History of SEMSBA
The following is a copy of a letter sent to area band directors in early 1950, by Mr. Donald Leach, who has been recognized as the Founding Father of S.E.M.S.B.A.
SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION
February 1, 1950
Dear (Friend),
During one of my sleepless nights it occurred to me that it would be a very good idea if a few of us congenial band directors organized a Southeast Massachusetts School Bandmasters Association. I think that we could have a wonderful time, meeting perhaps once a month for a panel discussion of our own band problems. This meeting would not necessarily have to be too rigid, and yet out of it there might emerge some excellent ideas, and we might get some recognition from the State and possibly the National Association.
What do you think of this? Could you come to my house, say on Friday night (February 24) to start it off?
With kindest regards,
Don Leach
"S.E.M.S.B.A. was founded in 1950 for the purpose of endeavoring to raise the standard of, and to promote greater community interest in school band music in Southeastern Massachusetts."
This statement has remained S.E.M.S.B.A.'s objective throughout the years. After two years of social meetings and organizational sessions, the founding members decided to sponsor a concert comprised of outstanding young bandsmen selected from their nine high schools. The participating band directors were:
Myron Thomas, Randolph
Robert Spencer, East Bridgewater
Charles Bean, Weymouth
George Ventre, Hingham
Norman Dickenson; Scituate
Richard Whitmarsh, East Bridgewater
Donald Leach, Whitman
Luther Churchill, Middleborough
Edward DiFonzo, Bridgewater
Francis Tatro, Milton
Edmund Wright, Weymouth
This first concert was held on February 28, 1953 at the Randolph High School Auditorium and was conducted by Myron B.Thomas. Selections from this program included:
"Orpheus"-Overture, Offenbach
"American Weekend"- Suite, Morrisey
"Student Prince", Romberg
"King Cotton"- March, Souza
Assisting in the concert was the Middleborough Accapella choir, conducted by Luther Churchill.
Each year since 1953 S.E.M.S.B.A. has held a concert. In the early years, 1953-1956, The Symphonic Band was assisted by high school choral groups, invited to perform at each concert. In 1954 the Brockton High School Galloneers assisted, under the direction of Rodney May. In 1955, it was the Randolph High School Chorus, conducted by Myron Thomas. And in 1956 the Brockton High School Girls Glee club sang. The first S.E.M.S.B.A. select chorus performed in 1957, directed by Burton O. Cowgill of Marshfield.
Between 1955 and 1968 the S.E.M.S.B.A. band conductor also hosted the concert and held the office of President. When junior high school directors became more active in the organization, a Junior High Festival was originated to promote greater interest in Junior High School musical performance. Their first concert was held in 1970, at Silver Lake Regional High School in Kingston. Conductors were: Richard N. Shattuck, Chorus, and Daniel A. Lasdow, Band.
At the 1977 Junior High School Festival an orchestra was included, made up of select string players from grades 7-12 and assisted by band students who had performed with the High School Festival that same year. The debut of this group and its conductor, Mr. James Vinci of the Duxbury Schools was well received. In 1980, due to a greater student interest in strings, S.E.M.S.B.A. was able to have orchestra's perform at both festivals.
In recent years the organization found that it has been able to commission two new works for festival programs. In 1973, Edward J. Madden of Brookline composed and conducted "March For A S.E.M.S.B.A. Festival.” For the 25th Anniversary Celebration, Thomas P. Mills, of Walpole conducted his composition for combined band and chorus, "The Gift of Music."
Outstanding contributions through the years have been made by Mr. Charles Bean of Quincy. Besides being a founding member, Mr. Bean has supported the organization by having the concert programs printed each year since 1959. S.E.M.S.B.A. members are deeply grateful to Donald Leach, a founder of the organization, for his ambition and foresight in guiding S.E.M.S.B.A. through its first 30 years. Mr. Leach has served as president, conductor and host. He then served as secretary for a period of fourteen years.
Although the membership has changed over the years, the following participating school systems are in S.E.M.S.B.A. today (2015): Abington, Apponequet (Lakeville, Assonet, East Freetown), Braintree, Bridgewater- Raynham, Cohasset, Dighton-Rehoboth, Carver, East Bridgewater, Fairhaven, Fall River, Hanover, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Mansfield, Marshfield, Middleborough, Milton, Norton, Norwell, Oliver Ames (Easton), Pembroke,Plymouth North, Plymouth South, Randolph, Rockland, Scituate, Sharon, Silver Lake (Halifax, Kingston, Plympton), Stoughton, Walpole, West Bridgewater, and Whitman-Hanson.
