the ridge bridge - Ridge PTO

Photos by Shilpa Ingale
Ridge Marching Band Concludes
Successful Season
The 2010 Ridge High School Marching
Band concluded an outstanding competitive
season with high placements at the
state and regional championships. Competing
against 16 bands at the New Jersey
State Championships on October 24,
Ridge placed fourth and achieved its highest
score of the year at the time, 82.663.
On October 31, Ridge placed fifth at the
Northern States Championships, the traditional
end-of-season marching band event
held in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Facing
15 bands from six states, Ridge improved
its score to 88.075 and received a Caption
award for “Best Percussion” performance.
Earlier this fall, the Ridge Band captured
two first place awards and a second
place award in its first three competitions,
including the top Group 2A placement at
the prestigious Yamaha Cup that is held
annually at the Meadowlands.
Sunday’s Northern States Championships
marked the final competitive performance
for 15 seniors: Griffin Davis, Christopher
Taylor Domey, Emily Furst, Harleen
Girgla (Band Manager), Scott Kluger,
Wave Langston (Percussion Captain), Meg
Morris (Trumpet Captain), Alex Petersen
(Color Guard Captain), Andrew Pottorff,
Andrew Price, Katerina Raiser, Andrew
Richards, Annemarie Root, Katelyn Stover,
and Julia Verbrugge (Drum Major).
Mr. Dan Zugale, director of the Ridge
Marching Band, remarked that “there is a
very stiff competition at the 2A level and
there has certainly been a lot of back and
forth among the top bands all year. Everyone
should celebrate the successes we’ve
had and be proud of all our hard work.”
Student leaders of the Ridge Marching Band
proudly display their fifth place trophy and Best
Percussion award earned at the October 31
Northern States Competition in Allentown, PA.
Attending the first annual Ridge Marching Band
Competition were Mayor Scott Spitzer and his
wife Toby shown here with competition organizers
and Ridge parents, Han and Irma Kieftenbeld.
The Ridge Marching Band performs at the
first annual Ridge Marching Band Competition
held at Ridge High School on October 30.
1,250 Attend
First Annual
Ridge Marching
Band Competition
An estimated 1,250 spectators enjoyed
music, marching, color guards and food
at the first annual Ridge Marching Band
Competition held at Ridge High on
October 30. Mayor Scott Spitzer and his
wife Toby were among the attendees on a
beautiful fall evening who agreed that the
competition was a terrific success. Future
members of Ridge’s marching band, the
William Annin Middle School Wind Ensemble,
performed the National Anthem.
The competition was held at three
levels, based on band size. Bands from
Monsignor Farrell High (Staten Island,
NY), Hicksville (NY) and Northern
Burlington County Regional (NJ) were
winners.
After the competition, the Ridge High
School and Bloomsburg University bands
performed exhibitions. Ridge performed
their 2010 show “The Wild, Wild West.”
Bloomsburg performed their 2010
Show “BU does BC,” honoring famous
American composers Leonard Bernstein
and Aaron Copeland.
Han Kieftenbeld, the competition cochairperson,
remarked that “we received
many favorable comments from Band
Directors, visiting pit crews, parents and
Parent Associations, and last but not least
the USSBA who was very impressed with
the professionalism of this first event.”
Kieftenbeld added that the event’s success
was driven by the large number of current
and alumni band parents who volunteered
their time and noted the large number of
non-band related spectators.
Additional photos of the competition and the
Ridge Marching Band’s 2010 season can be
viewed at www.ridgemarchingband.org.
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