A historic event occurred on the campus of St. Mary’s Catholic School earlier this month. Music teacher Abigail Colmark hand-selected students from second to 10th grade to participate in the recording of the school song, “The Bells of St.
Mary’s.”
Colmark used her music class to teach students the song. She then chose the most accomplished vocalists to be featured in the ensemble.
The students selected to participate in the recording were Marian Decker, Abigail Mendoza-Duque, Clare Rodriguez, Parker Huber, Brienne Huf, Jase Huf, Danielle Nemec, Catherine Stanley, Emelia Collett, Giuliana Gonzales, Abriel Hopson, Brynley Huber, Tatym Huf, Sara Kuhl, Olivia Martinez, Bruno Salazar-Gladyn, Ellie Telles-Carrizales, Derrick Aleman, Hosea Barta, Scarlett Decker, Gunner Streit, Blake Yezak, Grace Klenzendorf, Claire Altman, Joseph Barta, Julia Heyl, Demitria Dahlberg, Dulcinea Krogmann, Olivia Mokry, Leah Altman, Steven Reyes, Sydney Zimmerhanzel and Kolbe Barta.
In addition to the students, several St. Mary’s Catholic School faculty members including Laura Woodson, Patrick Heyl and Andrew Kinney as well as St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church’s Music Director Luciano Laurentiu helped to enrich the sound.
Diane Kinney and Caleb Fowler also provided additional vocals during the recording.
The recording was done at 3 p.m. while the church was empty. The lighting was only on above the balcony where the choir and organ were located. When Laurentiu began playing the 120-yearold pipe organ, the sound filled the entire church. As the choir began to sing both the tiny and large voices blending together created a harmonious chorus.
It has been several decades since the school song has actually been sung on the St.
Mary’s campus on a regular basis. The school’s bell system to notify upper school students to change classes has been a part of the instrumental version of the song for the past few years. But it wasn’t until this school year that The Bells of St. Mary’s was sang regularly, beginning with the school’s high school six-man football team. The football players and St. Mary’s fans have been singing The Bells of St. Mary’s at the beginning and end of each game this year.
The recording will be used to help all St. Mary’s students, faculty, staff and alumni learn the song and will be played at various events for years to come.
