CCHS Pep Band rocks Fenway with school spirit, terrific talent

The night before Thanksgiving, the CCHS Pep Band climbed into the stands at Fenway Park and settled in for a night we will not soon forget. “Football’s Greatest Party Band” brought the perfect balance of beauty and bombast to this season’s final football game, opening with a concert hall-worthy “Star-Spangled Banner” before spending the next two hours shaking the stadium’s walls.

Joined by alumni stretching back to the Class of 2019, our students performed with heart, humor, and professionalism that quickly caught the attention of both the fans and the Fenway staff. The camaraderie between generations of band members extended to our peers in Lexington, with the groups mixing at halftime. Additional CCHS music program alumni came by throughout the evening, and the consensus was clear: The Green Monster does wonders for our sound!

A close game is thrilling, but a blowout lets you lean all the way in. With a 32-0 win, we thoroughly enjoyed playing the CCHS Fight Song again and again under the lights of Fenway, complete with musket-fire accompaniment from the Acton Minute Men. The higher the score, the louder and more joyful the music became. We went rep-for-rep with Lexington on “Shipping Up to Boston,” and of course we delivered a little “Sweet Caroline,” because you simply cannot play Fenway without paying your respects.

What caught the attention of Fenway’s staff was not only the volume, but the vibe. The camaraderie between these young musicians. The way they leaned into the moment. More than once, we were told we were the best band Fenway had heard in this year’s run of football games at the ball park.

For me, that is the legacy of this band: the ability to hold both precision and joy, artistry and uproar, reverence and revelry.

For one night, Acton-Carlisle did not just play at Fenway. We made it ours.

Christopher Noce

Director, Bands & Orchestras
Acton-Carlisle High School 
Walden Street