Compiled By: Stacy Flankey
Community Band Spotlight this month features the band of Plano, Texas.
The Plano Community Band is a non-profit volunteer organization, which currently has 85 active members from all walks of life: college students, doctors, mechanical engineers, software engineers, teachers, financial analysts, veterinarian, music teachers, geologist, marketing, and many more! Throughout the years there have been many retired military service members who have joined the band, and some even played in one of the military bands! The mission of the Plano Community Band is to provide quality music, free of charge, to a wide variety of audiences in the Plano and surrounding areas for their enjoyment and appreciation of music.
Musical Director, Tommy Guilbert, leads the band. Tommy was raised in Jackson and Vicksburg, Mississippi. His mother was an organist, piano player, and teacher, which gave Tommy great exposure to music. He started playing the trumpet in the 7th grade, and during his sophomore year of college decided to major in Music. He received a Bachelor and Masters of Music degrees from Northeast Louisiana University. Tommy taught band in Mississippi and Louisiana prior to coming to J.J. Pierce High School in 1969, producing consistent sweepstakes bands, many of which received state and national honors for outstanding performance. Since leaving teaching to become a school financial consultant, Tommy has continued to be active as a clinician and conductor. Tommy joined the Plano Community Band as Conductor in 2001. Tommy and his wife, Denise, reside in Richardson, Texas.
Jim Carter, Associate Conductor, was born in Texas City, Texas and has made Plano home since 1969, going through the Plano schools and its band program at Plano Senior High. During his high school days, Jim was privileged to have played with Doc Severinsen and Alan Vizzuti, but his first love always seemed to be jazz. After graduation, he was selected to play with the National Bandmasters Association Jazz Band, performing with Marvin Stamm at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Jim attended Sam Houston University on a music scholarship, receiving his degree in Music Education in 1991. After teaching a couple years, Jim returned to Plano. To keep music in his life, Jim joined the Plano Community Band in 1993 as a baritone saxophone player. He became the band’s associate conductor in 1995. Jim resides in Plano, Texas.
The Music Director selects the music with input from the Associate Conductor. They consider a few things when picking out music for the band: a. is the band capable of playing the piece in rehearsal time available? b. Is the music challenging and will the members grow musically from the piece? and c. Will they enjoy performing and the audience enjoy listening to it?
The band performs for many different venues, for example, formal concerts in the esteemed Eisemann Center, which allows the band to play more intricate works, to concerts in the park, which is casual and concert goers will bring picnic dinners and children dance and play while the band performs. They have also participated in the Barnes & Noble “Bookfairs” as a fundraiser. The band plays summer concerts every other week, with fresh repertoire each time! One of the summer concerts is always a “Children’s” concert, one is always a “Patriotic” theme, and one is always a swing/big band concert. Other themes have been “Broadway Favorites,” “A European Stay-cation,” “International Dances,” and recently “Band Member Favorites.” Some “Band Member Favorites” consisted of: “American River Songs” by Pierre LaPlante, “In the Miller Mood” arranged by Warren Baker, John Philip Sousa’s “King Cotton,” and “Texas Star March” by David Lovrien. But the band’s favorite piece performed was Steven Reineke’s “Pilatus, Mountain of Dragons” with pipe organ.
The band is continually looking for ways to partner with the school in the area. They recently brought an 11-year-old trumpet prodigy to perform with them and speak with students. In the Children’s Concert, the band allows the children to “conduct” the band and use the summer concerts in the park as an opportunity for children to see the instruments up close.
The Plano Community Band is a proud member of the Association of Concert Bands, an international organization dedicated to the advancement of adult community bands.
Check out the website here: www.acbands.org/
Visit the Plano Community Band’s website: www.planoband.com
Thank you, Nancy Michalek for your gathering all of this great information, and helping us set up this Community Band Spotlight!
The Bellefonte Band from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Contributed by Stacy Flankey
Community Band Spotlight this month features the band of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, a historic town full of Victorian charm. The group consists of volunteer musicians of all ages from the surrounding areas. Their mission: “to share our love of music, and have fun while doing so.” This year the band celebrates it’s 27th anniversary!
Bellefonte Community Band consists of about 50 members, ranging from middle school students to retirees. Five members of the band are veterans, and three were military band musicians! The director, Natalie Stanton, began her musical training on the piano at an early age and participated in bands and choirs throughout high school and college. She received a music degree from Lebanon Valley College and worked as an elementary school band instructor in Baltimore before moving to Bellefonte. Natalie has been with the band since 2005. The director selects the musical pieces, but with input from the band members. The current favorites are marches, pieces based on popular films, such as “The Pirates of the Caribbean,” and a medley of theme songs from TV crime dramas. The band also enjoys playing more challenging classical pieces, like “Russian Christmas Music” and “Poet and Peasant Overture.”
Bellefonte Band performs at community events and festivals throughout the summer, and at several nursing homes during the summer and holiday seasons. The band provides funds each year for an award given to a local high school student that allows him or her to attend a summer camp at Penn State University. The scholarship covers the cost of attendance for the week-long camp.
The band has received the award of a citation from Kerry Benninghoff, their local member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, in honor of the band’s 25th Anniversary in 2008.
“Our band is a great combination of friendship and musicianship. It’s not uncommon for band members to socialize outside of rehearsals and we pride ourselves in having a welcoming environment for all musicians.” says Jenna Spinelle, member of the Bellefonte Community Band.
If you live in the central Pennsylvania area, check out this wonderful community band and see when they are playing next!
