Saint Mary's Magazine Fall 2004 - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

NEWS AND VIEWS
The Marinotes rehearse in
Saint Joseph’s Hall in 1961.
Pictured below: The Marinotes toured
extensively in the ’60s via bus. Scrapbooks
have an occasional picture of
touring mishaps like the
bus breaking down.
Marinotes:
music and
memories
During the fall of 1954, a new
musical group started at Saint
Mary’s College. A group of 8-10
students who were interested in
starting a new band met with
Brother Hermes Paul Turner ’46,
FSC, director of admission and
chairman of the Department of Fine
Arts. With the help of Brother H.
Paul, they created a big band-style
dance band called the Marinotes.
In the beginning, they
performed at proms in the Winona
area and dances at Saint Mary’s
and the College of Saint Teresa.
After a few years, they started
touring with the Saint Mary’s
Concert Chorus, with destinations
such as Chicago, the Twin Cities,
Milwaukee, Detroit and Memphis.
The Marinotes also made several
television appearances in
Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis and
Kansas City. During this time, they
recorded albums that brought
acclaim to the musicians and Saint
Mary’s. They performed classic big
band favorites along with many
original pieces composed and
arranged by Marinote members.
The Marinotes were visible in
Winona and the Midwest from the
mid-1950s through the 1960s.
At Homecoming 2004 —
celebrated in June — SMU honored
the 50th anniversary of
the formation of the Marinotes.
Activites included an opportunity
for former members to reminisce
about the Marinotes and to review
their history. A dedication
ceremony in Saint Yon’s Hall
recognized Brother H. Paul Turner
and the Marinotes, as well as their
tradition of musical excellence.≠
Brother President Louis DeThomasis and John Negroponte, former U.S. ambassador
to the United Nations and new ambassador to Iraq, received honorary degrees May
14 from St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkhill, N.Y.
12 SAINT MARY’S MAGAZINE FALL 2004