paradiddle Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Lots of Immaculate Conception parish corps from other towns, too. I.C. Woburn (I forget their corps name) and I.C. Stoughton Golden Rays I.C. Queensmen from Winchester/Woburn, Mass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumline9 Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 What about the "Holy Mackeral Cadets"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. DeSouza Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I am seeking information on any Catholic drum corps. I know such corps were popular back in the day and I would like to find out about their histories and origins. Any information would be great! A Great Jr Corps from Boston (Dorchester) The St. Kevin Emerald Knights .Started by Father Kierce.go to www.stkevinemeraldknights.com & click on the history tab , you will find photos & written history of how this famous Corps started out . all the best, Mike D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.morgus Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I.C. Queensmen from Winchester/Woburn, Mass That was them! Now that you mention it, IIRC, they had a girls corps too, the Queensmaids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOHNNY_A Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 St. John's from Brantford Ontario Canada started as an all girls drum corps sponsored St. John's Catholic Collegiate and the Knights of Columbus. Let us get through our mini camp and I will send you the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyroo Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 That was them! Now that you mention it, IIRC, they had a girls corps too, the Queensmaids. If I remember correctly, the Queensmaids were a drill team - which were big in the CYO, Eastern Mass, and Mayflower Circuits. Each circuit had multiple classes of drill teams - just as they did for drum corps. A couple of the other all-girl drill teams were St. Anthony's of Allston (perennial national champions) and St. Patrick's of Stoneham. And don't forget the bands in the CYO circuit.... These were drum corps-style bands - and some of them were excellent (even when compared to corps). St. Ann's of Neponset and the one run by Dominic Bianculli (the name of which escapes me) were two of the better ones (Was it Holy Name?). They used a drum corps-styled program - off the line, concert, exit over the finish line, etc. And last, but by no means least, was St. Joseph's Pipe Band from Quincy. This was an all-girl bagpipe band. Of course, they had no competition, but they were very often a featured exhibition at CYO Circuit contests. Who can ever forget Antoinette, one of their snare drummers, who was perhaps the most beautiful girl ever in drum corps. Talk about a hormone rush when they came onto the field.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bossop Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 If I remember correctly, the Queensmaids were a drill team - which were big in the CYO, Eastern Mass, and Mayflower Circuits. Each circuit had multiple classes of drill teams - just as they did for drum corps. A couple of the other all-girl drill teams were St. Anthony's of Allston (perennial national champions) and St. Patrick's of Stoneham. And don't forget the bands in the CYO circuit.... These were drum corps-style bands - and some of them were excellent (even when compared to corps). St. Ann's of Neponset and the one run by Dominic Bianculli (the name of which escapes me) were two of the better ones (Was it Holy Name?). They used a drum corps-styled program - off the line, concert, exit over the finish line, etc. And last, but by no means least, was St. Joseph's Pipe Band from Quincy. This was an all-girl bagpipe band. Of course, they had no competition, but they were very often a featured exhibition at CYO Circuit contests. Who can ever forget Antoinette, one of their snare drummers, who was perhaps the most beautiful girl ever in drum corps. Talk about a hormone rush when they came onto the field.... Domenic Bianculli was the director of St. Williams band of Dorchester. A big rival of theirs was St. Agnus of Artlington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyroo Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Domenic Bianculli was the director of St. Williams band of Dorchester. A big rival of theirs was St. Agnus of Artlington. Right!! St. William's.... not Holy Name... Thanks! And I had completely forgotten about St. Agnes' Band. In any event, they were a far cry from the high school bands in the area. One could actually watch and enjoy these bands, as opposed to watching one of our high school bands shuffle and stumble along a parade route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strutta Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 St. William's Band, Dorchester, MA had arguably the greatest run in all of competitive marching band or drum corps. They essentially went undefeated from sometime in the early 1950's until the 'Big Band' folded in 1973 winning every circuit and festival title CYO had at the time. (Someone with more history than me can probably fill in the few regular season contests that they may have been beaten over those decades.) The great Boston Pops Conductor, Arthur Fielder once referred to St. William's Band as 'the best little band in the land' after hearing them. Due to Dom Bianculli's influence, the band regularly did an exhibition DURING the CYO Nationals (not at the end) and practically no one went for a hot dog as the 'pink and black' used to wow drum corps audiences as well. (Could you see that happening at DCI Finals or a DCI Regional now?) They are on numerous Fleetwood (I believe) albums from shows done in Symphony Hall, Boston in the late 50's/60's (along with St. Agnes and other parish bands). The band even did a cameo in the TV police series "Banacek" with George Peppard in the early 1970's, that was shot on Boston Common. They were a joy to behold, made up of 'dot rats' from triple deckahs and victorian one families in working class Dorchester! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 St. William's Band, Dorchester, MA had arguably the greatest run in all of competitive marching band or drum corps. They essentially went undefeated from sometime in the early 1950's until the 'Big Band' folded in 1973 winning every circuit and festival title CYO had at the time. (Someone with more history than me can probably fill in the few regular season contests that they may have been beaten over those decades.) The great Boston Pops Conductor, Arthur Fielder once referred to St. William's Band as 'the best little band in the land' after hearing them. Due to Dom Bianculli's influence, the band regularly did an exhibition DURING the CYO Nationals (not at the end) and practically no one went for a hot dog as the 'pink and black' used to wow drum corps audiences as well. (Could you see that happening at DCI Finals or a DCI Regional now?)They are on numerous Fleetwood (I believe) albums from shows done in Symphony Hall, Boston in the late 50's/60's (along with St. Agnes and other parish bands). The band even did a cameo in the TV police series "Banacek" with George Peppard in the early 1970's, that was shot on Boston Common. They were a joy to behold, made up of 'dot rats' from triple deckahs and victorian one families in working class Dorchester! I drove past Most Precious Blood School in Hyde Park with my 15 year old yesterday and was trying to explain the origins of the Crusaders. (of course the little smart ### said, "I thought they were from Florida!") but I explained the CYO and Dominic Bianculli and the Halcyon days of the activity here in Boston long before I came up here. Every day I turn off of Morrissey Blvd onto Dominic Bianculli Blvd at UMass Boston I think about the St. William's Band, and the antecendents of what we have today. It feels like a history lesson, but it shouldn't be forgotten, lest our kids think that Al Gore, or worse yet, George Hopkins invented drum corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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