James Furrer

James Furrer was an avid member of the instrumental groups within the music department. Mainly focusing on playing the Baritone Saxophone, James was a member of the marching, concert and jazz bands for all four years of high school. He was a four year member of the saxophone quartet, and a two year member of the pit orchestra for the principal players. James also made Bergen County Band twice, once as a percussionist in middle school (2011) and the other in high school playing Baritone Saxophone (2013).

James also went above and beyond by being a section leader for the marching band for two years. He also was inducted into the Tri M Music Honor Society and was a member for two years. James also helped overtime with the Lighting and Audio crew where he helped make sure events ran well backstage, covering anything from concerts to theatrical productions.

After graduating from high school James went on to study Electrical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, from which he graduated in May of 2019. James recently concluded his senior design project that was in affiliation with NASA Langley Research “Moon to Mars Ice & Prospecting Challenge”. This project is a competition with 10 universities competing to design and create a drilling platform that can extract ice from underneath a simulated martian surface. James' team achieved three awards including 2nd Place overall, Most accurate digital core and Cleanest Water.

James is now employed as a Controls Engineer at New Era Converting Machinery where he does electrical design, programming and factory testing automated industrial machines.

Despite his busy learning schedule, James still finds a way to be involved with music related activities. He has been a sound engineer for One More Once Big Band at Trumpets Jazz Club and continues to be involved with the high school’s Lighting and Audio crew where he assists the club advisor Mr. John Von Glahn. James also occasionally serves as a fill-in for the CHS Jazz Band’s saxophone section.

James’s favorite moments of his time within the music department revolve around the lifelong friendships he has made with fellow classmates. Some of his favorite events include the performance at Metlife stadium for the varsity football state finals, and at Bergen PAC with the jazz band. The trip to Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania was exciting for James as that is where he performed and rode a roller coaster for the first time. James also fondly remembers the time when he dressed as band director Mr. Joseph Verderese for Halloween.