Records show that an Ateneo band was established after the Ateneo High School was opened in 1928,[3] along with a photo captioned "Ateneo Orchestra Band, 1932" consisting of its all-boys high school students.[4] Its early activities revolved around playing in city parades[5] and school programs.[6] They regularly rehearsed in the patio beside the Immaculate Conception Church until the Mindanao Theater building was purchased by the Knights of Columbus, which the Ateneo moved into. American and Filipinopriests and scholarlyseminarians from Ateneo de Manila then transferred to Ateneo de Zamboanga and refurbished the band along with forming other school organizations.[3] The last director of the pre-war band was Fr. Joseph N. Behr, S.J..[a] The band's progress was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II, when the Ateneo campus was converted into a public school by the Japanese and was later shelled by American troops.[7][8]
Re-establishment
The band was re-established on September 10, 1951, by Fr. Ernesto Carretero, S.J. and Mr. Arcadio Perez was assigned bandmaster.[9][10] They continued their activities playing in parades, pass-in-review ceremonies, basketball games, and school programs. At the time, the anthem "Hail! Ateneo, Hail!" was being played by the band during school intramurals or homecomings. During the 1970s, the band served as a part of the Philippine Military Training (PMT) program and played during military drills and ceremonies.[b]
Transition to a Concert Band
Mr. Apolonio Enriquez assumed the role of band director in 1991[11][12] and initiated a transformation from a marching and pep band to a full-fledged concert band. This development enabled the band to perform in concerts and formal occasions, expanding its repertoire to encompass classical, art music, popular, contemporary, and other musical styles.
On July 7, 2016, a fire broke out in the Brebeuf Gymnasium,[21] where the university band office was located.[22] It burned all the band's equipment and facilities, its repertoire which was regarded as "nationally acclaimed," and all the brass instruments were melted in the fire.[23] The band was able to recover through donations from organizations locally and nationally.
a.^ One source mentions a "Fr. Behr" as the director of the pre-war band.[10] Only one Jesuit with "Behr" as a last name was assigned to the Jesuits' Zamboanga mission according to Japanese POW records.[36]
b.^ Yearbook photos from 1972 and 1974 showed pictures of the band wearing military uniforms with helmets labeled PMT. They also listed the band as part of the "Military Programs."
^ abEnriquez, Emigdio Alvarez (1984). "The Hail Mary Schools". Zamboanga Hermosa: Memories of the old town. Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines: Filipinas Foundation, Inc. p. 161. ISBN971-1047-03-9.
^Cañones, Ma. Christina; Barrios-Arnuco, Aireen; Blanco-Delgado, Monabelle (2013). "From Escuela Catholica to Ateneo de Zamboanga (1912-1945)". Pro Deo et Patria: 100 years of Ateneo de Zamboanga. Zamboanga City, Philippines: Ateneo de Zamboanga University Press. p. 22. ISBN978-971-92800-2-6. OCLC926313239.
^Masuhud, Laisa (September–October 1990). "BEACON Keeps Up NPA Surveillance". The Beacon Newsmagazine. Vol. 40, no. 2. Ateneo de Zamboanga. pp. 10, 22.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
^Fernandez, Raisa Mae (July–August 2008). "Mentoring Ateneo's concert and marching band". The Beacon Newsmagazine. Ateneo de Zamboanga University. p. 37.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)