What best defines the 2022-2023 academic year for the band is our drive, whether you were working away making copies or practicing to get a good chair placement at all west, the CBHS band had the drive to go through it all. This year was a historic year, being the 150th Jubilee Anniversary of the Oldest High School Band in America. 

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To coincide with the 150th Anniversary, The Christian Brothers Historic Band rebranded to the CBC Silver Cornet, purchasing new instruments and new uniforms to accompany it. The Silver Cornet Band would receive instruments similar to the ones our founder Brother Maurelian purchased. Brad Clasgens, band graduate, donated two refurbished drums for the group and the band inducted him into the Hall of Fame. The Silver Cornet Band would go on to perform for the 100th anniversary of Sacred Heart Church, marking the 100th anniversary of the band’s performance for the church’s groundbreaking in 1923. The Silver Cornet Band would also march in the Veterans Day parade in Memphis Tennessee, playing America the Beautiful. The group also had the privilege of opening for the Memphis Symphony at the Cannon Center in the fall semester. Another memorable accomplishment was Brother David’s 50th Golden Jubilee as a LaSallian Christian Brothers at St. Louis Church.

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The Walnut Groove, the CBHS Jazz Band, had a very active year as well. They performed at various grade school gigs throughout Memphis, having played spectacularly and giving a good name to the Christian Brothers Band. At the Open House, the Walnut Groove played inviting music giving future a taste of more to come. The Allies club sponsored an empty bowls project which benefited local food ministries which the Jazz Band provided the entertainment for.

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With the Fall Concert quickly approaching, the many hours of practice become very fruitful and the fall Concert would be one to remember. The concert selections honored many other anniversaries and also brought some attention to the situation in Ukraine. The band played Yellowstone Overture by John Tatgenhorst, the 150th anniversary of the dedication of Yellowstone National Park.  Robert Vaughn William’s 150th birth year was celebrated with the performance of Greensleeves: A Fantasía for Band. Also performed was an arrangement of Panis Angelicus, written in 1872 and celebrating the 200th birthday of the composer César Franck.  The piece’s attention to dynamics is what made it more impactful and meaningful to the audience and band members. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we dedicated the work Ukrainian Folk Songs to those fighting for their country in the Ukraine and honoring our two students Misha and Max who fled from the Ukraine and are now members of the CBHS Band. Andante by Bernhard Molique featured Band Vice President Jorge Roque on the flute and Scherzo Pomposo featured Band President, Ben Shedd.

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The John Sandridge Memorial Concert was performed in January and featured Dr. Andre Dyachenko.  He is originally from Kharkiv, where he later moved to the United States at age 16. He studied at the University of Michigan where he majored in Music. He plays clarinet in the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and also is the clarinet instructor at CBHS. In the memorial concert. Andre Dyachenko performed the Concertino by Weber accompanied by the Christian Brothers Band. After his featured piece, the band inducted him into the band's Hall of Fame as a guest soloist.

As a way to motivate more kids into music, the band held its yearly Honor Band clinic in February for the middle schoolers in the area and gave some first-year members some more experience and musicianship. Around this time WTSBOA held its annual All-West tryouts which caused a push in motivation for band members as everyone sought to make a higher chair than last year or to make it for their first time. This year, we had a whopping 21 people make the All-West Honor Band and 5 make All-State.  All-State trumpeter, Justin Bowers, outperformed many at the TBA Solo and Ensemble Competition and was honored as a soloists at the bandmasters association meeting in Nashville.

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At the WTSBOA Concert Festival, the band performed Festive Centennial by McBeth, originally written for the Christian Brothers Band's 100th anniversary, and Headlines: A Modern Rhapsody, which has the distinction of being the first work the band has an audio recording, dating back to 1948. Mr. Bolton completed a collection of music of the Christian Brothers Band dating back to this recording this year.  The work was entitled “The Christian Brothers Band, Oldest High School Band in America: 75 Years of Music” and contains recordings from every year of the band’s existence from 1948 to 2023.  The WTSBOA Concert Festival was held at the new Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center at the University of Memphis and achieved a overall superior ratings in both concert and sight reading scores.  At the WTSBOA Solo and Ensemble Festival, the band received over 75 Superior Ratings in both Solos and Ensembles, qualifying the band as a Tennessee Bandmaster Association Sweepstakes Band for the year.

