Marching Band

(from June 3 GRMPA Meeting Minutes)

• GRHS Band Director Dr. Darren Gage spoke about how difficult it is to deliver education to students. He misses seeing them every day.
• A Big Welcome to new music parents (incoming 9th graders). Your kids are really important and your support for the program is vital. (email from Dr. Gage was sent out to new parents on June 3rd).
• Dr. Gage has been involved with the GRMB for 30 seasons (since his own participation in high school) and can attest to the fact that GRMPA is the most effective booster and fundraiser in Glen Ridge!
• We are still up in the air with regard to what will happen with the music program this summer and in the fall.
• Dr. Gage is on the high school reopening committee. There are unique challenges with establishing safety standards for the music program going forward: the physical logistics of playing together — particularly our wind instrumentalists (a lot of saliva and heavy breathing in a small space) How do we do this safely?
• The show we will be performing this year will use the music for ​Peter and the Wolf​ by Sergei Prokofiev. We are going ahead with the assumption and the hope that there will be a traditional live field show and Dr. Gage has been designing it and working on the music since December.
• Lizanne, director of our Color Guard, has also been working on the choreography. We have a theatrical style marching band and we are eager to have as many color guard members as we can (students who like theatre, dance, acting, performance).
• Dr. Gage would like everyone to know that “we are the fall sport that will not be denied. We will make it something amazing and powerful even if it means doing things online or in other venues. We are more flexible than traditional sports, as we have a wider range of what we can do. We are all artists. The show can be performed indoors or online or we can make a video. No one will cancel it!”
• The GR Music Program includes chorus, marching band (fall, very time consuming), concert band, jazz band, winter pep band, percussion ensemble (directed by Dr. Burja), chamber music ensembles and pit orchestra. Concert band is the heart of the program. We would like students to keep playing music all year long.
• During the summer months, we will work on learning the show in person and socially distanced or online.
• Band camp will be 8/24-8/28. Mandatory. Virtual band camp or on the back field.
• School year: 9/1 will be the first practice. New Schedule: Tuesday – Thursday, 3:30 – 6:00pm. There will be a hard dismissal at 6:00pm to avoid having students leave at different times. Friday practice nights will go a bit later: 3:30 – 6:30 pm.
• Rookie students begin on Sunday, 8/23, in the afternoon. Marching Band Drum Major, Drill Sergeant and captains will also be in attendance. There will be pizza and team building activities.
• Marching Band competition schedules are very much in flux due to social distancing requirements. Dr. Gage will likely focus on 2 MB circuits with one being quite local. We will hopefully end the season at METLIFE Stadium in the Meadowlands.
• Thank you parents for supporting your students during this crazy, difficult time. We are not musically isolated. Music is a balm for the soul. It makes everyone feel better (musicians and those listening). Music makes us feel connected in many ways!
• GRMB is unstoppable and will not get cancelled!!