Student musicians from La Jolla High School will compete for the crown on May 6 in the school’s annual Battle of the Bands. Each band will play about three to four songs in the event, which is open to the public and will raise funds for the school’s music program. According to Michael Fiedler, the school’s instrumental music director, music programs start with nothing, so it’s crucial to hold fundraisers in order to be able to do things like fix instruments, buy supplies and buy music. Fiedler said he’s expecting up to 200 people to attend the event, which began as a social outlet for students. “When I first started teaching here, a couple students came up to me and said, ‘Let’s have a Battle of the Bands.’ They were really gung ho about it,” he said, adding that the event has been a success ever since. “The fundraising aspect came as an afterthought. We charge for tickets, so we might as well raise money for the program.” While some participating bands have been formed for a while, Fiedler said, many students came together to form bands specifically for this fundraiser. — Claire Harlin WHAT: La Jolla High School Battle of the Bands WHEN: May 6 at 7 p.m. WHERE: 750 Nautilus St. HOW MUCH: $7