The 64-member BRHS Concert Band traveled to Westfield High School on April 18, where they performed for Dr. John Leonard from the University of Minnesota and several fellow high school ensembles. 

Under the direction of both Mr. Nicholas Mossa and Dr. Tom Bourgualt, both extremely talented directors at BRHS, the ensemble performed Overture Jubilioso composed by Frank Erickson along with Prelude and Primal Danse by Ed Huckeby, both of which have been practiced by the ensemble for months on end.

The Westfield High School Invitational is not a seemingly “ordinary” performance in that the BRHS Concert Band was one of the select ensembles that were called to the performance, rather than the school itself opting for a spot in the performance.

Bridgewater-Raritan performed alongside numerous schools, including John P. Stevens High School, Westfield High School, South Brunswick High School.

Dr. Leonard, Interim Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts and Lead Clinician for the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy adjudicated the ensemble’s performance and provided several pieces of useful feedback upon performance.

After listening to Bridgewater-Raritan’s performance, Dr. Leonard was pleased with the complex rhythms that the group had tackled throughout the performance and tried to address the unison of the band and blending the music, especially by “making the softs softer and the louds louder” — the fact that the ensemble was able to polish their music with him displays their talent and Dr. Leonard’s recognition of it.

The BRHS Concert Band, comprised of all the freshman band students at the high school, will be able to use this advice to ameliorate their individual performance along with their ensemble musicality, especially in lieu of the not-so-far-away Spring Concert on May 23, 2023.

Congratulations to the BRHS Concert Band on a successful and well-enjoyed concert!