West Milford Township Public Schools

Arts Department
You Matter. We Matter. The Arts Matter
December 2017

Music is a world within itself, with a language we all

understand.
-Stevie Wonder

Welcome to our December Arts Newsletter! We are still celebrating from an amazing Marching Band
season, and eagerly anticipating our concert season this December. The arts have been busy this Fall,
and a big part of what we are sharing in this newsletter is a celebration of those efforts by both students
and our staff! We have had students perform in the NJ All-State Jazz Choir, have won a State
Championship in US Band Class VA Marching Band Competition, hosted a former graduate who is
currently touring with a big name Rock Band, as well as students preparing for an Art Show in Wallkill
Valley, and our Preschool program, up and running to capacity of both student teachers, and
pre-schoolers.

The Arts are alive and well in West Milford! But we never take that for granted. We appreciate the
wonderful support of our school and community, and we invite you to come and see for yourself during
our concert season this December! It is listed on page 4.

Wishing you have a peaceful and wonderful Holiday Season!

John Boronow, K-12 Supervisor of Music, Art & Family & Consumer Sciences in West Milford

West Milford High School: Marching Band

In case you havent heard, our Highlander Marching Band had an incredible season! Their 2017 Field
Show, Under My Umbrella, won award after award
during this competition season. One of the key features
of the show was the eclectic arrangement of music
including,

Here Comes the Rain Again- The Eurythmics

1000 Airplanes on the Roof- Phillip Glass
Remember When it Rained- Josh Groban
Umbrella- Rihanna
Finale from The Firebird Suite- Igor
Stravinsky

This season was one of their most award winning to date!

Their many awards are listed below.
AWARDS AND HONORS FROM THE 2017 MARCHING SEASON
Wayne Valley Competition: First Place Group 5A, Best Music,
Best Visual, Best Overall Effect,
Best Percussion, Best Color guard
Vernon Competition: First Place Group 5A, Best Music, Best
Visual, Best Overall Effect, Best Percussion, Best Color guard
Pequannock
Competition:
First Place
Group 5A, Best Music, Best Overall Effect, Best
Percussion, Best Color guard
Randolph Competition: First Place! All awards in
group; Best Percussion Overall, Best Music Overall, Best
Effect Overall, Best Overall Band
Yamaha Cup: First Place Group 5A, Best Music, Best
Visual, Best Overall Effect, Best Percussion
Mount Olive Competition: First Place Group 5A, Best
Music, Best Visual, Best Overall Effect, Best Percussion,
Best Color guard
NJ State Championship: First Place Group 5A, Best Music, Best Visual, Best Overall Effect,
Best Percussion
National Championships: Third Place, Best Percussion, Best Color Guard, Best Overall Effect

The Highlander Band finished up their season with their 18th Annual Tattoo! The evening was filled with
the traditional pipe and drum sounds, as well as a pipe band with a rock and roll edge! They also

included another performance from the Clifton Mustang Band as well as a final performance from our
award winning musicians!

Holiday Concert Season:

With December here that means one thing--- it is concert season in West Milford! Our students and staff
are hard at work preparing for their winter concerts. Please come out and support our wonderful
students during this winter concert season.
Apshawa Elementary School: Wednesday, December 6th at 7pm
Westbrook Elementary School: Wednesday, December 6th at 7pm
West Milford High School Choral: Thursday, December 7th at 7:30pm
Marshall Hill Elementary School: Monday, December 11th at 7pm at Macopin
Paradise Knoll Elementary School: Monday, December 11th at 7pm
Maple Road Elementary School: Wednesday, December 13th at 7pm
Upper Greenwood Lake Elementary School: Wednesday, December 13th at 7pm
Macopin Middle School Choral: Thursday, December 14th at 7pm at WMHS
Macopin Middle School Band: Tuesday, December 19th at 7pm at WMHS
West Milford High School Band: Thursday, December 21st at 7:30pm

Our elementary art students are

gearing up for concert season too!
Some of their decorations this year
include poinsettias, stained candles
in windows, Nutcrackers and other
winter fun!

Spotlight: Macopin Music

Thursday, November 16th was Parent Visitation Day at Macopin. Parents were invited to bring their
instruments and join the 8th grade band rehearsal with their children. The following parents joined us
for rehearsal: Mr. Principato on flute, Mrs. Butcher on clarinet, Mr. Albar on Alto Saxophone and Mr.
Jones on Drumset.