In the 1950's, the towns of Brockton, Milton, Weymouth and Marshfield were members but left the organization. In 1982, the towns of Avon and West Bridgewater were removed from S.E.M.S.B.A. because of a lack of participation and they were replaced by Braintree and Marshfield.
In 1987, Duxbury asked to be removed from the roles of S.E.M.S.B.A. and this action was allowed. Additionally, the Constitution was amended to change membership from, twenty-five high schools and their corresponding junior high schools, to, ". . .up to and including 30 high schools and their corresponding junior high schools.." under this revision, Norton High School and New Bedford High School were voted into membership in the fall of 1987.
In 1988 the Plymouth Carver Regional school system was dissolved creating Carver High School, Plymouth North and Plymouth South High Schools. Each school is now recognized as an individual member. In 1990, Milton Public Schools were added to the roles after a formal application procedure was followed to bring the total to twenty-nine. The Fall River Public Schools applied for membership in 1994 and were accepted into S.E.M.S.B.A. In 1996, New Bedford was dismissed from the association due to prolonged period of lack of participation.
In the mid-2000s, Pembroke removed itself from the Silver Lake Regional School system to become its own district. Despite the statement above, SEMSBA voted to allow Pembroke membership and is the thirty-first member school since the town was part of the Silver Lake district. In 2015, the membership amended the SEMSBA Constitution to increase the number of member schools to 33, and West Bridgewater became the newest SEMSBA member school.
Other significant changes to the association have seen the association move from separate junior and senior festival auditions to a combined, one-day event since 2000. Also since the 2000s, the association has used web-based tabulations on audition day to lessen workload and improve release time of audition results. In 2013, the association voted to pay for an auditions coordinator and webmaster, with the auditions coordinator becoming a member of the executive board.
Throughout its history, S.E.M.S.B.A. has brought many music students and teachers together to share musical ideas and to broaden each individual's musical experiences. Through these ideas and experiences, S.E.M.S.B.A. has succeeded in attaining its objectives of "raising the standard of, and promoting greater community interest in school music in Southeastern Massachusetts."
Last updated: March 2015, by Ed Ledwith, Handbook Editor
SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION
February 1, 1950
Dear (Friend),
During one of my sleepless nights it occurred to me that it would be a very good idea if a few of us congenial band directors organized a Southeast Massachusetts School Bandmasters Association. I think that we could have a wonderful time, meeting perhaps once a month for a panel discussion of our own band problems. This meeting would not necessarily have to be too rigid, and yet out of it there might emerge some excellent ideas, and we might get some recognition from the State and possibly the National Association.
What do you think of this? Could you come to my house, say on Friday night (February 24) to start it off?
With kindest regards,
Don Leach
"S.E.M.S.B.A. was founded in 1950 for the purpose of endeavoring to raise the standard of, and to promote greater community interest in school band music in Southeastern Massachusetts."
This statement has remained S.E.M.S.B.A.'s objective throughout the years. After two years of social meetings and organizational sessions, the founding members decided to sponsor a concert comprised of outstanding young bandsmen selected from their nine high schools. The participating band directors were:
Myron Thomas, Randolph
Robert Spencer, East Bridgewater
Charles Bean, Weymouth
George Ventre, Hingham
Norman Dickenson; Scituate
Richard Whitmarsh, East Bridgewater
Donald Leach, Whitman
Luther Churchill, Middleborough
Edward DiFonzo, Bridgewater
Francis Tatro, Milton
Edmund Wright, Weymouth
This first concert was held on February 28, 1953 at the Randolph High School Auditorium and was conducted by Myron B.Thomas. Selections from this program included:
"Orpheus"-Overture, Offenbach
"American Weekend"- Suite, Morrisey
"Student Prince", Romberg
"King Cotton"- March, Souza
Assisting in the concert was the Middleborough Accapella choir, conducted by Luther Churchill.
Each year since 1953 S.E.M.S.B.A. has held a concert. In the early years, 1953-1956, The Symphonic Band was assisted by high school choral groups, invited to perform at each concert. In 1954 the Brockton High School Galloneers assisted, under the direction of Rodney May. In 1955, it was the Randolph High School Chorus, conducted by Myron Thomas. And in 1956 the Brockton High School Girls Glee club sang. The first S.E.M.S.B.A. select chorus performed in 1957, directed by Burton O. Cowgill of Marshfield.
