. “When I first started with the marching band it was hard to multitask because my brain wasn’t used to it.”

About 15 All Stars, including Juan, are from West Valley High, but the band is not sponsored by any particular school or district.

Sophomore Douglas Swayne is one of two sousaphone players in the band and has been playing with the West Valley marching band for three years.

“The most important job of the tuba player is playing the bass line,” he said.

West Valley junior, Jessica Silvas, has played clarinet for 10 years and said her All Star experience is interesting since they only practice together as a group every other month.

“You have to connect with your instrument but it’s most important to listen to everyone around you,” said Jessica, 16.

Hepburn said the band will start working on marching formation soon and in the fall rehearsals will become more frequent.

“We are adjusting every rehearsal to do things better, administratively and musically,” he said.

Rebecca Abeyratne is an eighth-grader at Rancho Viejo Middle School in Hemet. A trumpet player since third grade, she also plays with neighboring Tahquitz High School’s band. She was pleased with the band’s first public performance.

“To be a good musician you have to get used to playing music with different people,” said Rebecca, 13.

Band members’ eyes shifted from sheet music to band director Hepburn, throughout the set that included western- and patriotic-themed selections.

Fifteen-year-old Connor Thomas plays the mellophone, the marching band version of a French horn.

“The hardest part is holding the instrument (correctly) while marching,” the San Jacinto High sophomore said. “The drums are important, especially when marching, because they keep the tempo.”

West Valley junior, Paola Chavez, started playing the baritone saxophone in November.

“I was going to be in band anyway so I thought why not take the opportunity to join the All Star band?” she said. “I like that we all come together to make music that sounds really good.”

Diamond Valley Middle School’s Jessica Flores, 13, also plays the baritone sax. She said her school band director, Melissa Torres and Hepburn are always doing combined projects at both schools.

“So I don’t find it hard to mesh with this band,” she said.

It took about four years to finally form the all star band with assistance from Gary Locke, band director of the media-renowned Tigers’ marching band from Riverside Community College. Locke has helped many other musicians take part in the London parade experience and has been there about 30 times.

The Ramona Bowl All Star Band performed a second time at the bowl’s courtyard area on May 2 and plans to do another public performance for July 4.

For more information about the band, call 951-292-1639, 951-658-3111 or visit ramonabowl.com.

Contact the writer: dianerhodes.writer@gmail.com