Bridgewater-Raritan School District Earns Music Award For 8th Straight Year

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The streak continues for the gifted Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District Music Department.

For the eighth consecutive year, the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District Music Department was the recipient of the prestigious Best Communities for Music Education award from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM).

According to the NAMM, the award program recognizes and celebrates outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education.

The NAMM announced that 935 school districts are among the Best Communities in the nation for music education for the year 2025.

According to the NAMM, the award program recognizes and celebrates outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment to and access to music education.

Matt McCarthy, who is the Supervisor for Arts Education for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District, was thrilled when he was contacted by the NAMM with the news on Monday.

"I am incredibly proud to have once again had Bridgewater-Raritan named a Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation. As a department, we don’t take this distinction lightly," McCarthy stated. "Our staff of dedicated music educators is deeply committed to providing only the best opportunities for students to grow academically, socially, and intellectually through the study of music."

McCarthy continued to share his pleasure about the elite music program at the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District.

"While it is nice to be recognized by outside organizations, the true indication of our status as a Best Community for Music Education is the achievement of our students throughout the district. I invite everyone to attend any of our district concerts and see for themselves."

The community will have that opportunity to accept McCarthy’s invitation.

There is a busy concert schedule on tap in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District for the next few weeks. Here are the spring musical concerts that will be performed in May and June.

• Tuesday, May 20 - Bridgewater-Raritan High School Orchestra Concert, 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 21 - Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School Spring Chorus Concert, 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 27 - Bridgewater-Raritan High School Spring Chorus Concert, 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 28 - Eisenhower Intermediate School 5th/6th Grade Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m.
• Thursday, May 29 - Bridgewater-Raritan High School Spring Band Concert, 6:30 p.m.
• Monday, June 2 - Eisenhower Intermediate School Grade 5 Chorus Concert, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 3 - Hillside Intermediate School Grade 5 Band/Orchestra Concert 7 p.m.; Eisenhower Intermediate School Grade 6 Chorus Concert 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 4 - Hillside Intermediate School Grade 6 Band/Orchestra concert 7 p.m.
• Thursday, June 5 - Eisenhower Intermediate School Grade 5 and 6 Band Concert 7 p.m.

— Submitted by Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District