Movin’ and Groovin’: All-City Band Keeps Students Marching to Their Own Beat 

Seattle’s All-City Band ends every practice by asking three questions: Who are we? What’s the word? What do we do? 

And every time, voices respond in unison with the same answers: All-City! Pride! Entertain! 

With its reputation for excellence in music education, student leadership, and entertainment, The All-City Band brings together students from schools throughout the greater Seattle area. It was a record year for the band with nearly 200 student participants!

The group performed in parades from Olympia all the way to British Columbia. They kicked off the season with 120 students traveling to Washington, D.C., to represent Seattle and Washington state in the National Independence Day Parade.  

Band director, Dr. Marcus Pimpleton, joined All-City Band after his eighth-grade year and has been a part of it ever since. He volunteered on the teaching staff for five years before moving up the ranks to become the director. His longevity with the band is proof of his dedication to helping students develop a passion for music and marching. Pimpleton said the band was instrumental in shaping him into the person he is today. 

“Everything I have come to understand about high-quality teaching and learning and about leadership has roots in something I experienced as a student or volunteer with All-City,” he said. “I had a lot of personal struggles during middle and high school. All-City was one place where I felt fully accepted and valued.” 

The band focuses on four areas: community, musicianship, leadership, and showmanship.

It is run almost exclusively off the registration and uniform fees families pay when students sign up. With the help of their alumni and parent boosters, Friends of All-City Band, the group holds fundraisers to offset the cost of transportation and tuition for students in need.  

The program typically lasts about seven weeks. Students rehearse three nights a week and perform on the weekends. For the past few years, the band has ended each summer with a weekend trip to Penticton, British Columbia to participate in the Penticton Peach Festival. 

From students who are new to playing an instrument to seasoned performers, All-City Band is a great way for students to continue their music learning during the summer months. In her first year with the band, Ballard sophomore Danica Jackson said she is using the experience to learn proper techniques when playing the cymbals.  

“My school is a lot more relaxed about how we play cymbals, and we don’t have as much choreography as [All-City Band], so I’m learning different choreography, and I’m learning how to properly play cymbals.” 

The band strives to create a familial environment where students can be surrounded by a community that is safe, welcoming and offers a sense of belonging. Students finish their summer with the band as stronger musicians with some leadership skills they can take back to their school programs. 

The group isn’t only for students who play an instrument.

Ingraham High School junior Stephanie Ngongo is part of the flagline, and for her, it’s the best of both worlds. 

“It’s super fun because you get to be part of the band, but you get to listen while the whole band plays,” she said. “It’s pretty amazing to hear the whole band together.” 

Many of the students say they leave the band with more than an education in music. They also come away with lifelong friendships. Pimpleton said he’s even officiated weddings for couples who met while in the band.  

In the next five years, Pimpleton wants to focus on attracting a more diverse group of students and sustainability.  

“I’d like to see us bringing in more students from the Southeast region. That area of our district has tended to be underrepresented in recent years,” he said.  

In 2026, All-City Band will celebrate its 75th anniversary. Pimpleton hopes that by that time, parents and alumni are more actively engaged to ensure the program has the resources to continue to thrive well into the future.  

“Our percussion equipment and sousaphones need replacement,” Pimpleton said. “We spend a lot of money on truck rentals, so it would be nice to fundraise to buy the band an equipment truck or trailer.” 

Ngongo wants to see more investment in the arts, saying that participating in performance arts has enriched her high school experience.  

“I love the community, I love the experience, I love all the new things I’ve learned. It’s just so good.” 

If you want to learn more or donate to the band, visit the All-City Band website.