This year, student members of the Morris Hills Music Department participated in one of the most anticipated events of the year, the Superbowl XLVIII at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford. Over 200 students from the MHHS Music Department were casted members for The Bruno Mars, Red-Hot-Chili Peppers, Pepsi Super Bowl 48 Halftime Show. The students worked very hard, as underscored by Mr. Sopko, who stated that the participants “braved the cold weather to attend secret rehearsals with Bruno and Flea.” After hearing various reactions from his students, Mr. Sopko relayed the message that “the experience has been described as nothing short of amazing”. The students could be viewed in close proximity to Bruno Mars on live television as they cheered him on during his introduction with the drum kit.
The Morris Hills student body received this opportunity through a recommendation given by Mr. Edward Argenziano associated with the Morris Hills Regional School District Music Department who was connected with the crew organizing the show. The students of the department were casted as fans of Bruno Mars “to cheer for and hype up Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as they performed and create a very energetic crowd” says MorrisHills senior Ciara Vic Lalo. While the participating students were thankful for the opportunity to essentially attend a free concert on national television, they also worked hard to play their part. The students attended two scheduled practices held at the Morristown Armory and MetLife Stadium respectively. Through these seven hour long practices, students were instructed on how to enter and exit the fields, when to cheer or be silent, and where to move on the field during the performance.
Despite some discomfort during the long, grueling hours in the cold weather, the participating students deemed the experience as one both exhilarating and unbelievable. Senior Louis Goméz claims that the aspect that was most memorable for him was “being at the only Superbowl ever held in New Jersey”, and reflects that “it was amazing to have celebrities performing live only feet away”. Another senior participant, Ciara Vic Lalo, claims that she “can’t believe it happened”, that the “blinking lights were actual people” who “were not only watching Bruno Mars but us”. Whether it was the vibrant energy of the crowd or the experience attending the Superbowl on home ground that enchanted each of the over 200 participating students, the experience at the Superbowl XLVIII was one of the most unforgettable events for the Morris Hills Music Department this year.