Band Director Matthew Gramata considers himself a bit unorthodox and unconventional for a music educator, and he brings a unique kind of creativity and vision to his music program at West Milford Township High School in New Jersey. “I see what doesn’t exist and have the belief and imagination to turn my fantasies into realities,” Gramata explains. “My vision and desire for what I want for my program is never stagnant and constantly evoles on a daily basis. Although I tend to drive myself crazy at times, it is the engine that fuels my passion to impact the musical experience of everyone in my program and those who are emotionally moved from our performances.”

One of the most distinctive aspects of his program is the inclusion of bagpipes and Celtic drumming. “In true Highlander fashion (our school mascot), our band program has been using bagpipes in every marching band show since 1990, and our Highlander Pipes & Drums serve as the musical ambassadors to the West Milford community,” Gramata says.

The ensemble has been featured in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the West Point Military Tattoo and in concert with The Red Hot Chili Pipers. In the last 10 to 15 years, “we started modernizing our use of this unique section by integrating hip hop, rock and techno music. Defying the conventional framework of bagpiping into something uniquely ours has become even more woven into our identity as a program and ensemble,” Gramata notes. 

To deepen their bagpipe roots, the program embarked on its first performance tour of the United Kingdom in 2001, traveling to England and Scotland. To date, the band has traveled to the UK four more times (in 2008, 2012, 2015 and 2024). “It is truly a trip of a lifetime for these students who get to immerse themselves in a true cultural experience. I can unequivocally say that these trips have deepened their love and understanding of our program’s Celtic roots,” Gramata says.

In addition to Pipes & Drums, Gramata has started a chamber music program and recital series, which has empowered students to take ownership of their musicianship in smaller, more intimate settings. “Developing confidence in my students as soloists who understand how to then assimilate into the large ensemble setting has yielded significant growth in their innate musical maturity, technical mastery and tonal development,” he explains. “We created these recitals as a way for our students to show off their collective work and place an emphasis on small group/solo performance outside the concert band setting.”

Two festivals — the West Milford Jazz Festival and the Highlander Marching Classic — have helped to put West Milford Township High School on the map. When Gramata arrived at West Milford, the program didn’t have a competitive jazz ensemble. “I tend to be a ‘Rome-can-be-built-in-a-day’ person, so I started an ensemble that I planned to have compete in the state preliminary festival immediately and develop a jazz festival at our school to provide the other programs in our area with a performance outlet,” he says.

“Directors tend to get caught up in the competitive aspect of music — and trust me, I do as well — but the jazz performance scene is so much more of a vibe (as the kids say!),” Gramata says with a smile. “At one festival, an ensemble from Lima, Peru, performed as part of their performance tour. Other local schools have recently started holding their own jazz festivals, with some citing West Milford as their inspiration!” 

The Highlander Marching Classic took a lot longer to get off the ground because Gramata’s school lacked the facilities to host such an event, which led the Board of Education and administration to push to renovate the stadium. “We hosted our inaugural show in 2022, and it has since grown to be one of the premier USBands events in northern New Jersey,” Gramata exclaims. “We are one of the only schools in New Jersey that hosts a marching band competition, jazz festival, indoor percussion competition and indoor color guard show.”

All of this has led to significant growth in Gramata’s music program. While honoring the traditions the program embodies, he took the often uncomfortable step into uncharted territory — from creating new ensembles and performance opportunities, making the jump to participate at elite competitions, designing new marching band uniforms, and hosting festivals and competitions. “I attribute our program’s growth to a willingness to innovate. We’ve embraced the ‘different’ and made a constant effort to push the limits with our staff and students,” Gramata says with pride.