Driscoll band to reunite for Bloomingdale show

Even though Driscoll Catholic High School closed in May, it's making an encore.

This month, former members of the Driscoll band, along with former Driscoll choir singers, will keep a holiday tradition of performing at Bloomingdale Pavilion Nursing Home.

The Driscoll Legacy Band, as they are now called, includes alumni from the classes of 2006 to 2009.

"The activity director was really happy and excited. It was so sweet," said Paula Masilotti, who hosts band practices in her home and whose daughter, Tylar Jozefczyk, plays keyboard. "(The director) didn't expect to have us perform again after hearing news about the school closing."

The performance, which is at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 23, isn't the band's first reunion. Last summer the group performed at Roselle's Rose Parade, Streamwood's Summer Celebration and at Septemberfest in Schaumburg.

Director Brian Wrightson, the former Driscoll band director who now lives in Lake Geneva, Wis., said band loyalty has always been strong.

"I guess it was a decision based on the kids sincerely enjoying participating in those types of things," he said. "Even when we were still open, alumni would come and participate through the summer and at events throughout the year."

The current band performs with 12 to 15 members, which mirrors the small size that existed before Driscoll's closing. And that, said Wrightson, is part of the appeal.

"At a lot of these other schools, it's a very large group and the musicians become a number," he said. "With Driscoll, they are very important and everyone feels they are vital to the organization."

Although it's too soon to tell how long the Driscoll Legacy Band will continue, so far their performances have been seasonal. If possible, the band hopes to continue at that pace.

"I absolutely love getting the kids back together," Wrightson said, "and my hope is that it will continue for many years to come."