11-11-2024 2:10pm

Bridgewater-Raritan High School Wind Ensemble Blows Away the Competition

Donnella Tilery Editor

The high school’s highly successful Wind Ensemble was selected to perform in concert at the New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA) State Conference.

The Wind Ensemble will perform at the Atlantic City Convention Center on Thursday, February 20, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Dr. Tom Bourgault, who is the high school’s Co-Director of the Band with Nick Mossa, explained the honor that his Wind Ensemble received.

“The NJMEA State Music Educators' Conference directly piggybacks on the All-State Band Festival. We often send students to the all-state bands and orchestras, following their audition and placement in the CJMEA (Central Jersey Music Educators Association) instrumental ensembles,” Dr. Bourgault said. He proudly detailed the prestigious event in Atlantic City.

“This conference is a unique environment for the state (and some out-of-state!) music educators and professionals to attend workshops, clinics, and performances that encourage best practices in the classroom and inspire teachers to bring artistry home to their programs,” Dr. Bourgault said.

Dr. Bourgault added that the concert will be a wonderful experience for the Bridgewater-Raritan High School students and staff, too. “By performing at the conference, our students get to experience musical leadership by design; where their music-making not only represents what we produce in our classroom every day but also the musical artistry that fellow educators and students can experience and replicate in their own programs,” Dr. Bourgault stated. “It takes a team such as ours to make these special events possible for our kids.”