# Ateneo de Zamboanga University Concert Band

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University Concert Band is the official student concert band of Ateneo de Zamboanga University. Its members consist of grade school, junior high school, senior high school and college students from the university. The band performs for various university functions, competitions, and official events within Zamboanga City, Philippines, and also operates as a marching band during parades. It has been called one of the "most enduring [bands] in the country."

## History
### Early years

Records show that an Ateneo band was established after the Ateneo High School was opened in 1928, along with a photo captioned "Ateneo Orchestra Band, 1932" consisting of its all-boys high school students. Its early activities were playing for graduation ceremonies. They regularly rehearsed in the patio beside the Immaculate Conception Church until the Mindanao Theater building was purchased by the Knights of Columbus, which the Ateneo moved into. American and Filipino priests and scholarly seminarians from Ateneo de Manila then transferred to Ateneo de Zamboanga and refurbished the band along with forming other school organizations. The last director of the pre-war band was Fr. Joseph N. Behr, S.J.. The band's progress was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II, when the Ateneo campus was converted into a public school by the Japanese and was later shelled by American troops.

### Re-establishment

The band was re-established on September 10, 1951, by Fr. Ernesto Carretero, S.J. and Mr. Arcadio Perez was assigned bandmaster. They continued their activities playing in parades, pass-in-review ceremonies, basketball games, and school programs. At the time, the anthem "Hail! Ateneo, Hail!" was being played by the band during school intramurals or homecomings. During the 1970s, the band served as a part of the Philippine Military Training (PMT) program and played during military drills and ceremonies.

### Transition to a Concert Band

Mr. Apolonio Enriquez assumed the role of band director in 1991 and initiated a transformation from a marching and pep band to a full-fledged concert band. This development enabled the band to perform in concerts and formal occasions, expanding its repertoire to encompass classical, art music, popular, contemporary, and other musical styles.
Since the transformation, the concert band has competed in events such as the Zamboanga Brass Band competition during the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, in which they won three times — in 2001, 2002 and 2008. The band has also performed in other schools in the country as part of its concert tour from 2009 to 2010, such as the Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Davao University, Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan), Ateneo de Naga University, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, and Liceo de Cagayan University.
On July 7, 2016, a fire broke out in the Brebeuf Gymnasium, where the university band office was located. It burned all the band's equipment and facilities, its repertoire which was regarded as "nationally acclaimed," and all the brass instruments were melted in the fire. The band was able to recover through donations from organizations locally and nationally.

## Band leadership

Directors :
| 1939–1941 | Joseph N. Behr, S.J. |
| 1951–1960 | Arcadio Perez |
| 1960–1983 | Ildefonso Encarnacion |
| 1983–late 1980s | Carlos "Carlito" Encarnacion |
| Late 1980s | Alfonso Encarnacion |
| Late 1980s–1990 | Emelito Saavedra |
| 1991–2023 | Apolonio Enriquez |
| 2023–present | Carl Anthony Camacho |

## List of previous concerts

| Year | Month | Name | Location | Collaborations |
| 2002 | May | Ode to Music | Ateneo de Zamboanga University | AdZU Chorale |
| 2002 | - | The AdZU Band in Concert | Claret School of Lamitan | |
| 2004 | December | The AdZU Band in Concert | Claret College of Isabela | |
| 2008 | October | Classic Meets Rock | Ateneo de Zamboanga University | |
| 2009 | September | Classic Meets Rock | Ateneo de Davao University | AdDU Carillon Glee Club |
| 2009 | November | Stint | Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan | |
| 2009 | November | Stint | Liceo de Cagayan University | |
| 2010 | February | aCAUSEtics | Ateneo de Zamboanga University | |
| 2010 | February | Music and You | Ateneo de Zamboanga University | |
| 2010 | June | Stint | Ateneo de Naga University | |
| 2010 | June | Stint | Ateneo de Manila University | Ateneo Grade School Boys Choir Henri Ocier |
| 2010 | June | Concert at the Park | Ateneo de Manila University | |
| 2010 | September | Stint | Sacred Heart School - Ateneo de Cebu | |
| 2011 | February | Amor | Garden Orchid Hotel and Convention Center | |
| 2011 | September | Ave Maria | Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception | The Paracletos |
| 2012 | June | Gran Concierto | Garden Orchid Hotel and Convention Center | Zamboanga Hermosa Chorale |
| 2012 | June | Gran Concierto | Zamboanga City Coliseum | Zamboanga Hermosa Chorale |
| 2012 | September | SLA Benefit Concert | Ateneo de Zamboanga University | Ateneo Grade School Band Ateneo Liturgical Society |
| 2012 | December | Christmas Concert | Centro Pastoral de Zamboanga | Zamboanga Hermosa Chorale Pastor Bonus Seminary Choir |
| 2013 | May | Amigos para Siempre | Zamboanga Puericulture Center No. 144 | Doc & Friends Ogie Diaz Kakai Bautista |
| 2016 | December | And The Music Goes On... | Ateneo de Zamboanga University | |
| 2016 | December | GBPI TV11 Christmas Concert | GBPI TV11 | |
| 2017 | February | #Grateful: The Concert | Zamboanga City Coliseum | Zamboanga Singing and Dancing Padres Archbishop Romulo de la Cruz ZCSPC Cantamos Chorale |
| 2017 | November | A Homecoming | Ateneo de Zamboanga University | Major Chords |
| 2019 | July | One Heart... One Melody... One Journey | Zamboanga City Coliseum | ZCSPC Cantamos Chorale |
| 2022 | December | Ciento Diez: The Music of Homecoming | Ateneo de Zamboanga University | AdZU Glee Club |