Bridgewater-Raritan High School Band Wins Gold Rating at Band Festival

The Bridgewater-Raritan Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band performed in the CJMEA High School Concert Band Festival at Summit High School earlier this month.

The Wind Ensemble won Gold rating in Division One with recognition for best brass, woodwind and percussion sections at the festival on March 23. The Symphonic Band won Silver rating in Division Two with recognition for best brass and woodwind.

The Bridgewater-Raritan High School Jazz Band recently competed in the NJ State Jazz Preliminaries at BRHS on March 12 and both school bands qualified for the state finals. The Mondayband received a gold rating and special recognition for best soloist, Kiran Sundar on saxophone as well as awards for best trombone and best saxophone sections. The Tuesdayband received a silver rating and special recognition for best soloist, Eric Marcarro on piano.

The Winter Guard won the WGI (World Guard International) Eastern Championship on March 22 with their show “RULE” which features music from Lorde “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and the finale from the film “Hotel Rwanda”. It is the first time that the BRHS Winter Guard has won a WGI event.

The Winter Guard competed at Monmouth University against 24 other units in the preliminary Scholastic A category. BRHS scored 80.3 while the second place team, Gateway HS from Pennsylvania, had a 80.28. In the final performance, BRHS performed last as the top seed competing against 12 other Scholastic A groups. BRHS won with a final score of 84.32.

The public is invited to come see the Winter Guard perform at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, 600 Garretson Road, on April 18 for the BRHS Home Show.

The Band Parents Association is hosting an Open House on April 14 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria for anyone, particularly 8th graders, interested in learning more about the Guard and Marching Band Programs for next school year.

(Article and photos contribution of Nancy Fischer)