Our Schools

New Providence musicians develop their foundations of musical understanding in pre-school and Kindergarten with exploratory play and spontaneous music making. In the primary grades students develop their singing voices, music listening skills, basic note reading, and skill in playing classroom instruments. Through this early active engagement, students prepare for choral, band and orchestral ensemble coursework as they move up through the grades.

Every March, schools from around the country celebrate “Music In Our Schools Month” (MIOSM). In New Providence, students engage in numerous music activities to celebrate, culminating in the annual Ice Cream Social. Instrumental music students in grades 5 to 8 and vocal music students in grades 6, 7 and 8 perform in a concert showcasing the different bands, orchestras and choirs that the elementary and middle schools have to offer. After the performances, students and their families enjoy an ice cream sundae fundraiser, run by the dedicated members of Music Boosters. It is always a fun-filled evening of music and tasty treats.

Ten students from New Providence were selected for the Regional Honor Choirs and Orchestras this year sponsored by CJMEA, the Central Region of the State Music Education Association. New Providence music directors Susan Kirkland and Kristen Briceno prepared the students for the auditions. Six elementary band students participated in the CJMEA Elementary Honors Bands under the guidance of Band director, Celeste Zazzali.

In addition, during the year

• One high school student and one middle school student qualified for the American Choral Directors Association All-Eastern choirs. These choirs accept the best singers from eleven states in the northeastern United States and perform in Boston, MA.
  
• Ten students were selected to the All-State choirs and two into the all-state orchestra
  
• Four high school students sang with the high school All-State chorus
  
• Two middle school students were accepted into the All-State Intermediate Orchestra. Only students with the highest audition scores throughout the state were selected for these choirs.
• Two middle school students and four students from Allen W. Roberts and Salt Brook Schools sang with the NJ Junior High and Elementary Honor Choirs, All-State groups.

New Providence choral directors Susan Kirkland, Catherine Flynn, Pamela Crockett and Kenneth Hess, and director of strings Kristen Briceno prepared students for the auditions.

Maybe most impressively, one high school student qualified for the National Honor Choir, sponsored by the National Association for Music Education. This is the highest level honor choir in the nation with students from all fifty states competing for acceptance. This young man represented New Providence with pride at the national convention in Nashville, TN. It was his second year in a row selected for the national choir!

This the NPHS Performing Arts Department brought the world of a repressed British household, a happy-go-lucky chimney sweep and a magical nanny to life in a production of the Tony Award winning musical, Mary Poppins. The stage production utilized tunes from the 1964 movie and story elements from the original children’s book by P. L. Travers. With the assistance of many parent volunteers and under the direction of Miss Pamela Crockett (vocal music), Ms. Leslie Ditta (choreography), Mr. Craig Duke (dramatic direction and stage design), Mrs. Paula Roper (producer), Mr. John Russo (stage construction), Mr. Huy Ho (pit orchestra) and Miss Devon Jones (costumes), the student cast and crew achieved a brilliant success!

Music is a universal language!

As part of the Japanese Science Exchange program, New Providence students attended a music class at the Fukui Prefectural Koshi High School in Fukui, Japan. In this class, they learned the school anthem, alongside the Japanese students. Ms. Kirkland, assisting with the chaperoning this year, helped to lead some vocal warmups at the beginning of the class. The Music and World Language Departments have collaborated for a number of years during the Japanese students' annual visits to New Providence, singing together and for one another in both English and Japanese. We look forward to continuing this tradition!

The NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Foundation has once again recognized New Providence for its outstanding commitment to music education with a Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) designation. Now in its 17th year, Best Communities for Music Education affirms school districts that have demonstrated exceptional efforts toward maintaining music education as part of the school’s core curriculum. New Providence has previously earned this honor four times – in 2005, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

The BCME bases its designation on music funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs.

New Providence is proud to have received recognition for the fourth year in a row, and is grateful to the parents, students, staff and administration for the support necessary for our community to earn this designation.