The Ridgewood High School Band Program is renowned as one of New Jersey’s top comprehensive music programs, and is Bergen County’s largest band program with over 200 students involved each year. The impressive array of curricular and co-curricular ensembles is organized in a logical sequence of instruction, which helps each student develop his or her talent and ability while maintaining the highest standards of performance. Each of our performing ensembles and related groups has received superior ratings at festivals and competitions around the country in all areas of band performance, from concert band to jazz ensemble, and chamber music to marching band. Our reputation for quality music performances is second only to the reputation we enjoy for the outstanding quality of young adults who pass through our ensembles.

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While the band enjoys a history a century old, the past decade has seen Ridgewood High School band students perform in major venues ranging from Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, one of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, to the famed Jack Morton Auditorium in Washington, DC and New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Our groups have appeared at colleges and universities including Harvard University, George Mason University, and the University of Southern California, and have worked with some of the music world’s greatest composers, conductors, and solo performers.

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The Band Program is just one facet of the award winning music department at Ridgewood High School, which has been named a Grammy Arts School in 1998-1999 and again in 2003-2004. The Band Program is particularly proud to have played an important role in the Nation Association of Music Merchants decision to name Ridgewood one of the "Best communities for Music Education in America." Other awards have included NJAJE Finalist status for both jazz ensembles, more than a dozen appearances at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's Young Musicians Concert, and a return for the Marching Band to the top five at the USBands National Championships. Individually, members of the Ridgewood High School Bands are chosen annually to perform in honors ensembles at the county, regional, and state level.