Between 1955 and 1968 the S.E.M.S.B.A. band conductor also hosted the concert and held the office of President. When junior high school directors became more active in the organization, a Junior High Festival was originated to promote greater interest in Junior High School musical performance. Their first concert was held in 1970, at Silver Lake Regional High School in Kingston. Conductors were: Richard N. Shattuck, Chorus, and Daniel A. Lasdow, Band.
At the 1977 Junior High School Festival an orchestra was included, made up of select string players from grades 7-12 and assisted by band students who had performed with the High School Festival that same year. The debut of this group and its conductor, Mr. James Vinci of the Duxbury Schools was well received. In 1980, due to a greater student interest in strings, S.E.M.S.B.A. was able to have orchestra's perform at both festivals.
In recent years the organization found that it has been able to commission two new works for festival programs. In 1973, Edward J. Madden of Brookline composed and conducted "March For A S.E.M.S.B.A. Festival.” For the 25th Anniversary Celebration, Thomas P. Mills, of Walpole conducted his composition for combined band and chorus, "The Gift of Music."
Outstanding contributions through the years have been made by Mr. Charles Bean of Quincy. Besides being a founding member, Mr. Bean has supported the organization by having the concert programs printed each year since 1959. S.E.M.S.B.A. members are deeply grateful to Donald Leach, a founder of the organization, for his ambition and foresight in guiding S.E.M.S.B.A. through its first 30 years. Mr. Leach has served as president, conductor and host. He then served as secretary for a period of fourteen years.
Although the membership has changed over the years, the following participating school systems are in S.E.M.S.B.A. today (2015): Abington, Apponequet (Lakeville, Assonet, East Freetown), Braintree, Bridgewater- Raynham, Cohasset, Dighton-Rehoboth, Carver, East Bridgewater, Fairhaven, Fall River, Hanover, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Mansfield, Marshfield, Middleborough, Milton, Norton, Norwell, Oliver Ames (Easton), Pembroke,Plymouth North, Plymouth South, Randolph, Rockland, Scituate, Sharon, Silver Lake (Halifax, Kingston, Plympton), Stoughton, Walpole, West Bridgewater, and Whitman-Hanson.
In the 1950's, the towns of Brockton, Milton, Weymouth and Marshfield were members but left the organization. In 1982, the towns of Avon and West Bridgewater were removed from S.E.M.S.B.A. because of a lack of participation and they were replaced by Braintree and Marshfield.
In 1987, Duxbury asked to be removed from the roles of S.E.M.S.B.A. and this action was allowed. Additionally, the Constitution was amended to change membership from, twenty-five high schools and their corresponding junior high schools, to, ". . .up to and including 30 high schools and their corresponding junior high schools.." under this revision, Norton High School and New Bedford High School were voted into membership in the fall of 1987.
In 1988 the Plymouth Carver Regional school system was dissolved creating Carver High School, Plymouth North and Plymouth South High Schools. Each school is now recognized as an individual member. In 1990, Milton Public Schools were added to the roles after a formal application procedure was followed to bring the total to twenty-nine. The Fall River Public Schools applied for membership in 1994 and were accepted into S.E.M.S.B.A. In 1996, New Bedford was dismissed from the association due to prolonged period of lack of participation.
In the mid-2000s, Pembroke removed itself from the Silver Lake Regional School system to become its own district. Despite the statement above, SEMSBA voted to allow Pembroke membership and is the thirty-first member school since the town was part of the Silver Lake district. In 2015, the membership amended the SEMSBA Constitution to increase the number of member schools to 33, and West Bridgewater became the newest SEMSBA member school.
Other significant changes to the association have seen the association move from separate junior and senior festival auditions to a combined, one-day event since 2000. Also since the 2000s, the association has used web-based tabulations on audition day to lessen workload and improve release time of audition results. In 2013, the association voted to pay for an auditions coordinator and webmaster, with the auditions coordinator becoming a member of the executive board.
Throughout its history, S.E.M.S.B.A. has brought many music students and teachers together to share musical ideas and to broaden each individual's musical experiences. Through these ideas and experiences, S.E.M.S.B.A. has succeeded in attaining its objectives of "raising the standard of, and promoting greater community interest in school music in Southeastern Massachusetts."
Last updated: March 2015, by Ed Ledwith, Handbook Editor
