ABOUT US

The Band program has deep roots at Franklin High School. The thousands of students who have passed through the FHS Band program have represented Franklin Township locally, throughout the country, and even internationally. Their efforts have long been a source of pride to the school and community. 

Under the guidance of Jack Pirone, the band’s first director, the band grew from modest beginnings to a first-rate concert and marching unit. The Band was nearly 300 members strong when they appeared in Washington, DC in January of 1969 at President-Elect Richard Nixon’s inaugural parade. 

In 1976, the Band marked our nation’s bicentennial celebration, appearing in the colonial uniforms that would become a part of the band’s identity for the next decade. It was in the late 70’s that the Band’s drum section adopted its signature cadence, still heard at every football game and as the Warriors take the field for performance and competition. 

In 1978, the arrival of Cal Chase as Band director, followed by assistant director Fred Oltarzewski a year later, marked the beginning of a decade that would see the FHS log thousands of miles as musical ambassadors. Appearing at Disney World for the first time, the Warrior Band would later journey to Mexico, California, and England. 

In 1987, Mr. Chase stepped into a supervisory role, and handed the directorship of the Band to Oltarzewski. Mr. “O.” and his long time co-director, Ms. Dixie Presson, led the Band through the ‘90s and into the millennium, maintaining both the concert and marching programs as worthy successors to the legacy of their predecessors. 

In the spring of 2015, Mr. O and Ms. Dixie Presson retired, and the Franklin High School Band welcomed new directors: Mr. Daniel Berz and co-director Mr. Eric Diaz. Under their leadership, the band has continued to thrive and uphold a consistent standard of excellence, earning numerous accolades and honors.

The FHS Band program has been recognized with a variety of prestigious invitations and awards, including a performance at the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Honors Wind Band Festival at Rutgers University and a featured appearance at the Somerset Patriots’ 20th Anniversary Celebration. The band also traveled to Walt Disney World in 2017 and 2019 to perform in the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade.  In 2024, the Franklin Band traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, where they performed for hundreds of people at the historic Faneuil Hall Marketplace, further extending the program’s reach and community impact.

The Warrior Marching Band has been a dominant force in the USBands competition circuit, consistently performing at a high level across New Jersey. Since 2016, the band has placed 1st at the majority of its competitions, showcasing a tradition of excellence and competitive consistency. Notably, the band earned 1st place at the 2016 USBands Yamaha Cup at MetLife Stadium. In 2024, the band continued its winning legacy by taking 1st place at the Ludwig-Musser Classic at MetLife Stadium, earning Best Visual, and being named New Jersey State Champions in Percussion for Group VA.

In addition to these achievements, Mr. Berz and Mr. Diaz have overseen the growth of award-winning Winter Guard and Winter Percussion programs, further expanding the reach and reputation of the Franklin Band Department.