This is a news report of the competition. To read a behind-the-scenes story, click here.
METLIFE STADIUM, East Rutherford – On October 18, 2025, the South Brunswick Viking Marching Band (SBVMB) competed at MetLife Stadium, the largest NFL stadium in the country, where they won first place in the prestigious Ludwig Musser Classic. They also won the Best Music, Best Visuals, and Best Overall Effect awards.
The SBVMB gave a triumphant performance that earned the highest score from among all 60 marching bands that competed in MetLife Stadium that day. SBVMB scored 90.0 on a 100-point scale, besting the two other bands in the class 5 Open: The Pride of Hillsborough Raider Marching Band and New Providence High School Marching Band. This was a significant victory for the SBVMB since it was against their closest competitor and long-time rival, Hillsborough. Such a high score, one that is usually achieved only at the very end of the band season, gives the marching band an amazing headstart as they dive into the New Jersey State Championships and Open Class Championships (formally known as Open Class National Championships).
The theme of this year’s program is At The Root of It All, as symbolized by the Tree of Life. The program tells the story of every individual in our school community and shows that although we are from various cultures, backgrounds and upbringings, we are all connected and come together as one big and strong tree–one school, one community. This season was dedicated to uniting everyone, no matter who they are and where they are from.
Every year, the SBVMB begins their practices in June of the prior school year for spring training. The band also practices in July, but their most pivotal time is a two week practice in August. Year after year, marching band members spend a week of their summer two hours away from South Brunswick in Camp Jburg (Johnsonburg Camp and Retreat Center). Each day while at camp, they put in over twelve hours of physical activity to learn the music and formations of the show. Then, they spend the next week at the high school where they do the same over a span of 8 hours daily for another five days. All this work is put into learning the 10-minute show they perform at competitions and football game halftimes.
Co-director Joshua Oldham justified the hours put into band camp, and he also speaks of how much the band has grown from then. “In a marching band season you see so much build, but it takes so long sometimes to see the payoff of where you know it’s going to be. At this part of the season, we start to see all those things we designed and worked on at places like Jburg. To see that carry to the polished product is a culmination of hard work, dreams, visions, and collaboration over so many people. It’s amazing.”
Although football games are fun, competitions are where the band strives to do its best. The band attends one competition every Saturday for 7 weeks, and their score progression is truly inspiring. From a beginning score of 77.6 to 90.0 in just 4 weeks, the band has shown drastic improvement and hard work so far this season.
Lead drum major Aishi Chell said “the band has been putting in so much work for the past two to three months. We were able to see the growth from when we were struggling to create those forms, and now those forms look amazing and united. You can really measure the progress and it was really great to see how far the band has come and that their hard work paid off!”
Everyone’s pride and confidence has increased from the victory of Ludwig Musser. Seniors and juniors alike remember when they received the first place award in the Ludwig Musser two years ago. Chell continued “the moment the announcers said ‘South Brunswick High School’ we all had big, beautiful smiles across our faces and we stood with pride and took that award with so much happiness.”
However, sophomores and freshmen were also joyful at winning first place. The Ludwig Musser is the first big competition of the season, and it is important to keep the morale high for the future generations of the SBVMB.
Sophomore baritone Amrita Royam described watching the drum majors receive the award: “I was really excited, especially since the band has a history of losing against Hillsborough during competitions like this. Last year we got last place in Ludwig, so seeing our growth as a band was a really proud moment for me and everyone else because we had all been working so hard.”
Last year, the SBVMB got last place against Hillsborough HS Marching Band and Elizabeth HS Marching Band in the Ludwig Musser Classic. That is why this year’s victory was so important for everyone. It was a way for the SBVMB to regain their status as the competitive, memorable marching band that they have been historically. They have a historical reputation of past victories to uphold as they persevere to carry on this legacy going forward.
