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Band History
Since its beginning in 1971, the Piscataway
Superchief Band has become a nationally recognized, award-winning high school
marching band. Dedicated to the principle of excellence in all areas of music
education, the band has continuously pursued the total musical development of us
members. Its success grows out of this commitment to excellence from the
students, staff, and parents who comprise the Superchief Family.
Over the years the Superchiefs have been
featured in several TV shows, including ‘American Oompah” and “The Superchiefs
Go To Ireland” for PBS, ‘Mario And The Magic Movie Machine” for CBS, and Today
in New York” for NBC. The band has performed at numerous halftimes for the New
York Giants, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, and Buffalo Bills, as well as
pre—game ceremonies for the New York Mets. The band has also worked for the Walt
Disney Company at the Radio City Music Hall premier of “Pete’s Dragon’ and
Mickey’s 50th Birthday Whistlestop tour at Penn Station, New York City.
In 1971, the band began with just 44 members
but grew quickly to 205 members by 1974. Throughout this time they developed
their proficiency in marching and music performance, winning some local contests
and forming many traditions, most of which are still intact today. By the late
1970 the band had an established reputation of quality and excellence that
culminated in a championship in 1979 in Daytona, Florida.
In the 1980s, the band garnered international
acclaim, touring Ireland in 1981 and 1985 and capturing first place in the
Dublin and Limerick St. Patrick’s Day Parades on each trip. The band continued
its success on a national level as well, taking first place at the World of
Music Festival in San Diego, California in 1983 and 1987, and at the Festivals
of Music in Orlando, Florida in 1989. They also won consecutive New York City
St. Patrick’s Day Parades early in the decade, and they continued to be locally
successful, placing first in numerous shows around the slate. They won the
first-over Tropicana Bow’ Mid-Atlantic Championship at Rutgers Stadium in 1983.
and the first-ever CMBC (USSBA) competition at Giants Stadium in 1988, featuring
the finest bands from the tri-state area.
During the 1990’s the Superchiefs have focused
on the CMBC (USSBA) circuit that features some of the finest bands in the
Eastern United States. The band has won live consecutive Group V Open
Championships, from 1990 through 1994. and again in 1996. In addition, the band
has placed in five Bands Of America Eastern Regional Finals Championships in
1996. 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2003 and won the Yamaha Cup Preview of Champions in
2001 & 2002. In 2002, the Superchiefs also look first place in the USSBA State
Championships.
Another first in the history of the
Superchiefs, the band was invited to perform in the 2002 Macys Thanksgiving Day
Parade, which aired on NBC on Thursday, November 28, 2002. Since then, the band
has continued its' successes and quest for excellence which has been upheld by
"excellent" ratings at the New Jersey State Band Festivals, 3rd place finish at
the USSBA Championships in 2004, special recognition award by the New Jersey
State Board of Education, and this year we were awarded the title of "Best 100
Communities for Music Education in America 2005" by the American Music
Conference.
We are proud of our heritage and tradition of
sustained excellence, and look forward to the future to continue the level of
achievement that is synonymous with the Superchiefs.
PISCATAWAY HIGH SCHOOL
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