What's recently happened:
As winter break approached, Bishop Noll Institute (BNI) students geared up to take their final exams. Monday was a review day for students to prepare for their semester exams. On Tuesday, students visited their first semester teachers one last time before taking finals. Final exams were split up over the course of three days. This was a tremendous help, as students were not overwhelmed taking their finals all in one day. It was a great transition leading into winter break for many students.
After a two-week break, BNI students were ready and excited to return to classes on January 6. While students will be virtual for two days, they will use online learning to continue year-long courses and meet new teachers for their semester classes. The BNI community is excited to return for the second semester.
Students and staff had the opportunity to watch athletes and the BNI band perform over the course of December and early January. The BNI band, including the marching band, participated in the Hammond Holiday Parade on December 4.
Both the boys' and girls' basketball teams practiced and played hard in each game they played. The boys' basketball team pulled out an overtime win on New Year’s Day in the Mac Jelks Invitational against Lincoln Park out of Illinois. The BNI hockey team has done extremely well over their season as well, as the team is on a winning streak after just recently defeating Lake Central Blue for the first time in two years.
What’s coming up?
The BNI band and choir will be hosting a concert on January 15 at 7 p.m. and January 16 at 2 p.m. at the BNI auditorium. This is the first time in BNI history that the band will perform on two separate days. The concert will feature the BNI concert band, jazz band, rock band, and mariachi band along with the choir. The band is working with American Red Cross to help bring light items needed to help those victims of the tornado outbreak last month across Kentucky. Due to safety concerns with regards to COVID-19, only parents are allowed to attend the concert in-person. The concert will be streamed live on the BNI Fine Arts Facebook page both days for all who cannot attend to see.
The BNI rock band will be performing a concert on Saturday, January 19 at 7 p.m. at the BNI auditorium. This concert will also be live streamed on the BNI Fine Arts Facebook Page for those not able to attend to watch.
BNI spring musical auditions for the play “Xanadu!” are coming up soon. “Xanadu” is a musical comedy that follows the journey of a magical Greek muse, Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach California in the 1980s on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation ever. “Xanadu!” is a comedy full of ‘80s classics with a bit of a twist and parody of a beloved cult classic movie. Keep a lookout for the dates to check out the play.
Staff spotlight
Rocco Carioto is the director of the Bishop Noll concert band, jazz band, mariachi band, choir, rock band, and the Marching Warriors. Carioto earned his bachelor of arts degree in music from Elmhurst College, and has been a high school band director since 1988.
“It’s not hard for me to come in and be a band teacher. I have a blast every time I sit behind my podium and march next to the band in a parade," Carioto said.
He adjudicates state solo and solo ensembles for Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) and Indiana High School Association (IHSA). Carioto is a concert trombonist and has performed with the Southwest Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Jazz Connection. He teaches music classes at BNI and is enrolled in a master’s degree program in music education. During the first semester, Carioto visited the Midwest Music Clinic. He took special classes for technology and plans on making a new recording studio during the second semester.
Carioto enjoys being a band director and a music teacher. All of his students love him and love how he cares for them. They say he is a wonderful teacher, always going above and beyond for his band family.
Student spotlight
Emanuel Martinez is a junior at BNI. He is excited for the upcoming band season and the parades and concerts that will be happening over the course of the second semester. Martinez is not just in the BNI band, but also plays in the jazz and mariachi bands at BNI. He has been in band all three years and intends on continuing band for his senior year as well. He plays the trumpet and enjoys the music they play, including the "Avenger’s" theme song. He is excited for the new year as he gets to see his band family every day for zero hour, a class created at the beginning of the day for band students.
“My favorite season is concert season because we put in all of our hard work in front of many people so that they can appreciate our hard work because most of us put in our hearts and souls into every piece we play," Martinez said.
Martinez is involved in video game club, drama club, Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) Club, chess club, cooking club, and also plays for his local church. He enjoys being around people and putting a smile on their face with the sound of music.
His plan for the new year is to continue working hard on practicing his songs and learning new songs that are recognizable to all.