Ridge Middle School Band To Perform At Rutgers Football Game

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Basking Ridge's William Annin Middle School band will take center stage at Rutgers' upcoming football game where they will perform the university’s famous fight song "The Bells Must Ring" during halftime on Saturday.

The band members will perform along side the Marching Scarlet Knights during the Oct. 26 game against the Liberty Flames.

"We are definitely honored to be considered to perform alongside with them," said William Annin Band Director Wyman Wong. Wong has served as director for the past 19 years and also plays trumpet.

William Annin doesn’t have its own marching band so they recruited about 70 band members from sixth, seventh and eighth grades to participate. The students play a wide range of instruments including flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba and percussion.

"This opportunity will allow the children to play alongside students in college and it will be a fun experience," Wong said. "Hopefully it will get them to think about whether they want to attend Rutgers or pursue music past high school."

William Annin’s performance on Saturday will kick off Rutgers University’s annual contest inviting all New Jersey middle school bands to learn "The Bells" and compete for the chance to perform each fall in SHI Stadium along with the Marching Scarlet Knights.

Competing bands will upload videos of their take on the Rutgers' classic this spring when staff and faculty will whittle down the field to 10 contestants. Students and the public will cast their votes for the winning band, which will take the field in the fall of 2020.

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