Bloomfield Youth Band Rental Expenses (2022-2023)

I founded the Bloomfield Youth Band in 1986, when I was 17 years old, and just celebrated 36 years as the director of this extraordinary group of young musicians. The band held its first rehearsal on August first of that year at the Glen Ridge Congregational Church in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. The members of the group paid for the use of the facility and the music was borrowed from the Bloomfield High School Band Library.

The Youth Band's first public concert was held on May 8, 1987 at Bloomfield High School. By that time the youth band had become a member of the Bloomfield Federation of Music. The Federation relieved the burden of paying for a rehearsal site by providing it with the use of Bloomfield’s Civic Center at no charge. The Federation also secured performing venues for the band and paid for the printing of programs

Today, the Bloomfield Youth Band has earned the reputation as an outstanding musical ensemble. Comprised of some 55 high school and collegiate musicians, the band performs three or four public concerts each year in Bloomfield. At its Tenth Anniversary Concert in June 1996, the band was recognized by the Township of Bloomfield, the New Jersey General Assembly, and the United States House of Representatives for its civic and cultural contribution to the town and to the State of New Jersey.

We have brought in some of the finest composers of wind band music to work with the BYB over the years, including: Sam Hazo, Philip Sparke, Robert Sheldon, Mike Sweeney, Jared Spears, and Jack Stamp.

The band’s mission, like the four other ensembles which comprise the Bloomfield Federation of Music, is to provide musical enjoyment for the residents of Bloomfield and neighboring communities. This is a task which the band takes very seriously and one which it strives very hard to meet.

Our largest single expense annually is rental of our rehearsal space, which costs us between $3,000 and $4,000 per season. Our membership dues and ticket sales cover most of our other expenses, but it is this line item which requires a good deal of supplementary donations.

The Bloomfield Youth Band is a member organization of the Bloomfield Federation of Music, a registered non-profit organization (501-c-3) since 1943, so all donations are 100% tax-deductible.