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The CBC Silver Cornet Band picked the pace back up back again performing the traditional Irish tune, The Wearing of the Green for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade down on Beale Street. This Irish tune is the very same piece that was performed at the Christian Brothers Band first public performance at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade of 1872, marking the 150th year of the band’s existence and the oldest band to play on Beale Street. This would attract national attention as we had the privilege of being featuring on National Public Radio. 

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Walnut Groove held its final concert for the in April with works including Georgia on My Mind, Blue Bossa, Groovin’ Hard, Green Onions, Caravan, and band favorite Tiger of San Pedro.  Beyond the Sea was also performed and featured our band president, Ben Shedd. Although I cannot speak for everyone, Georgia on my Mind and Beyond the Sea were the ones that caused me to reflect a bit over the past 4 years and made this performance more significant. Walnut Groove concluded the year with a performance at the MoSH, formerly known as the Pink Palace Museum, for a new exhibit featuring the history of the Christian Brothers Band, including displayed memorabilia. After we finished the setup, we were pleasantly surprised to have the Alumni Jazz Band performing before us and it was a treat to hear them perform. Walnut Groove concluded the night with their best performance to date, playing essentially all the music they had gathered up until that point and nearly passing out with how long they played.

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The band final weeks concluded with numerous performance leading up to the band’s 150th Jubilee Grand Concert. On May 6th, the concert band opened up for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. We stole a little bit of the symphony’s thunder with highlights of the next days concert. On the following day, the Silver Cornet Band performed at the Mallory-Neely house for the 150th Anniversary Ceremony. The Mallory-Neely house located near the original campus at 612 Adams where Br. Maurelian began the band 150 years ago. The band performed a new arrangement of Bless this House and this first school song Home, Sweet Home. Guests were allowed inside the historic home to see band memorabilia throughout the years.

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The 150th Jubilee Anniversary Concert was held at 5:00 on May 7, 2023 at the Cannon Center. It featured the Christian Brothers Alumni Band, Purple and Gold Bands. The Alumni Band performed 3 Marches dedicated to the Christian Brothers honoring the three locations of the Christian Brothers in Memphis including 612 Adams, 650 East Parkway, and 5900 Walnut Grove. They also performed Festal Celebration and Reflections by Ralph and Jack Hale, the later of which honored those Alumni who have passed away in the last 5 years, with their name being read during the work.  

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Along with other selections the Gold Band’s performance included three premier performances: A Noble Calling, Commemorations Fantasy, and Signum Fidei. A Noble Calling was based on the writings of Christopher Winkler, former piano professor at Christian Brothers and Choir Master and Organist at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in the late 1800s. It was arranged by David S. Winkler, great-great-grandson of the composer who attended the concert. This piece is dedicated to those who “teach and inspire others''. The second premiere was commissioned by the Christian Brothers Band to celebrate its 150th anniversary and composed by Page Hamilton, best known for his work with the rock band Helmet. His work, Commemoration Fantasy for Winds and Percussion, is a composition with roots in improvisation and written in free form. With this piece being heavily inspired by heavy metal, it features a lot of the percussion section. Mr. Hamilton attended this year's concert and also gave a guitar masterclass for the School to attend. The final premier was Signum Fidel - A Journey of Faith by Col. John R. Bourgeois, former conductor of the United States Marine Band. Signum Fidei is based on the chant “Ecce Quam Bonum” which is translated from Psalm 133 meaning “behold how good it is, and pleasant, where brothers dwell as one.” Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Bourgeois were added to the Hall of Fame as guest composers this year. The last piece of the concert, like every year, was Bless This House featuring the class of 2023. After the performance both the Alumni Band and Purple Band joined in on the School Song, The Wave War Hymn.

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This year was a phenomenal year that I will remember for the rest of my life. We accomplished so much and were lucky to be a part of the 150th Golden Jubilee Anniversary of the oldest high school band in America. It has been an honor to have been your 2022-2023 band vice president and I wouldn’t have changed anything.

 

I would like to dedicate this year's band review to Tina Dawn Womack and the Womack family. May Mrs. Womack rest in peace.

 

                                                                                            Jorge Roque

                                                                                            Band Vice President