McLaughlin retires as band director

After 20 years as West Milford High School’s band director and music teacher, Brian McLaughlin is retiring.

Matt Gramata, who has been part of the high school music program since 2010, takes over as band director.

McLaughlin and his wife, Tamara, have lived in West Milford for 25 years. They plan to move to New Mexico to be closer to family members, including his mother and their first grandchild, as well as acquaintances from when they met and married as students working toward their master’s degrees at the University of New Mexico.

“I’ve had the best job in town for 20 years,” he said. “We made beautiful sounds no matter what else was going on in life - we made something beautiful happen together.

“I am very richly blessed. It’s now time to pass the torch to the next generation as my wife, family and I start a new chapter.”

Under McLaughlin, the Highlanders won five marching band state championships, two USBands national championships and recognition as one of the New Jersey’s best.

Legacy of achievement

In 2018, the Highlander Marching Band completed its competition season undefeated, including first-place wins at three USBands major competitions in New Jersey - the Yamaha Cup at MetLife Stadium -and nationally.

Commenting on that extraordinary season, McLaughlin had said, “This has been one of the most remarkable seasons in the history of the band. Our design team has worked extremely well together in creating the show, and the students have demonstrated a very mature seriousness and dedication in executing it.”

In each year starting in 2012, the West Milford Township School District has been named one of the 100 Best Communities for Music Education in America by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to advancing participation in music.

In 2013, McLaughlin was nominated and was a quarterfinalist for the Grammy Award in Music Education. That was the first time the category was included in the Grammys.

In 2015, he was elected to the American School Band Directors Association, a national organization of professionally trained, experienced directors and teachers of school bands who seek to advance music education.

McLaughlin takes great pride in the achievements of the music program, its students and staff as well as the support of parents, administrators and benefactors.

“Our students in the music program are outstanding, dedicated and enthusiastic and have achieved a great deal individually for the high school and town,” he said. “Our band has been a great ambassador for the community.

“The support from our administration, Board of Education and town officials has been phenomenal, giving us what we needed to succeed. I can’t say enough about the parents of our West Milford kids and townspeople, who appreciate the band program so much.

“It’s great playing for our neighbors and at community events, whether at concerts, competitions, graduations, holiday tree lighting, Memorial Day, Little League openings, for elementary school students and senior citizens, and other events.

“We have an attentive and enthusiastic community. A lot of my peers in the state don’t understand the kind of community support we have here, as it’s not often found in their towns.

“For the kids and our staff, being part of the West Milford community and heritage is important. I’m grateful and humbled to have been a part of it all.”

A life of music

Before arriving at West Milford in 2003 as band director, McLaughlin taught music and oversaw the high school band for six years in Bloomfield. He also spent four years teaching music in Grove City, Ohio.

He grew up in El Paso, Texas, and earned a doctorate in French horn performance and pedagogy at the University of Iowa in 1998. He earned a master’s degree in French horn performance at the University of New Mexico and a bachelor’s degree in music education at West Texas State University.

Following their parents’ love of music (Tamara has a master’s degree in trumpet), their four children embraced the art and instruments. Each was a member of the Highlander band.

Today, their son Sam is a musician and lives in Colorado; their daughter Laura is pursuing her doctorate at the University of Hartford; and their son Ben is starting studies for his master’s degree in music at the University of Miami.

Their son Matthew died June 25, 2020, one day shy of his 30th birthday.

A 2008 graduate of West Milford High School and a gifted musician, he had earned degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He won the New Jersey Governor’s Award for the Arts in 2008; played in concert tours in the United States and Asia with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra; and performed with the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra.

McLaughlin’s influence extends beyond his children to his high school students and others to whom he gave private lessons.

“A number of our students have gone on to study and make careers in music,” he said. “Among them there are the Kerssen brothers, both professional musicians, and Dan Wecht is a performer and composer in Nashville. Former students are studying in Edinburgh, Scotland, and in London, England. All our students carry the gift of music through their lives.”

In retirement, McLaughlin plans to stay involved in music - as will Tamara, including performing, conducting and judging competitions.

A seasoned successor

Gramata arrived at West Milford High School as a music teacher in 2010 - it was his first job after graduating college.

He has overseen the concert band, marching band, jazz ensembles and woodwind lessons.

He also co-teaches the eighth-grade band at Macopin Middle School alongside Erica McPartland and has helped with various school shows, including conducting orchestras.

“Working with Brian the past 14 years has been truly special,” he said. “I can go on and on about the many things I’ve learned from him regarding music and life, but I’ll sum it up by saying he has been the most influential person in my adult life.”

Originally from South Brunswick, Gramata discovered a passion for music - and soccer - in elementary school. His undergraduate degree is from the College of New Jersey and master’s degree is from the University of Florida, both in music education.

Proficient in various aspects of music, he is a saxophonist with a popular New Jersey band, New Power Soul.

For the past five years, Gramata has been player-coach of Milford FC, the West Milford-based semi-professional soccer club.

“We discussed his retirement together, and over the past few years, we made internal transitions regarding our roles within the program in anticipation for when Brian retired,” he said. “It’s been a team effort to enhance the program by consistently setting goals, maintaining high standards for our students and working together with our incredible staff to bring our musical visions to life.

“I plan on continuing to grow what Brian and I built together and am very excited for what’s in store for our high school band program.”

McLaughlin expressed confidence in Gramata, saying, “Matt and I have spent a lot of time together and the imprint is pretty deep. He knows why and how we do things and will carry that into what comes next.”

Competitive spirit

McLaughlin credits his predecessors, Frank Phillips and Pete Bower, with setting a high bar for the West Milford music program.

“When I taught in Bloomfield, the West Milford band would compete in and usually win the marching contest that we hosted,” he said. “One year the bagpipes were noticeably better that they had ever been.

“I asked Frank (Phillips), ‘What did you do?’ He told me that he had taken the band to Scotland and that they had spent a day at the Piping College in Glasgow. That was the real start of the path that has taken our pipers to becoming one of the best pipe bands on the East Coast and the nation.”

During McLaughlin’s years at West Milford, the high school band has toured England and Scotland and has excelled in high-level competitions.

“Our program has been very successful competitively, winning national, state and regional honors,” he said. “We’ve traveled in order to experience new people, cultures and ideas which has had a tremendous impact on the kids.”

Teaching moments

“I’ve wanted our students to learn how to win gracefully or lose with dignity, making sure we’re a class act on and off the stage,” he said. “We’ve earned that reputation, and it’s a valuable life session for our young people.”

For the many hours of teaching, practicing and performing, McLaughlin has set higher goals and sees even bigger lessons.

“Music is a discipline that can shape young people in every other part of their lives because it’s something larger than themselves,” he said. “Success doesn’t come quickly. It takes hard work, perseverance and discipline to be successful. That’s one of the big things we help students learn.”

Gramata added, “Brian has a level of musical imagination, mastery and passion that transformed the program into what it is today. A fundamental element of his pedagogical foundation has always been to develop individuals of high moral character through the avenue of music education.

“All of the trophies and awards are just byproducts of that educational practice combined with a desire to achieve musical excellence.

“Music will always be in his life as it lives on through all those he has given that gift to,” he said. “Brian is an incredible teacher, musician, role model and friend, and he will be great at his next job: being a grandfather!”

Regarding his legacy, McLaughlin believes it’s more than the music program’s success.

“It’s about the lives of kids and parents that we have had a chance to influence at crucial time in their lives. We sought to grow good citizens of good character. That’s what we do.”

Such is the motto installed by McLaughlin on high school band room wall: “The will to win is nothing compared to the will to prepare to win!”