ABOUT THE ACHB:
The Atlantic Cape Honor Band was founded by Keith Hodgson in 2011, a former band director at Mainland Regional HS in Linwood, NJ (1995-2016) and Past President of the New Jersey Music Educator's Association (2011-2013). The first attempt at a county wide honor band began in November 2000 when the first Atlantic County Honor Band was formed and was guest conducted by Dr. Craig Davis from William Patterson University. That honor band included students from most of the schools in Atlantic County. In 2011, with an influx of more than six new Atlantic County band directors and a wonderful new collaboration with the schools in Cape May County, the Inaugural Concert of the Atlantic Cape Honor Band commenced.
In September of 2013, the Historical Miss America Pageant made its return to Atlantic City. With this very timely event, Mr. Hodgson saw this as a perfect opportunity to showcase the newly created organization and the talented student musicians in the area in a mass honor marching band for the historic "Show Us Your Shoes" Miss America parade event. All students from the ACHB band programs are welcome to participate. Each member wears their school's marching band uniform and are provided with an ACHB sash to wear over top. Each school's parade banner leads the honor band down the Atlantic City Boardwalk each September in a wonderful public display of collaboration and music making among all the local high school students as one unified group.
The mission of this organization is to provide the talented musicians of Atlantic and Cape May counties an honor band experience to enhance and inspire their musical development. Students are nominated each Fall by their school band director based upon their musicianship, character and dedication to their own school music program. This collaborative effort by all of the students and directors has helped to influence and strengthen the musical growth in all of the high school programs that participate and bring wonderful accolades to all of our communities. In addition, this experience has provided an opportunity for networking and forging new friendships among students and directors alike. We would like to thank the administrative support from all of the participating schools in these annual endeavors. Without your support for Music Education... this opportunity would not be available to our student musicians.
The Atlantic Cape Honor Band is open to participation by all 9-12 high school nominated students by their instrumental music teacher at any Public, Private or Charter School that has a developed instrumental band program.
Please continue to support live music and arts education in your schools and community.