Everyone knows the New Providence marching band. Our accomplished, and iconic musical organization has been a highlight of football games for years. But for those who have never participated in it, do they really know the ins and outs of what makes these performances so special? Well let’s really take a look at the marching band and how it works.

This year, the marching band consists of about 100 students, many of whom serve important roles in the daily functions of rehearsals, halftime performances, and competitions. They perform at halftime at the football games, sure, but they also have their own competitions, many of which they win. These competitions are scattered throughout the fall season. 

In preparation for their first show at MetLife Stadium, Band director Michael Niedziejko said, “So, we’re rehearsing really well. We’re trying to be bigger than the moment, and not let the moment be bigger than us.”

The student leaders of the marching band help conduct daily operations for the organization. Some of those student leaders are Cooper Fishbeck and Samvit Singhal. These two students are the drum majors, and play a major role in keeping the tempo and conducting the marching band during performances. The drum captain is Alex Robson, the woodwind captain is Molly McPoland, and the brass captain is Scott Regan. They all manage and advise members of their respective section. Along with other student leaders, these participants are able to assume a role of leadership and responsibility. 

As many of the participants will tell you, being in the marching band is a commitment, and a dedication of a lot of your free time. The skill of time management is important for every member of the band, but for some it’s harder than others. Student athletes, particularly members of the football team who take part in both the band and team must find the balance between these two activities. Mr. Niedziejko said that the game flow determines who can perform, but he doesn’t know “exactly what that threshold is.” Some students require special exemption from the team’s halftime locker room meeting, while others can occasionally leave if the game is in a comfortable situation. The band director and football coaching staff work to keep an open line of communication to maximize halftime performance availability of these players.  

With enough dedication, you can thrive and enjoy marching band and come out with a feeling of accomplishment. 

Patrick Fanning, a member, said:  “Marching Band has been an amazing experience. It’s lots of fun, with lots of great people. Joining the Marching Band was one of the best decisions I’ve made in high school so far.”

This year, the marching band has returned to pre-pandemic normalcy, and the experience students are having has been tremendously enhanced since the adjusted version last year. Mr. Niedziejko said, “In essence, we had two years of rookies issues, so it’s been slow, but its been great.”  

This proud organization hopes to have a great year filled with enjoyment, education, and normalcy as the band has finally been able to take its full form again and goes forward  determined to bring prestige to the New Providence music department and the students of this high school.