On Friday, December 1st, the 7th and 8th Grade Band members will be skating at Ice Jam Night at
Skylands Ice World in Hardyston, NJ from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Were excited for our 8th grade musicians who will be auditioning for seating in for the 2018 North
Jersey Area Band on Saturday, December 9th at Wayne Hills High School. Students are Gianna Edmonds
(Flute), Kade McDaniel (French Horn), Shane Duffy (Trombone) and Corran Vaughn (Baritone). Concert
will be held at Mount Olive High School on Sunday, January 14th at 3 p.m.

Theyre at it again! On Wednesday, December 13th, the 8th Grade Band will be performing LIVE on
102.3 WSUS in Franklin, NJ at 8 a.m., it will also stream on the iHeart Radio app.

The 8th Grade Band had a "Face Off Rehearsal" on

Tuesday, November 28th, with Mr. Gramata and his
award winning Highlander Jazz Ensemble. The purpose
of the rehearsal was to help the 8th grade prepare their
jazz piece for their upcoming holiday performances. The
HS Jazz Ensemble sight sang and sight read the 8th
grade piece "The Good King Swings". It was an amazing
performance, the 8th grade band was in awe. The 8th
grade band then performed the same piece for the High

School. The high school students then critiqued

the 8th grade on specific music elements that
they had heard and observed during the
performance. Mr. Gramata then took over the
rehearsal and worked with the 8th grade band
using the HS Jazz Ensemble to help with proper
execution of articulations, dynamics and
rhythms. It was a very productive rehearsal. The
HS Jazz Ensemble closed the rehearsal with a
final performance from their repertoire. Thank
you to all the High School musicians and Mr.
Gramata for working with the 8th Grade Band! It
was a memorable musical experience!

Our Macopin Choral members were excited to

participate in the Sussex County Honors Choir. The
group met several times during October and
November and had a wonderful performance on
Thursday, November 16th. Congratulations to 8th
graders Georgie Barrett and Jenna Hodgson and
7th graders Joelle Geisel, Lexi OFlaherty, Matthew
Lombardo, Angelo Fernandez, Adam Berge,
Cassidy Kunz, Maxine Kunz, Matthew Landoline,
Eddie Gruber, Ty Rockey, Rhys Huber, and Julia
Gerst.

Spotlight: West Milford High School

Our Art Department in the High School has been busy
this Fall! West Milford held its first Spooktacular--- a
trunk or treat in combination with Macopins Haunted
Hallway! The night was a big success and the Art Club
came in second
place for their Art
History inspired
trunk.

On November 2nd, AP Art History, AP Studio Art
Drawing, AP Studio Art 3D Design and Advanced Art
Students took a trip into NYC to visit the Metropolitan
Museum of Art.





WM Highlander Indoor Color Guard Show, "Preview in the Highlands", will be on Sunday, January 14th
at 2:30 in the WMHS Gymnasium. Tickets are $10.

The Highlander Indoor Color Guard will present their 2018 show titled "Nothing is Impossible" as they
kick-off the 2018 Mid-Atlantic-Indoor-Network Color Guard Competition Season.
This event will showcase many scholastic and independent color guard performances, the Highlander
Indoor Guard, the Highlander Pipes and Drums, the Indoor Percussion group, and for the second year
the Join in Club Color Guard.

1988 West Milford graduate and A

Perfect Circle guitarist Billy Howerdel
returned to WMHS on an off day of his
band's tour to speak to our TV
Communications, Theater, and
Audio/Lighting club students about his
career path from West Milford High
School. Mr. Howerdel credits his
interest in the school's TV
Communications program and
audio/lighting club that led him to
become a guitar tech for many
prominent artists including the likes of
David Bowie and Guns N Roses and
later becoming the lead guitarist for A
Perfect Circle, which has sold over 4
million albums. Mr. Howerdel took
questions from students and encouraged them to experience the many different skill sets and areas that
the Arts combine.

Several of our High School Choral Students had the honor of

performing with the New Jersey All State Jazz Choir in
November. Sarah DUrbano, Audrey Leibig, Elisabeth Lynn,
Maighdlin Lagonegro-Coar, Madeleine Leahy, Peter Oselador
performed at NJPAC on Friday, November 17th under the
direction of Dr. Timothy Brent from Rider College. West Milford
students comprised nearly 25% of this prestigious state honor
ensemble.

On January 18 The Westminster Choir College Jazz Vocal

Ensemble will be coming to our school to perform and clinic
with our Highland Jazz Vocal Group. We have invited groups
from Northern Highlands High School, Pompton Lakes High
School, and Butler High School to join us. Each group will have
a clinic by the visiting professor of popular music from Rider
College, Dr. Timothy Brent. Dr. Brent was the guest conductor
for the 2017 New Jersey honors jazz choir.