he Ramapo Marching Band recently won first place at the US Bands Northern Valley Competition. Their theme this year being Latin Jazz, their repertoire featured “Caravan” from the movie Whiplash and arranged by Jay Bocook, “Smooth” by Santana and arranged by Richard L. Saucedo, “Novus” by Santana and arranged by Jay Dawson, and “Montero” by Lil Nas X and arranged by Tom Wallace. Junior Patrick Riccobene remarked, “I believe while our music was great itself the marching was the real showstopper. It was so much better and more synchronized than it had ever been before that point. Everybody stepped up to the occasion and the show could not have been more visually pleasing to that point.”
Practices are held twice a week, but the Marching Band has been diligently preparing since June. They also participated in a camp at East Stroudsburg University for a week in July, which not only honed their skills, but also developed a stronger team bond. This is important, as there are many components that need to come together in order to present a cohesive performance, including memorizing the drill sets, marching sets, and music. Senior Giada Gareffa commented, “I am most proud of our ability to perform well with each other, listen to, and blend with the various instrument sections that make up our band. I am also proud of how much our technique grew, and how we played each song in time with our marching while being able to guide and align each marching formation.”
Band teacher and marching band director Mr. Sloezen emphasized that the marching band ensures that every player can participate and improve. “No one sits on the bench, and there are no subs,” he explained. All players are present at every performance, regardless of skill. This, in turn, contributes to the development and growth of the band as a whole, as everyone has shared opportunities and experiences. Moreover, Mr. Sloezen praised the senior class for their strong abilities and leadership. “Having strong role models who not only display incredible musical and marching technique but also demonstrate the work ethic needed to achieve it has been instrumental in motivating and inspiring the underclassmen and other band members.” Ultimately, these factors contributed to the marching band’s incredible and well-earned win.
