The Marmion Rosary Band is the cornerstone of the Band Program (see diagram below). Sponsored by Marmion Academy, the band is comprised of students attending Marmion Academy and Rosary High School of Aurora. Marmion Academy is a Catholic Benedictine college preparatory school with a mission to the education of young men in leadership skills and a value-based liberal arts education. Rosary High School is a Catholic high school for young women, run by the Dominican order in Springfield Illinois. Both schools draw students from the western suburban area Catholic and public junior high schools. The two schools share a common instrumental music program, with the band meeting every morning from 7:00 a.m. to 7:44 a.m. The jazz program meets in the evening two times a week for one and one-half hour rehearsals. Band is a full GPA credit at both Marmion and Rosary and students have the option of enrolling for honors credit. The jazz program is an elective, and is a co-curricular graded course All students are required to study privately or have a 45-minute private lesson provided at Marmion during study halls, zero period, or after school. The Marmion Rosary Wind Ensemble and Concert Band have a rich history of musical accomplishments. The band performed on the stage of Walt Disney World in Orlando in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. Our next trip to Walt Disney World is slated for 2022. Every year the band has had clinics with one of the great wind directors from around the country. The list includes H. Robert Reynolds, Malorie Thompson, James Smith, James Lambrecht, Stephen Squires, Scott Teeple, and Ivan Wansley. The band has many awards in concert competitions, solo and ensemble and marching band. In Class A competition, the band received first division ratings in its last 12 years for I.H.S.A. Large Ensemble competitions. Traditionally the band students participate in the Wisconsin Schools Music Association Solo and Ensemble Festival. All students perform solos and many of these students are selected to continue on to state level competition. The Marmion Rosary Jazz Band has enjoyed an excellent jazz tradition. The jazz band has received many awards and has the honor of many guest performances in the Chicago area. The jazz ensemble has distinguished itself in recent area competitions including many first division awards in Jazz in the Meadows, the North Shore Jazz Festival, and W.S.M.A. State competitions. Most recently the jazz ensemble has won three class 1A titles in Jazz in the Meadows, the 2008 class a championship at the North Shore Jazz Festival and received yearly State Gold Medals in W.S.M.A. and I.H.S.A. competition in combo and jazz ensemble. The Marmion Rosary Jazz Band has featured Margaret Carlson, and has performed five times at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Disney’s Magic Kingdom. The Marmion-Rosary band also provides an array of ensemble opportunities, including Brass Quintet, Percussion Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, and pit orchestra.