Greetings Class of 2027,
My name is Nelson Mendez, Band Director at Passaic County Technical Vocational Schools. I would like to congratulate you on your acceptance to PCTVS. I would also like to invite you to join the band program. Participating in band is a great way to meet new friends, build lifelong memories, and perform great music.
Any student that plays an Instrument at PCTVS is eligible to join one, or all, of the bands at school. Marching Band, Concert Band, and Jazz Band are extracurricular activities at PCTVS. All band rehearsals are held after school. The Marching Band season takes place primarily during the months of September and October. To help prepare for the fall season, the Marching Band has a July mini-camp and an August band camp. All summer camp practices take place at school.
Concert Band and Jazz Band rehearsals will begin in November, once the Marching Band season ends. The Concert Band rehearses after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3pm-5pm. The Jazz Band rehearses after school on Wednesdays from 3pm-5pm. During the month of November, Jazz Band rehearsals are open to all students. Auditions for the Jazz Band take place in December. The audition will consist of scales, sight-reading and the repertoire that was taught during the open rehearsals.
All the bands at PCTVS are active in the school and in the community. For more information about the band program please visit the band’s website
www.pctibands.org. You can also follow the band program on Twitter and Instagram using the following handle: @pctibands. The social media accounts contain photos and highlights from previous performances.
If you have any questions or concerns about the band program, don’t hesitate to reach out and send me an email.
Sincerely,
Nelson Mendez
Band Director
nmendez@pcti.tec.nj.us