News
North Jersey Concert Band has venue change for spring concert
Bergen-Passaic, NJ (1888PressRelease) April 07, 2010 - The North Jersey Concert Band's spring concert will go on as scheduled, but with a minor location change.
The band will present an evening of popular American music at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 23, at Richard Butler Middle School, 30 Pearl Place, Butler, NJ, but the concert will be held in the middle school's gymnasium, not the high school auditorium as had been planned. The middle school is diagonal to the high school so the move won't affect parking. The move was necessitated by repairs which were unexpectedly needed to the high school auditorium ceiling.
This annual spring concert, which is open to the public, will feature popular American compositions for band by Gustav Holst, Robert Russell Bennett, Mitch Leigh, David Holsinger, Samuel Hazo, Frank Erickson, Alfred Reed, and Richard Saucedo.
Admission is $5 general admission, with a $20 maximum charged per family.
The North Jersey Concert Band is a non-profit section 501 (c3) corporation that provides entertainment for communities in the Northern New Jersey area. Rehearsals are held 8-10 p.m. Wednesday evenings at Indian Hills High School in Oakland, N.J. Membership is open to band musicians of high school age and older.
Free refreshments will be served by six volunteers, members of Butler Girl Scout troop No. 242. Patti Van Treuren, the girl scout troop leader, says that most of the girls currently play in the fifth-grade band. Their service at the concert not only applies toward a volunteer badge, but also the girls can see firsthand how playing music can be a life-long achievement, and that listening to it is a enjoyment for all segments of the community.
Please join us - we hope to see you there!
NJCB offers concert program ads to patrons for the 2010 season
Oakland, N.J. (Jan. 18, 2009)—Growing in both size and scope, the North Jersey Concert Band has earmarked its annual fundraising drive for the purchase of new music for an expanded 2010 concert season.
With six concerts set up so far for the year, the band is looking for ways to expand its music library. A program book is in the works; The band is selling ad space which will form the pre-printed part of the book.
"It will be a professionally-printed booklet with info about our band mixed in, and a sheet will be inserted of that concert's repertoire," said NJCB board member Charity Musielak. "The program book will be given out to all concert patrons and also sent via mail."
Ad sizes include line and display type ads and begin at $30 for a line ad up to $250 for a full page. "We'll have as many pages printd as needed for the ads we receive," noted Musielak.
She added that the ads will get full exposure to all audience members at every concert. "The ads are a great place to advertise a business or hobby, or just to congratulate band members individually or the whole band."
Display ads include free design and layout. All ad donations $100 and up also receive free ad space on the NJCB.org Web site plus links on the site’s “supporters” page. The program will be professionally offset-press printed in full color and will be used for all concerts in 2010.
Deadline for ads is March 1. The band's first concert is slated for March 15, at an as-yet undetermined local school.
For more information, download the flyer in PDF form here. To buy ads or donate to the band, call 201-808-2325 x1 or e-mail info@njcb.org. # # #
North Jersey Concert Bands finds new rehearsal home base
Oakland, N.J. (Jan. 18, 2009)—The year-old North Jersey Concert Band has changed its rehearsal space for 2010.
Beginning January 20, the band will meet at Oakland's Indian Hills High School. 
Previously the band practiced at a local ambulance company. “Though we are forever grateful to the Oakland Ambulance Corps for the use of their conference room for our previous rehearsals, the band is excited to move into a larger room complete with music stands and large percussion equipment for our use," said NJCB board member Charity Musielak. "The Ambulance Corps will still be available to us as an alternate location in the event of school being closed.”
The band is no stranger to Indian Hills, noted band president Charlie Good. "At this moment, to the best of my memory, we have two teachers from the Indian Hills/Ramapo district; two students from IHHS and perhaps four nearby residents."
"We have many talented high school students all the way up to retirees, all who do it for the love of music and performing for the community," added Musielak.
Celebrating its one-year anniversary, the band draws musicians from Bergen, Passaic, and Morris counties, as well as New York State. The band always welcomes new players; no audition is needed.
"We're just looking for people of all ages who are looking to have fun while exploring the concert band repertoire and providing a service for the community through our performances," said Good.
The band's present music library consists of show tune and movie music medleys, classical transcriptions, marches, and compositions originally written for concert band. Proceeds from the sales of this season's program book ads will purchase new music for an expanded 2010 season. The band's first formal concert of the year is slated for March 15.
Rehearsals are held at the Indian Hills High School band room, located at 93 Yawpo Avenue in Oakland every Wednesday evening from 8-10 p.m.
For more information e-mail info@njcb.org # # #
Concert Band marks first anniversary
Oakland, N.J. (Dec. 29, 2009)—The North Jersey Concert Band is getting bigger and better, say fans and members.
| Celebrating its first anniversary, the nonprofit organization has grown from just 10 people at its formation in December 2008, to 25 members at the end of 2009 and boasts active band members from all across northern N.J., metro N.Y. and even Pa. The band's first concert was at the Upper Saddle River Library and Upper Saddle River Tree lighting performances, and it recently performed there for its second year. NJCB provides the entertainment for the guests who attend the book sale, craft fair for kids, and holiday party at the Upper Saddle River, N.J. site. |
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Attendees praised the band, says board member Charlie Good. “Library employees told me this year was the best sounding band they’ve had in many, many years for their holiday party.” From this first simple venue the band has expanded to five or six concerts per year, mostly as part of area towns' summer concert series and for nursing home residents. |
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 NJCB Board president Charlie Good meets with Director Barbara Newmark Kruger of the Upper Saddle River Library, site of the band's first concerts. |
At one year old, the band consists of music devotees whose day jobs include software developers, teachers, administrators, business owners, retirees and students, and welcomes new member musicians of high school age on up. |
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Made up of woodwinds, brasses and percussion, the concert band at present would particularly welcome players of clarinets, double reed instruments and saxophones.
