Local high school bands march into fall season

Football games are a lot of fun and so are half-time shows. But aside from marching band parents, most probably don't often think about all of the hard work marching band students and teachers put in each year.

At Kittatinny Regional High School, it all starts with Tuesday practices in the summer. Then, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. for two weeks in August, Kittatinny holds band camp. Weather permitting, the students daily practice the field show, until a lunch break, then at 5 p.m., followed by two hours of games and bonding activities.

"They allow all of the students to get to know each other, especially the new members, and to blow off some steam after a long day of hard work in the summer sun," said Marching Band Director, Jarred Matthes.

At Kittatinny, students must try out for the percussion sections, but Matthes and Assistant Marching Band Director, Alexandra Straulina, will find a spot for any interested student.

Matthes has been at Kittatinny since 2005, and Straulina was a student at Kittatinny, was in the marching band, and after college, returned to her alma mater to teach.

“We always try to balance the instrumentation each year as students are signing up in the spring,” Matthes said. “Typically this does involve asking students to switch to a secondary instrument. We have a lot of woodwind players who play brass and percussion instruments during marching band season, since they are more audible on the field.”

Establishing a great “drum line” is key.

“We have auditions in the spring with our percussion instructors where students are given pieces to learn, and after listening to them and working on sections with them, we assign the different instruments to students based on their skill level and abilities,” Matthes said. “Similarly the front ensemble (instruments such as marimbas, xylophone, vibraphone, keyboard, etc -anything that's not carried while marching) is auditioned and assigned to the individual students strengths.”

Besides Matthes and Straulina, Kittatinnny has three color guard instructors: Stephanie Hontz, Katie Sellers, and Crystal Bork, four percussion instructors: Tim Jedlicka, Phillip Gallo, Casey Dziuba, and Maddy Teitsma, three music and visual techs: Christina George, Cara Giovanetti, and Christian Orrico.

“Internationally known trumpeter (from the David Letterman show) and clinician Al Chez helps us with show design and comes in and works with the band multiple times each season,” Matthes said. “Our design team also includes Adam Freeman who writes our drill.”

Kittatinny has three Drum Majors in the band this year: seniorsJimmy Allison, Abby Martin, and Ryan Newell. All three have earned spots on honors bands around the state.

In September, the Kittatinny marching band rehearses Mondays through Thursdays from 2:30-5:30 p.m., with games most Friday nights.

“When we have a competition or a home football game we start rehearsal on Saturdays at 9,” Matthes said. “As the season goes on, we usually eliminate the Monday rehearsals and go just Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday plus games and competitions.”

This year, Kittatinny will compete in the Yamaha Cup at MetLife Stadium, the North Warren competition and the National Championships in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Stephen O'Toole is starting his 19th year at Newton High School as Band Director.

As with Kittatinny, the commitment starts at summer's dawn with Wednesday rehearsals from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Newton then has a full week of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. practices in early August. After that, they practice 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, as they do now. There's no audition, any student can join.

Of instrumentation, O'Toole said, “It's always a challenge. Sometimes a student will change instruments to fill a gap other times we will re-write the music to cover the missing part with another instrument.”

Newton's drum line is usually based on skill level but sometimes just on need.

“Tenor and snare drum players need to be more technically proficient, but really it depends on the difficulty of the music,” he said.

There are no other teachers from Newton High School on the staff involved with the marching band, but O'Toole does have two individuals that are outside the district as staff members. Garrett Lonzello, the Assistant Band Director and an alumni of Newton High School and Virginia Krieg is the Color Guard Instructor.

Newton has three field commanders, all of whom are seniors: Natalie Schmitt and Isobel Costello are the Drum Majors and Miranda Paternoster is the Field Drum Major.

“Natalie and Isobel conduct our field show and Miranda is an on-field leader,” O'Toole said. “The Drum Majors are selected during their sophomore year, they are the Assistant Drum Majors during their Junior year, learning from the Drum Major for that year. The Field Drum Major is chosen from the incoming seniors for that year and has shown themselves to be a leader."

For several years, Newton High has accepted eighth graders into all parts of the marching band, and the school does one competition each year. This year it's the Lenape Valley Festival.

Dave DiGrazia is in his sixth year as Band Director at Lenape Valley Regional High School, and practices start in April.

“It takes several school years and lots of recruitment to create a balanced ensemble,” he said.

Lenape's drum line usually based on seniority, in which upperclassman play quads and snare while new members play bass drum.

“Summer rehearsals start right after graduation and continue until school begins,' DiGrazia said. “We rehearse one night a week for two hours, and we have a summer mini-camp at the end of July which is three hours a day for five days.” Lenape marching band members then attend a sleep-away band camp for five days at the end of August. Most days are from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

DiGrazia has a staff of three: Assistant Director, Frank Shay, Percussion Instructor Caitlyn Scrimo and Color Guard Instructor, Nancy Shay. Drum Majors are Dante Marra and Delaina Predmore, and the Captain is Joe Maiello.

“All are seniors and are required to go through an extensive audition process beginning in their junior year,” DiGrazia said. “Audition requirements are: a 10 question essay, performance audition, and several interviews with staff and other drum majors.”

Like Newton, Lenape accepts 8th graders in all sections of the band including color guard.

Now that school has commenced, practices are Monday and Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 2:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Football games are generally on Fridays and rehearsals prior to Saturday competitions are for three hours.

This season, the Lenape marching band will be participating in the following competitions:Edison High School, Wayne Valley High School, Vernon High School, Mount Olive High School, North Warren High School, the NJ State Championships at Rowen University and the National Competition in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Lenape will also be hosting a competition on October 5th.

“This is our fourth year hosting a competition,” DiGrazia said. “It is a massive under taking by our band parent association. They plan and manage everything: parking, food, hospitality, programs, etc.”

“The uniforms are very hot during the warmer months so we have T-shirts with our show theme on them to be worn under the jackets,” O'Toole said. "...Rain is also another thing we have to contend with. We have raincoats, but we also have a lot of equipment that shouldn't get wet - so we're used to performing in various configurations. For example - in the stands without the woodwinds - since rain can ruin the pads on their keys.

Matthes says the biggest challenge is probably keeping up the energy and enthusiasm for such a long season. "The biggest satisfaction is definitely the incredible family bond that forms between the members...our motto is "One Family," and it's something that extends far beyond the season, and ever far beyond high school."