Video by: Mr. Marc Blanchette
Summary of the story told below:
Mr. Blanchette tells the story below of the history of the Mount band and the music department. He begins by showing a picture of the Mount senior orchestra (as it was called back then- not a band) from 1930. He then continues by explaining how the band room used to reside on the third floor in the current science rooms, 301A and 301B for more than 75 years until it moved to the current space in the basement during the second week of December in 1999. He explains how the original back hallways behind the band room had names such as Broadway and Tin Pan Alley.
In the current space in the basement, Mr. Blanchette explains how they often host concerts there due to its "amazing acoustics." When they first moved down to the new band room, he explains, their first order of business was to bring a picture of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, with them to be displayed. Furthermore, along with the picture of St. Cecilia, the music department added decided to add a new statue of St. Cecilia, which was dedicated to the new band room.
Mr. Blanchette continues the history of the Mount music department by telling a short anecdote that took place in May of 1999. The Mount band was set to perform their annual Pops concert but because of the band room moving, they didn't have a place to perform. The band, comprised of 110 people along with the audience, was able to move to the Hatch shell in Boston in order to perform their 34th annual Pops concert.
Lastly, he wraps up the history of the music department by explaining of the many amazing events that take place as part of the program. He mentions the outdoor Pops On The Green concert with spectacular fireworks displays, the different handbell choirs throughout the years, the beautiful Christmas tree that was first set up in the year, 2000, and of course the student exchange with the FCJ School in Bunclody, Ireland. Mr. Blanchette, in closing, says that "the band room is truly home to everyone."
Closed Captioning for Video:
The history of the Mount band and the music department and its band room is certainly an interesting one. Here is a picture of the Mount senior orchestra as it was called back then - it was called an orchestra and not a band - back in 1930. If we move over here to this area, here is another picture of the orchestra in 1931. If you look closely you will notice, it is not necessarily an orchestra, it was just referred to as an orchestra.
For all those years, the band room was the third floor in Room 301, which is now the science room 301A and science room 301B. This was the door to the band room and over by 301B, was the door to the back hallway, and these back hallways had names such as Broadway and Tin Pan Alley. The band room remained here until we moved to the new band room in 1999, in the second week of December, to hold a quick rehearsal before our concert in the new wing.
After spending more than 75 years in a classroom on the third floor, we moved into this magnificent space which has been used for rehearsals since December 1999 and is also been host to many magnificent concerts due to its amazing acoustics.
When we moved down to the new band room, one of our first orders of business was to bring this picture of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, down to the new band room. It had been hanging in the band room on the third floor since the inception of the music department. Anybody who was in band for all those years will remember this on the back wall in the band room. After approximately 75 years it was time to move it to the new band room. Along with that picture of St. Cecilia, we added a brand new statue of St. Cecilia which was dedicated to the new band room.
One memorable event during that transition was the fact that in May 1999 we did not have any place to perform our Pops concert. We were able to move the entire band of 110 people along with our audience to the Hatch shell in Boston to perform our 34th annual Pops concert.
Many events have helped students to truly remember their days as part of the music department and the band room. Of course, no one would forget participating in any of our outdoor Pops On The Green, with spectacular fireworks displays. Many students have also been parts of the different hand bell choirs we have had over the years. Through the years we had many individual commissioned musical works that have been part of our program. But, perhaps, since 1995, nothing is more Mt. St. Charles than the times we have spent with our friends from the FCJ School in Bunclody, Ireland. The band room is truly home to everyone. Nothing makes it feel more like home than Christmas time, when we put up our amazing Christmas tree that was first started in the year 2000.