Glimmering black DINKLES marching shoes gallop in unison onto the kempt, woven, vibrant green turf, a canvas for the black and red paintbrushes we call musicians. Brass, front ensemble, woodwinds, and battery instruments create an aura of suspense as the drumline sets the rhythm for a true masterpiece, taking the audience back to the Wild West. With bold bangs of sound resounding across the field from the brass, they create a solid background for the winds and color guard, who assertively twirl flags and add delicate brushstrokes of color. A breathtaking symphony of togetherness and musicality, it’s only a matter of time before these cowboys and cowgirls win some sort of award for their bravery and expertise.
Speaking of, actually… they did! On Saturday, October 7, 2023, the Tenafly Marching Tigers competed in the US Bands IV-A division at the Ludwig-Musser Classic 2023 held at MetLife Stadium, turning their heads and saying, “Howdy!” to their fellow competitors. Really kicking up sand and giving their opponents a serious showdown, the Tigers scored 2nd place out of 12 other schools, starting off their season strongly. Under the direction of band director Mr. Michael Jacobetz and drum majors Julian Ahn (’24), Helen Hui (’24), Jun Lee (’24), and Jake Pleva (’24), the Tigers offer a variety of visuals of wild west-themed screens, dancing, and even a custom comic about the protagonist of the story!
Unsurprisingly, the marching band has a plethora of incredible past rodeos under their belt. The Marching Tigers really skyrocketed to success in 2021 with drum major Sherry Feng (’22) when they showed their love for their sport through their Rhythm of the Heart performance, utilizing the tunes of successful artists like Elvis Presley. Among many performances, they especially carried that immense love to MetLife Stadium when they placed 12th out of the 38 total teams at the USBands 2021 Yamaha Cup. Their success continued shortly after when they set the mood of a romantic rainy evening at the 2021 Bergen County Marching Invitational, where they placed first in group II with a score of 80.50!
After a long summer of intensive rehearsals, sectionals, and workshops to improve their musical abilities, the Marching Tigers emerged strongly in bringing the community together with the relatable desire for a snow day. Through their show Breaking News, drum majors Jamie Liu (’23) and Madison Lee (’23) guided the marching band through quite the snowstorm, ultimately sending a flurry of fun to the THS community. However, they also generated a triumphant blizzard at the USBands Competition at Northern Valley High School at Old Tappan when they took first place in class III-A and placed 2nd overall. After a series of winning snow storms and snowmen, the 2022 Marching Tigers concluded their wintry season at the USBands New Jersey State Championships, where they placed first in class III-A, which is an unprecedented major victory for the Tenafly High School marching band!
Thankfully, their streak of success and 2023 season hasn’t come to a close yet. If you want to see their 2023-2024 masterpiece, Wanted, the Galloping– I mean, Marching Tigers will be performing locally at Geissinger Field performing a half-time show on Friday, October 13, 2023. In addition, the Tigers will be competing on a state-wide level on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the USBands NJ State Championships Tournament. So, grab your popcorn, bring some of your own fellow cowboys, and come enjoy the show, where the marching band will turn a modern-day football game into an old-timey Wild West rodeo!
