To read testimonials by band parents and marchers, click here.
"Quick Start" info sheet (2017-18 edition)
UNIFORM Storage, Care and Cleaning Instructions
New Parent Orientation presentation
♪Will I have time to commit to marching band? Like any full-time sport or activity, marching band requires good time management skills during the season. Many students find that their grades during marching band season are better than during the rest of the year, because they manage their time better.
♪Will I meet a lot of people? Yes! This activity is a great place to make friends. The MRD's enrollment in recent years has been between 200 and 230 students. You will be involved with other students who share your musical and performance interests and will bond with them in the pursuit of excellence. Hours of practicing together, riding the bus to and from competitions, traveling on band trips, and multiple MRD social events bring the marchers together and result in great friendships and shared experiences.
♪Does the band travel? The band performs at all home football games (usually scheduled on Fridays), marching band competitions (usually scheduled on Saturdays), and local parades. In addition, the MRD travels every two years to perform at prestigious sites and music festivals. Over the years, the band has performed in England/Scotland, Italy/Austria, Belgium/France and Disney World. We traveled to Vienna, Salzburg and Prague in Spring 2013 and to Disney in Spring 2015. Recently, however, trips have been limited to domestic locations - Florida and California. These trips are great opportunities, but are optional for students and do not count toward the class curriculum.
♪What kind of music does the band play? The band plays a variety of music, from pep music to generate excitement at the games, to contemporary marching band music which include popular, jazz and classical musical styles. Every year features a new show theme. Check out some videos of the band!
♪What are the “sections” of the band? The band is made up of woodwinds (flutes, clarinets, alto saxophones, tenor saxophones, baritone saxophones), brass (trumpets, mellophones, trombones, baritones, and tubas), percussion (battery and front ensemble), and color guard. Brass and woodwinds are referred to as "winds" in the MRD Schedule distributed to marchers and parents each year.
♪Do I have to audition? An audition is sometimes required for the percussion and the color guard sections. These auditions are held in the winter months. No audition is required for wind players. If students do not make the percussion or color guard section, they are welcome to march in a wind instrument spot until the following year. We will even teach them how to play a wind instrument. This will give them much-needed marching experience and time to practice for the spot of their choice the following year.
♪Can I change instruments? We are always looking to increase the numbers of players in our low brass and middle brass sections (tubas, baritones, and mellophones). If you are interested in playing one of these instruments, we can provide an instrument and instruction.
♪Can I play one instrument in school concert band / wind symphony/ orchestra and a different one in marching band? Yes. We have quite a few band members who play multiple instruments.
♪What if I don’t know how to march? No prior marching experience is necessary. Although marching and playing can be challenging to beginner marchers and requires a genuine effort to become proficient, we will provide marching instruction throughout the marching band season.
♪Will I get credit for playing in the band? You will receive 2.5 Visual & Performing Arts credits for participating in the marching band. Because marching band is an after-school co-curricular activity, the 2.5 credits that you receive will be in addition to the 40 credits that you are permitted to select each year.
♪As an instrumentalist, do I have to join Concert Band if I join marching band? While it is not required, we highly recommend that you enroll in a concert band class (either Freshman Concert Band or Principles of Percussion for freshmen; Symphonic Band or Wind Symphony for 10th-12th graders). The marching band rehearses only the first nine weeks of school.
♪What and when is band camp? Band camp is a block of time designated for the instruction of all essential music and visual performance skills. The main goal of the camp is to learn the drill and music for the upcoming season’s half time and competition show. The marching band season begins in the summer with mandatory camp scheduled for the second and third weeks in August. Band camp takes place at HCRHS Monday to Friday of those two weeks. The specific hours of camp have been from noon - about 9:00pm in recent years, but the hours are determined each year and can vary.
♪When does the band practice? When school begins, the marching band normally rehearses the following days and times until about the second week of November. The exact hours are determined each year. ALWAYS check the schedule plus emailed updates for the current schedule, but in recent years, the schedule has generally looked like this:
Monday percussion
Tuesday winds (woodwind and brass), color guard
Wednesday full band
Thursday full band
Friday on game days: full band 3pm-5pm, followed by home football game
Saturday on competition days: full band 1pm-4pm, followed by a competition (Saturday hours depend on performance time)
♪Is marching band a full-year commitment? The marching band schedule is similar to that of a fall sport. The regular practice and performance schedule runs from mid-August into early November. Tryouts for percussion and color guard sections take place in the winter, followed by a few night rehearsals in the spring. There are a couple of additional rehearsals required after this time to prepare for the December Flemington Holiday Parade and Memorial Day Parade. The band may also play at football team playoff games if they occur.
♪How do I sign up? You will elect Marching Band (MUS #750) when entering your courses for next year. You will also complete and return a registration form which will be emailed from the school.
♪How much does it cost to join the marching band? In 2019, the MRD registration fee if paid before March 15 was $105/1 marcher (slightly more if you miss the early bird deadline). This registration fee defrays costs of uniforms, equipment, awards given at end of year awards program, feeding the band, leadership training, a copy of the band yearbook, The Wazoo, and one ticket for championships.
The MRD registration fee is separate from Hunterdon Central's Pay-to-Participate Fee. Both fees, however, are required for your child(ren) to participate in the marching band at Central. Information regarding Hunterdon Central's Pay-to Participate-Fee, will be emailed over the summer. The Pay-to-Participate fee has been $100 since at least 2012.
More questions? Feel free to e-mail the band director, Will Magalio, at wmagalio@hcrhs.org or explore the MRD Band Parent Association website, http://sites.google.com/site/mrdbpaweb/.