Directors Celebrate 20 Years with CHS Marching Band

This fall CHS Marching Band Director Brian Conti and Percussion Sectional Director Brian Johnson began their 20th year with the Chatham High School Marching Band.

Artists are a dedicated group who do what they love and love what they do. Both Brian Conti and Brian Johnson will be celebrating 20 years with Chatham High School Marching Band, which is a clear indication that they must really like what they do. This means 20 summers of band camp, 20 seasons of football games, hundreds and hundreds of students, and countless practices in all kinds of weather. Their amazing dedication and patience combined with their willingness to share not only their love of music but also their time and talents with the students of Chatham High School is truly inspiring.

Here is my interview with Chatham High School Director of Bands Brian Conti and Marching Band Percussion Director Brian Johnson. 

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Twenty years, wow, how does it feel?

Conti: I never thought I would be running around a marching band field at almost 50 years old!

Johnson: Looking back, I can’t believe 20 years have passed. It’s great to be part of an activity which I feel supports the school and community and when you are partaking in something you truly enjoy, time passes.

Directing a marching band is a huge undertaking and every year starts fresh with new music, new drills, and new members. When do you start the process? 

Conti: The process begins during the last few weeks of the marching band season. The staff and I will brainstorm ideas and get a sense of what direction we hope to go in.  We consider different music and themes. Recruiting students is an ongoing task throughout the entire year beginning with “Band Day” in the fall. During a home football game, we invite the eighth grade students to join us performing fight songs in the stands, view our rehearsal, and spend the day with the high school members.

Johnson: From a percussion standpoint, the process never ends and is continuous throughout the year. Once a season is over, I begin the process of working with students in percussion ensemble. I make it a point to stop at the middle school during the school year and see some lessons and introduce myself to the eighth grade percussionists. Their lessons include learning rudiments and techniques which are critical in a successful program. When percussion ensemble stops, we start drumline rehearsals for the upcoming season and schedule practices for over the summer months as well.

I would imagine that choosing a new piece of music for a show would be an exercise akin to solving a puzzle or maybe juggling ... or maybe both simultaneously. What things do you have to consider when choosing a new piece? How big of an impact does the number of members and their instruments play on your choice of music? 

Conti: Instrumentation is the key for any performing ensemble. If we need an instrument to fill out the ensemble I might ask any of the current members if they would like to help us out by learning a new instrument. We are very fortunate that our students have always stepped up to the plate and enabled us to have excellent instrumentation. 

I like to pick music that students and spectators can relate to or already know. Our music is custom arranged for us so we are able to adapt the music to the skill levels of our members.

Johnson: Choosing a show for an upcoming year includes many aspects. A few items to consider would be how many members total, what is the style of music we wish to portray, do we want to have a theme for the show, who do we feature  (when and where). It is a very long process and is constantly changing and evolving, even during a season. It is great to see the final product and the end of the season Championship performance is the snapshot of all the hard work of planning, rehearsals and performances that goes into a show.

Band camp is not just the traditional summer camp filled with campfires and songs but is real work and long days, yet year after year you both come back and so do your students. In fact, they seem to really love it. How do you manage to keep it fun and exciting, not just for the students, but for yourselves?

Conti: Most students think that camp is the best part about marching band! The traditions of camp run strong and students enjoy working and being together away from their day-to-day lives back in Chatham. Many of the activities and daily schedule at camp have been worked out together with student leaders so that we have a good mix of work and building chemistry for a successful season. 

Johnson: Throughout the years, the one thing that always seems to come out of camp is how everyone can’t wait for next year. During my years in high school, I was a member of the CHS Marching Band. The one thing that has been a constant over the years is the number of traditions that continue and friendships that students continue to make. Some traditions would be the dance mid week, the bonfire/skits and other various activities that are planned throughout the week. For me, I enjoy taking a concept from paper and seeing it come alive throughout the week of camp.

I imagine you have had some humorous experiences over the years, is there anything you care to share? 

Conti: The one story that seems to come to mind happened about 11 years ago. The band was performing at an away night football game and the flutes and clarinets had a blind backwards drill move during the show. One of the clarinets slipped and fell down which created a domino effect with the rest of the clarinets and flutes falling over one another every three counts until finally a student heard the commotion behind them and marched around the pile up. No one got hurt except for a few egos! 

Johnson: Every season has its fair share of humorous moments. There isn’t one moment in particular that stands out. A memorable experience but not humorous was when we were heading onto the field at Mount Olive High School for a competition about 10 years ago and snow was falling so hard that we had a white out and from the front sideline you couldn’t see the band on the back sideline for about five minutes.

Are there any CHS Marching Band traditions? Any new ones that you would like to start?

Conti: Going away for band camp is a tradition we hope to continue for as long as possible. The student award ceremony at the end of the season is a time where both students and parents are recognized. Each year the Tailgate Party at Championships is fun and memorable. 

Johnson: I feel that when drum majors go to leadership camp, they always bring back new and fresh ideas of how to enhance a marching band. Many of their ideas we try to incorporate into what we do as a program.

You are both members of the Chatham Community Band so music is in your blood. Were there any garage bands in your past? 

Conti: I have been in a few garage bands since middle school, several big bands, a lounge/wedding band, the Ridgewood Community Band and freelanced as a woodwind player for numerous high school musicals. My grandfather was a conductor, my father and uncles are all musicians, and yes, I would say music is in my blood!

Johnson:  I have played in a few pick-up bands along the years. I am also involved in the Chatham Community Jazz band and play percussion for the Chatham Middle School musical each year. I also provide percussion to masses at Christ the King in New Vernon on a once a month basis.

The Marching Band also performs in competitions, what criteria are used to judge a performance? Do you go into a competition having some idea of how the band will score?

Conti: My marching band experience began about 35 years ago, when I was in high school. My experience as a music student, and band director have contributed to my knowledge and understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in any given season. Each season I know the existing criteria and explain it to the students.  We always concentrate on our show and not the other bands and look for improvement each week. The rest is up to the judges.

Johnson: There are many aspects that are judged at a competition. I will revert to Brian Conti’s answer for specifics. It is great to get feedback on a program that you have conceptualized and been working on for a few months and then work to improve the areas that need to be focused on. As a program, we strive to do the best we can and let the placements take care of themselves.  One thing I have learned over the years is winning isn’t everything. There is much more to take away than a first-place trophy, for example, a few would be the importance of timeliness, hard work and its rewards, friendship and how your role is important to each member within. I feel in the end there is always a life lesson learned through being a part of a successful program.

Is there anything that you wish I had asked you?

Conti: I think you were pretty thorough. Thank you.

Johnson: First of all, congratulations Brian on your 20 years! There have been many memories over the 20 years that I will keep for a lifetime. To the students who are currently playing an instrument, find out more about being involved in the marching band at the high-school level or the many music opportunities within your school program. Some of my fondest memories over the years and friendships I have today have come from having music in my life and sharing that enjoyment with others!