Why Join Band @ HS South?

Band in high school is significantly different.  Band here at HS South requires a greater time commitment, and can feel more intense than middle school band.  You may asking yourself, "why put in all the time and effort?  Is it really worth it?"

To answer with one word: ABSOLUTELY!  To quote my introduction video, "It's a lot of work, but it's a ton of fun; otherwise, why would anyone do it?" Of course, that's not a really good reason for all the time and effort involved.  You can have fun playing a sport, doing theater, or just sitting at home with video games.  Don't just take my word for it; several students give their own perspective in this video!

Let me further explain makes band at HS South -- and especially The Marching Indian Band -- stand out as a fantastic investment in your high school experience. 

High school band can offer you so much more than nearly any other single high school experience!  The band continues to grow, because our members know there are so many rewards for this bigger commitment.  Here are a few...

• Travel: We take out-of-state "field trips" roughly every other school year. On April 14, we returned from our trip to Washington D.C., Virginia, and Baltimore.  Prior to that, we've performed in Norfolk/Williamsburg, VA; Nashville/Erie, TN; and of course Walt Disney World in Orlando!

• Band Family:  Unlike seasonal sports and other activities, you can be in band with your friends every day, all year, every year, for your high school career. Because of this unique opportunity to work and play together from July through June, bonds between band members often last well after high school.  For many members, the Band Room can serve as a place to hang out with friends before homeroom, during lunch, or after school. Life-long friendships among band alumni are common.  Members often refer to the band as their "second family" and refer to the Band Room as their "second living room."

• Recognition: Band members have the chance to stand out as soloists, earn a student leadership role, perform at a very wide variety of events, audition for honors bands (All Shore, South Jersey Regions, and All State), and earn nomination to the Tri-M National Honor Society of Music.  Additionally, all band  members work to earn varsity letters, and seniors with four years of band participation earn special status.

• Blend In: Standing out is not every member's "thing," and we totally understand that too!  Marching band is the largest "team" you can join, with anywhere from 50-150 members performing at the same time.  Every person's individual effort is important to our outcome; however, the band is heard and seen as a whole unit, and the emphasis is always on the art we create together.  

•  Success in Life, as Well as School: We might not work on your reading or math too much, but band helps you grow and develop invaluable life and social skills that you can use well beyond your high school years.  (Some may say these skills are more important than quoting Shakespeare or solving a quadratic equation.) Scientific research has proven that staying in band helps you socially and academically!  

• Stipends, Scholarships, and Military Careers: You always hear about getting academic or sports scholarships.  However, you may not realize many colleges and universities also have band money available!  Joining the marching band or pep band in college can earn you scholarship or stipend.  Additionally, band students have successfully auditioned and enlisted into the schools of music for all branches of the United States armed forces that offer music programs.

• Music as a Career: You do not need to attend the Toms River Arts Academy to follow your dreams of making music your job!  The staff here is very knowledgeable and accustomed to preparing our students for turning their passion for music in to their life-long vocation.  HS South has seen a great number of students go on to successful careers in the music field.  Here are some examples of Marching Indians graduates; you may recognize a few of these names!

  • • • Mrs. Jill Lovinfosse, class of 1986: former assistant and head band director of Toms River HS South; currently band director at Toms River Intermediate East

      • Mr. Stephen Ballina, class of 1988: current band director at Intermediate South

      • Mr. Kyle Cummings, class of 1990: professional piano player and private instructor

      • Mr. Christopher Test, class of 1990: former music director at Bishop Ahr/St. Thomas Aquinas HS in Edison; current head director here at South!

      • Mr. Christopher Burbank, class of 1992: instrumental music teacher in several Toms River elementary schools; professional marching band drill writer

      • Mr. Ryan Carver, class of 2002: professional percussionist, and current Marching Indians percussion expert

      • Mrs. Stephanie Majewski, class of 2006: music teacher at West Dover Elementary, and current Marching Indians color guard advisor

      • Mrs. Marissa Weatherby, class of 2010: music teacher in Egg Harbor Township

      • Ms. Brianne Stendardo, class of 2015: professional music therapist in Sea Girt

      • Mr. Joshua Tillander, class of 2016: elementary music teacher

We also have recent alumni studying in college, preparing for music careers:

• • • •  Julian Dippolito, class of 2018, percussion performance Masters at Montclair

      • Zachary Doberentz, class of 2018, music education major at Montclair

      • Connor Decasse, class of 2019, music education major at Rowan

      • Hayden Lovinfosse, class of 2020, trombone Masters in performance major at Northwestern University

      • Tori Stendardo, class of 2022, music education major at Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts

      • Jack Harjes, class of 2023, music composition major at The Hartt School

      • A.J. Moreira, class of 2024, music education major at Montclair

Still unsure of Band @ HS South?