Finalists Named in Rutgers' First Middle School "Battle of the Bands"

The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a shadow of uncertainty over future events. But it’s not deterred  middle school students from around the state who are competing for a chance to perform in front of Rutgers Big Ten football fans at SHI Stadium this fall. 

Five finalists in Rutgers’ first Battle of the Bands were recently announced: Hillsborough Middle School, Warren Middle School, Readington Middle School, Neptune Middle School and East Hanover Middle School. Voting will take place online at RUBattleoftheBands.com through May 17. Over 60,000 votes have already been cast.

“It has been exciting to watch the competition unfold, and we hope this voting is a bright spot in the midst of many other things in the news,” said Courtney McAnuff, vice chancellor of enrollment management and a judge of the contest. “The response has been tremendous thus far, and we are thrilled to see so much Scarlet Pride across the state.”

Last fall, Rutgers offered all New Jersey middle school bands the opportunity to learn Rutgers’ fight song, "The Bells Must Ring," and compete for the chance to perform each fall in SHI Stadium along with the Marching Scarlet Knights.

Director of Bands Todd Nichols and Assistant Director of Athletic Bands Joe Busuito helped edit the song's arrangement to suit the ability of middle school musicians. Competing bands were invited to upload videos of their take on the Rutgers classic, and the judging committee of the Rutgers-New Brunswick division of enrollment management, admissions, athletics and university bands chose the finalists.

Nichols, who led high school bands for 19 years before coming to Rutgers in 2017, said this contest is an incredible opportunity for our state's young musicians. It better connects them with their state institution, he said.

Video performances were uploaded onto YouTube before the university and New Jersey’s primary and secondary schools switched to remote learning. 

While plans for the fall football season are under review by a task force of university leaders with guidance from public health and state officials, the competition is still on track. 

The middle school student performances of Rutgers’ fight song, demonstrate joy, skill and pride in New Jersey’s flagship university, McAnuff said.

“Despite the current health crisis, we are committed to ensuring our community sees the hard work that these young people put in,’’ he said.

“While we could only select five finalists, all of these band submissions were excellent. The creativity, performance and enthusiasm exhibited made all of us at their state university very proud. We look forward to welcoming the winning band to campus.”