Jeffrey Haas - Director of Bands
Jeffrey G. Haas, has been Director of Bands at Ridgewood High School since 1988. While he has taught in a number of capacities during his tenure in Ridgewood, he currently conducts the Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Lab Ensemble and assists with the Symphonic Band. He is an assistant conductor for the New Players Pit Orchestra, and coaches several chamber music ensembles.
Over the last twenty-one years, the Ridgewood Bands have received nationwide recognition and acclaim. Under his direction, the marching band won two USSBA championships in 1992 and 1997, and state championships in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, the pit orchestra for the New Players production of "The Secret Garden" was recognized with the Paper Mill Playhouse "Rising Star" award for Outstanding Student Orchestra under his direction. He has also coached the student saxophone quartet to five consecutive appearances at the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society's Young Musicians Concert in 2002 through 2006.
In June of 1998, Mr. Haas received the Disney American Teacher Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Performing Arts, and he was named "North Jersey Music Educator of the Year" by William Paterson University that same year. In June of 2004, he was named as the Ridgewood High School recipient of the Ridgewood Teacher Recognition Award.
During his time as Director of Bands, Mr. Haas has initiated many unique programs at RHS including Jazz@Winberie's and the guest artist concert series, and he has authored several major Ridgewood Education Foundation grants including "Constructing a New Age: A Marching Band Field Show for the 21st Century," "Music Matters," "Unforgotten Friends - A Commission for Band," and the "William Paterson University - Ridgewood High School Jazz Collaborative.
Mr. Haas holds degrees in music education from Syracuse University (B.M., Cum Laude, Performance Honors) and Columbia University (M.A., Magna Cum Laude), and has done considerable graduate study in the areas of conducting and educational leadership.
Mr. Haas has served on the executive board of the New Jersey Association for Jazz Education for 16 years, as President from 1997-1999, and currently as Vice President of that organization, chairing the annual jazz educators conference at NJPAC, and the professional development committee. He is also a past executive board member for the New Jersey Music Educators Association. Mr. Haas has served as conductor of the 1990 Region I Junior Jazz Ensemble, the 1995 Rockland County (NY) All County Band, and the 1996 Bergen County Band, and has been a guest conductor with the Ridgewood Concert Band.
As a professional saxophonist, his performance credits include appearances with New York Voices, Rob McConnell, Freddie Hubbard, Bob Hope, and Vanessa Williams, and he has been a featured soloist with the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra and the Ridgewood Concert Band. Mr. Haas has presented several clinics and workshops on various aspects of music education at such institutions as the University of Massachusetts, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, and West Chester University. He is also a frequent clinician at the annual conventions of the New Jersey Music Educators Association and the New Jersey Association for Jazz Education.
Mr. Haas lives in Glen Rock, with his wife Cynthia, and their two daughters, Stefanie and Danielle.
