Band Director's Corner

Foothill High School has an outstanding band program for all students.  Classes are offered in Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Auxiliary Units, and Percussion.  The Foothill Band provides many Performance opportunities for its students, including: home football games, band reviews, special performance opportunities, tours, jazz festivals, concert festivals, and hosting the Foothill Band Review and Field Show Competition.

Past Foothill Band performances include a tour of England on New Year's Day in 1995, where the band set a Guinness World Book record for the longest distance a marching band has played.  Among the Band's other achievements are a tour of Nice, France, four performances at the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, performances in Hawaii, Canada, the Fiesta and Sun Bowls, Southern California, and the Portland Rose Festival Parade.

Foothill Band Boosters is a very active organization that provides the Band with funds for music, special clinicians, instruments, and uniforms.  Our Band Boosters are without question THE BEST.

The Foothill Band has earned over 1,500 awards in its short history, with most of the awards being sweepstakes and 1st place.  This is due to the hard work of our music students, parents, and instructors.

We offer students a quality music education and an advantage for college.  Band students are accepted to a college or university 40% more often than non-band students.  Past Foothill Band students have attended many of the most prestigious colleges and universities, including University of California, Stanford, USC, UCLA, Yale, Harvard, and Annapolis.

- Joshua Butterfield, Foothill Band Director

Joshua Butterfield's Bio

Mr. Butterfield received his Bachelor’s of Music Degree in Music Education from California State University Stanislaus and prior to his appointment at Foothill High School, he served as the Director of Bands at Lodi High School.  From 2004-2006, Mr. Butterfield held the position as the Director of Bands at Palma High School in Salinas, California where he developed successful Jazz and Concert Band Programs. 

Josh is an active clinician with the Northern California Band Association and has worked with groups throughout Northern California.  As an instructor and conductor, his groups have performed in Europe, Canada, Nevada, Florida, the Bahamas, Hawaii and Mexico in addition to appearances in the Citrus Bowl Parade, Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Portland Rose Parade and Carnival Cruise Lines.

As a performer, Mr. Butterfield prides himself on being versatile to work in all performance mediums.  As a classical saxophonist, Josh has held principle chairs in both the Stanislaus Wind Ensemble and San Jose State University as well as performing with the Chabot Wind Symphony and appearing three times as a featured performer at the California Music Educators Association State Conference and twice at the College Band Directors National Association Conference in Nevada.  Mr. Butterfield has studied conducting with Stuart Sims, Edward C. Harris, Gary Hill and Jim Klein.  He has also had the opportunity to perform under the batons of Thomas Lee, Eugene Corporon, Jack Stamp and Johan De Meij.

As a jazz saxophonist, Mr. Butterfield has appeared on stage with jazz greats such as Alan Vizzuti, Steve Wilson, Chuck Finley, Peter Erskin, Matt Finders, Dave Eshelman and Bruce Forman.  As an educator, he worked closely with the Monterey Jazz Festival Clinicians and coordinated monthly clinics as part of his jazz curriculum. 

Mr. Butterfield’s professional affiliations include Music Educators National Conference (MENC), California Music Educators Association (CMEA), California Band Director’s Association (CBDA), Northern California Band Association (NCBA), San Joaquin County Music Educators Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Music Fraternity.