The Roma Band was founded in Boston in 1919 by Italian immigrants.
The purpose of the band was and is to play at religious feasts in Boston's
North End. The band has played continuously except during the War Years
(1942-1945) when the North End was used as a military area and due
to the fact that Italy was then our enemy. Rumor has it that most of the
players suddenly became Portuguese and simply walked over to the neighboring
city of Cambridge. (Portugal was a a neutral country) What makes
the band especially interesting is that the feasts held now more
mirror the traditional feast once held in Italy during the days of the
King. Money is pinned upon sacred icons as it is lowered from windows.
A prepared donation is called a calendar which can contain hundreds of
dollars. Sometimes money is lowered in rolls while the band continuously
plays hoping inside that the money will end (as their lips tire) while
the society hopes it never ends. The band will traditionally play the MarciaReale
when a significant gift is offered. This form of feast is no longer performed
or condoned in modern Italy. In 1988 the band went to Washington
DC to play in a cultural event for the Smithsonian Institution.
Our Players
Our players consist of music teachers, music college students (especially from Berkeley and New England Conservatory). One player, Tony DiCiccio has played in the Roma Band for 67 years. Tony is currently 78 and
started playing for $2 during the depression as an 11 year old boy clarinet
player. We now pay him $4. (Just kidding). Salvatore Pugliese, our band manager has been playing in the Roma Band since 1957. Salvi has a knack
of picking the right music for the right crowd. Band membership is open
to all competent musicians. Lower brass players are especially needed
at this time. Please indicate in the guest book if you should be interested.
Our Music
Every attempt is made to play music that fits the occasion. Our subscribers are asked which songs they prefer to hear and ones they don't. Each
religious society has a different character. Some are more light-hearted than
others and could stand to hear Yellow Submarine while others prefer
to stick to the traditional music contained in the Green Book. The Green Book consists of about 20 songs and hymns composed by the late Guy Giarraffa, who
passed away at the age of 84 last September. His well-worn handwritten books
have recently been republished using Finale. Many of these songs are contained
on our midi page At parades we play mostly patriot
songs but will throw in an occasional Italian song like Isle of Capri
for our North End Fans. Generally our players can play a song spontaneously
from memory without music upon request. We are not often stumped.
