Marching band crowned champion at opening competition; will seek second straight title on September 21

Nandini Kuppachi and Agastya Shahane

September 27, 2024

The Bridgewater-Raritan High School (BRHS) Marching Band launched its 2024 competitive season with a strong showing at the New Jersey Marching Band Director’s Association (NJMBDA) competition, held at Scotch-Plains Fanwood High School on Saturday, September 21.

Competing in Division AAA, the band earned 1st place with a score of 76.7, along with top honors in Best Visual, Best Effect, and Best Music categories within their division.

Looking ahead, the BRHS Marching Band will perform at the Homecoming Football Game on Friday, September 27, when Bridgewater-Raritan plays Ridge High School at Basilone Field.

The marching band will continue its NJMBDA competition season at John P. Stevens High School in Edison on Saturday, September 28. The band’s schedule includes a number of additional performances throughout the fall, with opportunities to further hone their performance and build on the strong start they have had this season.

The high school’s marching band performed at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. (BRHS Band Parents Association)

Horn Sergeant Nick Venet, senior, was very happy about the performance and is geared toward the future.

“[The performance was] great. It gave the band a great starting point to refine our show. We’re excited to get such a high score this early in the season and are ready to work,” he said.

Center Snare Julian DiMaggio, senior, took a perspective on the ensemble as a whole.

“[I] thought that the [marching band’s] run was a really good representation of where they are as an ensemble. Winning on Saturday was incredibly rewarding, but [they] still have a lot of work to do,” he said.

In addition to their divisional awards, the BRHS Marching Band was recognized with the Overall Best Music title, ranking ahead of all 11 bands participating in the competition. Their score of 76.7 placed them second overall, just behind Westfield High School, which took first place with a score of 77.4.

The BRHS band performed their annual show “Journey to the Bottom of the Sea”, marking their first competitive appearance of the season. Taking the field at 5:30 p.m., they competed against bands from East Brunswick and Ridge High Schools. The band’s entrance was met with enthusiastic support from the audience, who cheered on the ensemble as they prepared to present their production for the first time in front of a competitive panel of judges.

The NJMBDA competition circuit is one of two in which the BRHS Marching Band competes throughout the fall season. The circuit is known for its rigorous standards, with dozens of high school marching bands from across New Jersey participating each year. BRHS has established itself as a strong contender within the state, frequently placing well in previous seasons.

Preparation for this year’s production began in mid-August during a two-week band camp. During this period, the band rehearsed for nine hours each day, working to coordinate the many moving parts of their show. The production features intricate field formations, coordinated flag work by the color guard and a challenging musical score that demands both technical precision and endurance from the performers.

Aside from this, band and staff members gather every Monday and Wednesday to rehearse and clean the show. The early success at Scotch Plains-Fanwood reflects the dedication of the students and staff involved in bringing the show to life.

After the competition, the band received feedback from judges in three key categories: Effect, Music, and Visual. This feedback will be used to make refinements to their performance as they prepare for upcoming events.

Judges’ comments typically focus on areas such as overall show design, execution of marching formations, and the quality of the musical performance, providing bands with insights on where improvements can be made. During performances, judges record tapes, which are then distributed to the rest of the band to listen to. This insightful feedback will help the BRHS Marching Band improve their show for the next competition.

Part of the band’s success stems from the pacing of the marching band this season. In comparison, during the 2023 season, the show was not fully finished until the end of September. This year, the band had fully learned their show by the second week of September. This gave them more time to spend cleaning their show and focusing on weak points.

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About the Contributors

Nandini Kuppachi, Arts Editor

Nandini Kuppachi, a junior at BRHS, is currently an Arts Editor for The Prowler and has been writing for the paper since her freshman year. She has written a wide range of articles, focusing on school events like club activities and marching band competitions; her work has been featured on the school website. By focusing on insightful writing and highlighting the BR community, she brings school events to life for readers of The Prowler. She is excited to continue contributing to the vibrant culture of the school community and expanding her horizons. As she looks ahead, she’s eager to deepen her skills and explore new topics. Outside of The Prowler, Nandini enjoys playing percussion, volunteering at special needs events and hanging out with friends.

Agastya Shahane, Arts Editor

Agastya Shahane is a junior at BRHS and the Arts Editor for The Prowler. He is heavily involved in the band and music programs at BRHS, which is the reason he frequently writes articles in the arts section. Apart from the arts scene of journalism, he likes to have fun with his friends and binge-watch TV.