Photo Credit: Rachael Vallespir

Playing on the new GRHS athletic fields, the band is as ready as ever to perform this year. After a dazzling event last year at MetLife Stadium, the band and Color Guard look to show their spirit and skills again this year.

The Glen Rock marching band, directed by Jeff Kurland, meets once again. After an exciting performance at Giants’ MetLife Stadium last year, they are anxious to play again. They started practice a few days during the summer and have been working ever since: including every day, ninth period. Some have wondered how Mr. Kurland can handle 27 band members; the answer is simple: practice.

Mr. Kurland has been directing the band for 10 years as Band Director; he is also the adviser for Concert and Jazz Bands. Mr. Kurland did choose the band selections this year, all of which are by the Beatles. The selections are Get Back/I Want to Hold Your Hand, Paperback Writer, and Let it be/Hey Jude.  When asked why he started to work with the band, Mr. Kurland said that he liked “hearing the Band sound the way I hear them in my head.”

Another part of the band, although it is sometimes overlooked, is the Color Guard. This year, there are six members: four sophomores and two new freshman members. The Color Guard started practice a few weeks before school in the APR (All-Purpose-Room, or middle school gymnasium).  Many things changed. For the first time, last year the girls received new flags and custom sweatshirts and t-shirts which can still be seen circulating through the hallways on rare occasions, but this year the girls received new uniforms, new shoes, and there’s another possibility at new sweatshirts.

After last year’s performance at MetLife Stadium, the girls have a lot to live up to. Mrs. Tomaselli has been working with the Color Guard for years after being asked to develop a color guard team by Mr. Sielsky, the former marching band director at Glen Rock HS, and was happy to help the band director start a color guard team.  This is great for the students who appreciate being part of a team, and enjoy participating in school-wide events. Mrs. Tomaselli was on the Color Guard when she was in high school and college so she knows what to do. She says that her favorite part of Color Guard is “seeing the cooperation and pleasure among the team members when they’ve enjoyed their performance! Each student is an important part of the team, adding their unique talents and imaginative ideas to shape the group.”