History

1984:  Dr. William Sand, at that time the Stratford High School Band Director, took the high school band to play at Stratford, Ontario. The band performed at a school and a church.

1985: The SHS band traveled to Stratford-Upon-Avon for eight days in England where a highlight of this visit was performing at the Shakespeare Theatre and staying at homes of local students.

1986: The Stratford-Upon-Avon Wind Band 0 SAWBA- and the Perth County Pipe Band from Ontario Canada visited Stratford, Connecticut. It was the first musical exchange involving three towns. Joined by other local bands, a total of five bans performed at the Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Connecticut.

1986:  Birth of the Official "Stratford Sister Cities Band" whose purpose was musical exchange with the other Stratfords of the world.

1987:  Michael Catalano, youngest son of Hugh and Mary Lou, joined the Sister Cities Band while only in grade 7. He traveled with the group to England to perform with the Ontario Pipe Band and the Stratford-Upon-Avon Wind Band. Hugh and Mary Lou accompanied their son on the trip. It was that trip that started their long-term involvement as promoters, organizers, and supporters of the Sister Cities program.

1989:  All three bands performed for Stratford, CT’s 350th anniversary to a full house at the Shakespeare Theatre.

1990:  The Sister Cities Band performed at Carnegie Hall and then went on tour to Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland.

1991:  The Sister Cities Chorus was born. Founded by Hugh Catalano and conducted by Wooster Middle School music teacher, Lynn McGilvary, the chorus debuted locally in the spring of 1992. The group traveled to Stratford-upon-Avon that summer and to Stratford, Ontario in the summer of 1993. From 1996 until 2012, Dr. Joe Utterback, Minister of Music at the First Congregational Church, was the chorus' director. The baton was then passed to Jeffrey Leinen, Choral and Drama Director at Stratford High School. Our next director of the chorus was Christopher Andrade, Director of Vocal Music at Darien High School. Chris has ties to the Sister Cities back to when he participated in the exchange program in high school. We performed may concerts and community outreach events under Chris' leadership. In 2024-2025, Mr. Brian Crook, Department Head of Fine Arts & Music for Stratford Public Schools did a great job moving the chorus forward and we are now under the direction of Ms. Susan Scanlon.  Susan is a highly experienced choir director and previously held significant music/liturgy roles at local Catholic churches.

The Sister Cities Organization:  Hugh Catalano became the chair for the Sister Cities Organization in CT, overseeing the chorus and the Youth Exchange Program between Ontario and Stratford CT. Grade 6 and Grade 11 student ambassadors, chosen based on merit and scholarship, participate in that valuable cultural exchange opportunity in the 1990s into the year 2002, after which funding became unavailable.

Now:  The Sister Cities Organization includes 6 Stratfords in five countries:  United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and The United States.
The major activity of the program is a reunion which is held every two years, when citizens of all the Stratfords gather in the designated Stratford hosting the event. Our Stratford, Connecticut hosted the world reunion in 2014 and will be hosting again in 2029.

The result:  Friendships that last over time and distance; appreciation for the way of life in other countries, the joy of sharing our lives and opening our hearts and homes to other "Stratfordians".