FAIR LAWN MARCHING BAND EARNS FIRST PLACE AND ALL CAPTION AWARDS IN GARDEN STATE GOLD COMPETITION OF THE U.S. SCHOLASTIC BAND ASSOCIATION

Fair Lawn’s Percussion Section Named Best Overall in Show

FAIR LAWN, N.J., Oct 25, 2011 – The Fair Lawn High School Marching Band earned first place, all caption awards in Group IV open class, as well as best overall percussion at the 36^th annual Garden State Gold Marching Band competition. Held in Rockaway, N.J., the event was sponsored by the U.S. Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) and featured more than 20 ensembles from throughout New Jersey. 

Performing their 2011-12 show, Bound, the Fair Lawn Cutter band has competed in five USSBA competitions with excellent results. So far, they earned four first place finishes and one close second place finish to last year’s USSBA Group IV National Champion, Nazareth High School (Pa.). The Cutters also captured all Group IV caption awards in four events and were recognized five times for best music and percussion.  

“The students have consistently improved their scores in every competition this year and the color guard had a particularly good show this weekend,” noted High School Band Director Paul Kafer. “In our most recent event, the band came in second overall in all classes outscoring 18 ensembles and finishing a fraction of a point behind the considerably larger Group V band West Orange.”  

Kafer noted that the band members are a dedicated group that keeps moving forward and benefits from a close personal and professional working relationship with the assistant director, Jamie Szeinberg. “Jamie gives so much in terms of inspiration and encouragement with students,” Kafer said. 

“The staff and students all share an incredible camaraderie and passion that makes this entire experience so great,” said Szeinberg, who is the band director at Fair Lawn’s Memorial Middle School. He serves as the percussion caption head for The Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps as well.

During the past decade, the Fair Lawn High School Marching Band and Color Guard has achieved 10 consecutive national Top 13 finishes along with six straight invitations to the U.S. National Marching Band Championships.  They are the only Bergen County school to earn this achievement. Last year, the band ranked eighth overall nationally in the USSBA circuit and national champion in percussion in Group IV Open class. 

The group is a six-time USSBA national or group champion in percussion and also a National Bronze Medalist as a band at the first-ever USSBA championship in 2006 and the Group II Class A champion in 2002. 

Recognized as one of Fair Lawn High School’s most outstanding opportunities for students, the band continues its season with three more competitions for the Cutters band: