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The debut concert of our middle schools’ Honor Band is Saturday, November 18 at 2 p.m., RHS Little Theatre

RHS Little Theatre

November 9,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The debut concert of our middle schools’ Honor Band is Saturday, November 18 at 2 p.m., RHS Little Theatre. $10 at the door. Please plan to attend!
The District Honor Band was designed to recognize Ridgewood’s middle school students who excel in music performance and who would gain from an additional opportunity aimed at providing differentiation for advanced and advancing musicians. Unlike many honor ensembles that simply provide an “all star” conductor-centered ensemble experience for like-aged, the Ridgewood 7th & 8th Grade All-District Honor Band goes several steps further by partnering advancing middle school musicians with advanced student mentors from the RHS Band Program, while also providing the students with small group instruction led by professional certified music teachers according to instrument group. Leading up to the November 18 concert, the Honor Band will meet for three four-hour rehearsals, including sectionals, mentoring sessions and full band practice.

For the inaugural season, RHS Band Directors Jeffrey Haas and John Luckenbill are serving as the conductors. The band’s concert program will include “Into the Storm,” by Robert W. Smith, “Evermore” from the recent Beauty and the Beast movie, “West Highland Sojourn” by Robert Sheldon, and David Shaffer’s “Pinnacle March.”
Any 7th or 8th grade student who is enrolled in his or her school’s curricular band program was eligible to participate in the Honor Band. Although an audition was not required, participating students submitted a video recording via Google Classroom, which included specific scales and a musical excerpt used to determine placement within each section of the band.

Funding for the District Honor Band was provided by the Ridgewood Board of Education in cooperation with the Ridgewood Friends of Music. Sheet music and folders were provided by the education division of Music & Arts retail music store.

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Ridgewood High School Marching Band Director Wins Coaching Award

Marching band
March 17, 2016
The staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ,  The district has been notified that Ridgewood High School Marching Band Director John Luckenbill has won Positive Coaching Alliance’s Double-Goal Coach Award.
Mr. Luckenbill is one of 50 national recipients of the national non-profit organization’s coveted award, presented to coaches who strive to win while also pursuing the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. “John helps his team win in competitions and in life,” said Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) founder and CEO Jim Thompson. ““By creating a positive, character-building youth sports experience and serving as a Double-Goal Coach, John helps youth develop into better athletes and better people.”
Mr. Luckenbill leads Ridgewood High School’s (RHS) Marching Band program using five principles or “stars,” as reflected on the long-standing adornments of the band’s uniforms: Trust, Pride, Leadership, Respect and Unity. The stars now serve as the basis for Luckenbill’s approach to teaching life lessons. “We have weekly discussions,” he explained. “We pick a star and talk about what it means to us in marching band and elsewhere in life.”
Another key to the band’s success is Mr. Luckenbill’s mantra: Control what you can control. “The longer I’m here, the more they embrace that motto,” he said. “With judges and everything else, there is only so much you can control, but our marching band members know that they control the amount of effort they put in, and when they put in the right effort, good things happen.” Mr. Luckenbill has taught at RHS and directed the Marching Band for five years.
A graduate of Michigan State University, Mr. Luckenbill is now finishing his Master’s Degree in Music Education at Kent State University. He was nominated for the PCA award by a band parent who spearheaded the effort, gathering letters of recommendation and other required documentation. The Double-Goal award includes a $200 prize, certificate and national mention.
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RHS Marching Band Steps to Success

RHS_Band_theridgewoodblog.net_

file photo

RHS Marching Band Steps to Success

The RHS Marching Band just finished their competitive season in Allentown, PA at US Bands National Championships, where they came in second place out of 17 competing teams.

The RHS Marching Band earned a score of 96.050 in Group IVA competition and was also awarded ”The Cadets Award of Excellence” in recognition of the band’s achievement in Creativity, Performance and Overall Effect.

The band has had a very successful competitive season this year, placing first in September at Pequannock High School, winning the award for Best Music, and placing first at JP Stevens High School, sweeping the caption awards for Best Music, Best Visual and Best Overall effect.

They also placed first at Jackson Memorial’s “Showcase of Champions” in October. The band won the caption awards for Best Music and Best Overall Effect, as well as the Esprit de Corps award. Also in October, the band performed at Rutgers University for US Bands NJ State Championships, placing third out of 13 bands, and winning the caption award for Best Visual.

The RHS Marching Band also took third place out of 13 bands the US Bands Yamaha Cup, held at MetLife Stadium in November. The band scored a 91.413 and won the caption award for Best Color Guard with a score of 398/400.

The band, under the direction of John Luckenbill, still has a few performances left. Their remaining performance schedule is below:

Monday, November 24 – Legends Classic Band at the Barclay’s Center

Tuesday, Nov. 25 – Legends Classic Band at the Barclay’s Center

Friday, December 5 – Downtown for the Holidays Performance