The 2023-2024 Band year was a remarkable journey of growth and progress. It was a year filled with achievements and the preservation of our cherished traditions. The band, driven by a collective ambition, strived to become one of the best the school had ever seen. As the year drew to a close, we could proudly say that we had made significant strides towards this goal.

 

As always, the year started with our Pep Band, renamed “The Soundwave.” New selections such as “I Got You” and “Sharp Dressed Man” joined old selections like “Sweet Caroline” and “Smoke on the Water” and rocked the stands.

 

This school year, the band faced a unique challenge with the introduction of the block schedule, which presented longer classes and fewer full band practice sessions. This schedule change caused some members to go many days between practice sessions. However, it also led to the creation of the Jazz Band and wind ensemble, both of which would go on to perform in Keokuk, Iowa, in March.

 

The fall concert had many fascinating song selections. The band made a special recording of Around the Christmas Tree: A Yule-tide Potpourri by Theodore Moses Tobani, played in honor of the 100th anniversary of President Calvin Coolidge’s lighting of the National Christmas Tree. The band also played three movie themes: Batman by Danny Elfman, Mission Impossible by Lalo Schifrin, and Raiders March by John Williams. Furthermore, The band played Ave Maria from All Night Vigil to celebrate the 250th birthday of composer Sergei Rachmaninov. Two seniors, President Justin Bowers and Vice President Joseph Rogers, played solos. Justin Bowers played Allegro Moderator from Concerto in F Minor by Oskar Böhme. Böhme, whose Concerto in F Minor is the only complete trumpet concerto from the Romantic period, was a renowned trumpet player and Russian composer. The second solo, Performed by Joseph Rogers on Bassoon, was The Old Grumbly Bear by Julius Fučík. Fučík, known as the “Bohemian Sousa,” was a bassoon player, and it is theorized he wrote the piece as a musical portrait of himself. This solo would mark the second bassoon solo in the school's history, just two years after the first.

 

The band then participated in the West Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association Concert Festival at West Collierville Middle School. The band performed two pieces, The Bartered Bride Overture and The Circus Band, both considered challenging grade six pieces, the highest division. The band thoroughly impressed the audience, finishing with superior ratings for the third consecutive year.

 

As part of our proceedings this year, the band made a trip to St. Louis, Missouri, and Keokuk, Iowa. The trip to Keokuk makes Iowa the 30th state the band has played in. The journey started with a meal at Lamberts in Sikeston, Missouri, after which the band finished the remaining bus ride to St. Louis. The following day, the band would explore the Central Station, where the band members could ride a Ferris Wheel, go through a mirror maze, and do a ropes course. After Central Station, the band bussed up to Keokuk, Iowa, and after an Italian dinner, made their way to the Keokuk Grand Theatre. The theatre, about to celebrate its 100th anniversary, welcomed approximately 100 audience members to enjoy the Jazz Band and Woodwind Ensemble’s concert. It was an honor and privilege to play for the people of Keokuk at such a beautiful and historic venue. The next day, the band would return to Memphis after stopping once again in St. Louis to visit the children’s museum for a couple of hours.

 

On March 20th, The Jazz Band and Woodwind Ensemble had the incredible opportunity to perform a concert at Christian Brothers University Theatre. Finally, The Jazz Band would round out the year with performances at grade schools Riverdale, Sacred Heart, St. Francis, and St. Louis and Christian Brothers freshman orientation.

 

The 151st season ended with a great spring concert, regarded as one of the most challenging concerts to date, with a theme of “music inspired by the circus.” The concert began with Julius Fučík’s Entry of the Gladiators, which is often cited as a “screamer” piece as bands are challenged to play the piece as fast as possible. The next song was Feste Romane by Ottorino Respighi, depicting ancient gladiatorial contests. Next, the band played Charles Ives’ The Circus Band. The piece is full of quirky melodies that often place purposeful wrong notes within them. The next song was Circus Suite, composed by former CBHS band director Ralph Hale and his brother Jack Hale, and features five short movements that depict different aspects of the circus. The following piece was Circus Circus by Chris Crockarell, performed by the percussion section using unorthodox instruments and time signatures to replicate the atmosphere of the three-ring circus. The next song was The Carnival of Venice: Variations by Jaroslav Cimera. The solo piece was performed on trombone by Greg Luscombe, this year’s CBHS Band Hall of Fame “Man of Music” inductee. Although traditionally performed on trumpet, this arrangement was written for trombone. The last piece of the concert was The Bartered Bride Overture by Bedrich Smetana, which was very trying as the woodwinds had to cover the rapid parts typically covered in an orchestra by the strings. The piece also holds a bit of history, as it very well could be the most notes played by the Christian Brothers band in one piece. As always, to end the concert, the seniors were honored as they played Bless This House one final time, bringing the year to a close on a satisfying note.

 

Band Vice President
Joseph Rogers ‘24