NJCB rehearses Wednesday evenings at Indian Hills High School in Oakland, N.J. More information can be found on their Web site at www.northjerseyconcertband.org.
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NJCB finalizes holiday concert tunes
Oakland, N.J. (Nov. 18, 2009)—The North Jersey Concert Band's December holiday repertoire just got a boost with the acquisition of five new pieces. NJCB's music librarian and trombone player Paul Van Treuren told band members to be sure they had 13 pieces in their holiday concert folders. "I will have 2 more pieces to hand out tonight," Van Treuren said today in an e-mail to the band. He said the new pieces are "Christmas Celebration" and "Christmas Declaration".
The two new pieces complete the lineup which also includes: "Amen" from "The Messiah"; "C'est Noel"; "A Christmas Celebration"; "Christmas Declaration"; "Christmas Fantasia"; "A Christmas Festival"; "Christmas Variants"; "Greensleeves"; "A Most Wonderful Christmas"; "The Polar Express"; "Sleigh Ride"; "White Christmas"; "A Winter's Hymn".
The NJCB will rehearse tonight, and Van Treuren encouraged band members at the meeting to check the signup sheet to note which of the four holiday concerts they will be attending.
NJCB will perform their Upper Saddle River Library Holiday Concert at 1:30 p.m. December 5 in Upper Saddle River, N.J., and at 4:30 p.m. will play at the USR Town Holiday Lighting.
On December 11 at 6:30 p.m. they will play at the Butler Park Lighting in Butler, N.J., and the December 12 concert will be for Heritage Manor at Christian Health Care in Wyckoff, N.J. That show starts at 2 p.m. # # #
NJCB scores a hit with health center residents, staff
Upper Saddle River, NJ (May 4, 2009)—The North Jersey Concert Band's May 2 performance at the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff, NJ was a hit according to concert-goers, who are hoping for a reprise.
Activities director, Alison Argott, at the Heritage Manor at CHCC gave high praise to NJCB. "Our residents are still raving about the concert. Please send a HUGE THANK YOU to all of the band members for their wonderful performance this past Saturday! We hope to set something up in the near future!"
NJCB's music librarian and trombone player Paul Van Treuren asked Argott specifically for feedback from the audience. He told her he wanted both positive and negative comments from the residents and staff.
"I have heard nothing negative at all," replied Argott. "Most of the positive comments included the choice of music played, the amount of people attended, and how nice the band members were. They truly enjoyed the afternoon."
She added, "Paul—thank you for all of you work organizing this event. We truly appreciate all your efforts!"
Band President Charlie Good also extended a thank you to Van Treuren "who set this one up with the activity director, and to his family, who helped set up the room for us."
He continued thanking the band for their hard work in making the afternoon a success and gave two members added kudos. "All the different instruments played by Charity [Musielak] helped us out tremendously... Special thanks also to Louis [Spector], for conducting so well and rearranging "Danny Boy".
He added, "As today should have proved, there is no band without all of us... Our performance today gives us something to build on."
Good told the band "The audience loved us and asked us back for other concerts," which will add to a full schedule. Ahead are concerts at the Daughters of Miriam home in Clifton, Preakness Hospital in Wayne, and the Heritage Manor at Christian Health Care, among others.
The NJCB has a rehearsal Wednesday, and Good said he hopes the band has fun with familiar music as well as the challenge of learning more pieces, making each concert a unique performance. # # #
NJCB members perform in benefit concert March 29
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Musicians from across the region, including three from the North Jersey Concert Band, perform in a March 29 benefit concert for the families of local soldiers stationed in Iraq. |
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The nearly 100 musicians from Bergen, Passaic and Rockland County, members of the Fair Lawn, Rockland County, Rutherford, Waldwick, and Westwood Community bands performed at the Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School. The special concert, hosted by the Westwood Veterans Council in conjunction with the Westwood Community Band, was to benefit the Family Assistance Group of the U.S. Army Reserves 348th Military Police Detachment (CID) currently deployed to Iraq. The 348th is commanded by CW4 Stephen Gaunt, a Westwood resident. Though not officially represented, three members of the newly-formed North Jersey Concert Band played in the benefit concert: Jerry Zupfer on clarinet, Charity Musielak on French horn, and Mike Marando on trumpet. Marando was one of the 13 (out of 20) trumpet players selected to perform the famous "Bugler’s Holiday" by Leroy Anderson |
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The piece is written for and traditionally performed by three trumpets. It had been rewritten into four parts for the 13 players, who encircled the audience during the performance, and they were rewarded with a standing ovation. Musielak said, “Overall it was a very, very talented group of 90 musicians that performed this hour and fifteen-minute concert with just one rehearsal.” During the concert, Rutherford Community Band Director Ray Heller thanked the Westwood Veterans Council for organizing and publicizing the event. He also give kudos to the host band's conductor, Tom Offerjost. |
 Clarinetist Jerry Zupfer keeps an eye on the music while awaiting his cue to play in a recent benefit concert. |
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“Tom spent many, many hours putting together not only the logistics of a 5-band concert, but also finding music for and assembling folders for almost 100 participants!” Heller then conducted "Star Spangled Spectacular" by G. Cohan, and "The Army Air Corps March" by R. Crawford. The three North Jersey Concert Band members took the opportunity to distribute information cards about the NJCB, and by the end of the night had recruited two confirmed new members, a euphonium player and a drummer, and a few more who showed interest. The band invites anyone with solid playing ability and an interest in joining the new group can e-mail info@njcb.org for specifics on rehearsal times and locations. ### |
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