Band students and staff from Bridgewater-Raritan High School marched throughout southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania over a non-stop weekend on October 17 and 18.
Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s Marching Band, under the guidance of Directors Nick Mossa and Dr. Tom Bourgault, triggered a very active weekend when the students performed at Franklin Park in Philadelphia during a day concert on the afternoon of Saturday, October 17.
“The band brought such a fun energy to the show despite the chilly weather -- we had a great time, and Philadelphia did, too,” Mr. Mossa shared.
According to Mr. Mossa, the Bridgewater-Raritan High School contingent “enjoyed a DJ-Dinner Cruise on the Spirit of Philadelphia on a beautifully clear night filled with yummy food, dancing, and incredible views from the top deck of the ship. It was such a great night! “
The following day, on Sunday, the party packed up, crossed the Delaware River into New Jersey, and took a short ride to nearby Rowan University in Glassboro to participate in workshop clinics with the leading instructors of the college’s Marching Band.
“The winds, battery, front ensemble, and color guard sections each had their own session and were able to take home lots of valuable feedback and growth experiences,” Mr. Mossa reported.
Then the Bridgewater-Raritan group turned back and crossed back into Philadelphia.
“We finished the trip with a stop at Reading Terminal Market for lunch before seeing the Philadelphia Orchestra perform Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban live in concert -- a professional music experience unlike any other, performed by some of the world's best musicians,’ Mr. Mossa said. “Our last stop before home was at the famous Rocky steps outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a group photo.”
Mr. Mossa summed up the busy, productive—and enjoyable—weekend.
"It was a packed two days of performing, learning, and lots of fun throughout all of our events & activities - the band was fantastic every step of the way. It's my hope that the memories and experiences from this weekend can be enjoyed for many years to come, and that we continue to enjoy our time together in these last couple of weeks of the season.”
He shared his thankfulness that this weekend was able to happen for these students.
“We are so grateful for all of the administrative support at Bridgewater-Raritan High School to provide this sort of experience for the students!"
Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s Marching Band will continue its active schedule.
The students will next enjoy Senior Night on Friday, October 23, when Bridgewater-Raritan plays its final regular-season football game against Watchung Hills Regional High School at Basilone Field.
The following day, Saturday, October 24, the Marching Band will compete in the New Jersey Marching Band Directors Association State Class Championship performance at Piscataway High School.
Their hectic schedule will end when Bridgewater-Raritan performs in the Garden State Cup on Sunday, November 1, at The College of New Jersey in Ewing.