By Chris Stanek ’19

THE ROUNDUP

The Brophy Mass Band tripled in size and is looking to incorporate more instruments and new ways to create prayer with song.

In the beginning of the band’s existence, there was only a number of six students performing.

Now the band has grown to about 20 students with each of them bringing different talents to the band.

Brady O’Gara ’19 was a new addition to the band this year and O’Gara believes the band is very strong and represents what Brophy could be all about.

“I believe that a strong student Mass band shows a firm stand in prayer, because what Brophy could be is a strong mass of students that come together and celebrate Mass in a special way,” O’Gara said.

Although the Brophy Mass Band does bring students together in prayer and song, Karson Hawkins ’19 believes that music is a great use for expressing art.

“Music is such an amazing thing that can bring out so much emotion and feeling in people,” Hawkins said. “To use something like this and then have music geared towards something like religion is a great use for art.”

Hawkins believes that the Mass band means a lot to the students performing in it and to the school.

“It gives a great representation on how and why a student should evolve themselves in music and Mass,” Hawkins said.

But the most unique thing about this band, is the fact that the band is all student operated.

Mr. Austin Pidgeon ’08 explains that this band was a student inspired and student ran operation.

“The only thing I provide is a room to practice in, some instruments and feedback,” Mr. Pidgeon said. “In reality they pick the songs, perform and incorporate the instruments, and really just run the whole thing.”

The Brophy Mass Band creates an example of how prayer and song can create more participation in the mass from the students.