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Martin Griffin (Toms River, New Jersey) has been a Band Director in New Jersey for 34 years, and he is currently the Director of Bands and Coordinator of Fine Arts at Monroe Township High School (MTHS). His responsibilities include directing the Marching Band (17 years), Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble as well as teaching AP Music Theory. The MTHS Marching Band was crowned New Jersey State Champions in 2013, and they were selected to represent New Jersey at the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor in 2016. In addition, the MTHS Wind Ensemble has received multiple gold ratings, and they have been selected to perform at Carnegie Hall, the NJ Performing Arts Center, and the NJ State Band Gala. The MTHS Percussion Ensemble has performed at the All-Eastern and New Jersey Music Educators Association conferences. They have also been Winter Guard International (WGI) Power East Regional Champions.
Griffin performed for five seasons with the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps. He has been a percussion arranger for high school bands throughout New Jersey since 1987, including JP Stevens High School, a multiple Bands of America (BOA) regional finalist. Griffin currently judges for numerous organizations including WGI, BOA, and Drum Corps International (DCI). In 2006, Griffin was selected to judge for the Drum Corps Japan Championships held in Yokohama, Japan, and he was the Percussion Caption Head for Drum Corps Associates for 12 years. In addition, he is the judging coordinator for The DCI All Age Class, The Mid Atlantic Percussion Society, and the New Jersey Marching Band Directors Association. Griffin has served on the WGI Percussion Advisory Board, and he was on the staff for the Bands of America Honor Band that marched in the Rose Parade® on New Year’s Day 2022. Griffin received his bachelor’s degree in music from William Paterson University, where he performed with the New Jersey Percussion Ensemble and the New Jersey New Music Ensemble. He also has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Kean University.