You can visit the band’s website here: http://bellefonteband.net/
The Karl King Band
Contributed By: Jack Kopstein and Stacy Flankey
The Karl King Band is the municipal band for Fort Dodge, Iowa. This ensemble has historically provided a summer concert series in the Karl King Bandshell in beautiful Oleson Park and an indoor concert series held in the auditorium of Iowa Central Community College. The outdoor, summer concert series is an 80 year tradition. The first summer concert was in 1921, after Karl King arrived in Ft. Dodge. These concerts are free to all, and are provided as a service by the City of Fort Dodge. The Karl King Band performs most concerts with an instrumentation of 40 – 45 musicians. Most players live around the area, but there a few that come from as far away as Des Moines and Sioux City. Many of the band’s members are band directors, but many other occupations are represented as well. The band also includes younger players among the musicians that have been playing for 20, 30, and 50 years. “We make an effort to include young people from Ft. Dodge and the surrounding area who show a promising talent or who are pursuing music as a career. The band wants to encourage young people so that the supply of musicians continues,” says Duane Olson, the band’s personnel director. The Iowa Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has included the Karl King Bandshell in a list of Iowa’s most significant structures.
http://www.karlking.us/municipal/about.htm
Karl King was a United States march music bandmaster and composer. He grew up as a self-taught musician with very little schooling of any kind. At eighteen, he began a career playing with circus bands, including “Barnum and Bailey,” “Robinson Famous Shows,” the “Sells-Floto Circus,” and “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.” King settled down in Ft. Dodge, Iowa in 1920, and for the next 51 years conducted the city’s municipal band. King published more than 300 works: galops, waltzes, overtures, serenades, rags and 188 marches and screamers.
MADISON COMMUNITY BAND – MADISON COUNTY, AL
By Krista Slinkard, Altissimo Staff
It seems that most people figure out what they love at an early age. Some enjoy sports and want to be famous athletes. Some enjoy adventures and want to be astronauts or cowboys. Others, such as the members of the Madison Community Band, enjoy music and wish to share that love and enjoyment with others!
It was through this musical enthusiasm from a group of 15 musicians that the Madison County Community Band was created in 1993, allowing the opportunity for members of the community to continue to play in a band setting. One such founding member, Conductor Dave Ryan, became interested in music at an early age with the help of his grandfather, who took Ryan along to his own rehearsals and concerts for the band in which he performed. In later years, Ryan joined the high school band at Lee High in Huntsville, AL, studying composition, theory, and conducting along the way. Though he is not a professional conductor, he says “Music is my passion!,” a feeling that is no doubt shared by the band members and evident in their performances and work in their community.
The mission of the band is to encourage the growth of music in and around the community through the heritage of the Community band in American music history. They have grown from 15 members at inception to 63 members, averaging 45 at weekly rehearsals. Members include middle school aged to middle aged to retired, and vocations include students, engineers, teachers, parents, programmers, and everything in between, with 5 military veterans accounted for as well.
As a side note of particular interest to us, the band held a patriotic concert in 2009 which included an Abraham Lincoln reenactor from our stomping ground of Nashville, TN. The Band took Mr. Lincoln to two local elementary schools where Mr. Lincoln spoke of his life and Presidency with 500 students. What a cool experience and an interesting link to our community here in Tennessee!
At performances, the band most enjoys playing Christmas and upper-level symphonic music the best. Ryan selects the music based on venue and audience, usually imaging what he would want to hear were he sitting in the audience himself. The band performs throughout the Tennessee Valley and northern Alabama, and their repertoire includes: Traditional Marches, Patriotic Music, American and Classical Favorites, Broadway, TV and Film, Big Band, and Christmas music. The Madison Community Band has played at library openings, new schools, businesses, as well as local charity events, conferences, dedications, and for music days at local preschools to entertain the kids.
Arts Education is a big thing for the Madison Community Band, and musical promotion for school-age children is one of the most important philanthropic activities they take part in, with several different methods of reaching the school-age community. One effort includes taking percussion instruments to preschools, teaching the basics, and then letting the children have a go at playing them. There is no doubt that these children love making some noise!
The band’s efforts in schools do not stop there. They have sponsored a Tri-M Honor Society chapter at a local high school where 61 band and choral students were inducted. These students have benefited from the funding, materials, and mentors supplied by Madison Community Band. For three years (2000, ’01, and ’09), they have also brought in professional musicians to teach clinics at local schools, focusing on teaching the history of concert bands and instruments to students.
Finally, in 2004, the band began a scholarship program to provide a monetary award to a deserving junior or senior student. The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage students to get out of the classroom and become active in their communities to become part of a more “diverse music environment.” It is one more way that the band fulfills their mission to directly promote concert band music, the arts, and community involvement of its youngest members.
A love of anything can begin early, and the Madison Community Band is dedicated to promoting music in their community to continue the growth of Art Education and awareness. They have done an excellent job providing opportunities for musical growth at any age. We applaud their efforts, and are proud to present them as our Community Band Spotlight for February!
Special Thanks to Dave Ryan for being an excellent interview contact
If you’d like to learn more about the Madison Community Band, please visit their website at http://www.m-c-b.org/
Altissimo Salutes America’s Oldest Police Band
Contributed by Jack Kopstein
HISTORY OF THE MILWAUKEE POLICE BAND
“The Oldest Police Band in America”
1898 to Present
The Early Years
In the fall of 1897, a number of police officers came together at the original Second District Station to practice whistling. Subsequently one of the whistlers, Officer William Stupenagel, organized some of the officers into a small band to which he was appointed bandmaster. Soon the band, having grown in size and stature, was too large for the district station and relocated to the abandoned morgue on Broadway St. where it was granted official status by Chief John Janssen. On April 9, 1898, the band played its first concert as the “Milwaukee Police Band” before members of the department.
On October 7, 1922, the band met John Philip Sousa at the train station and played for him when he came to Milwaukee to perform with his band. Later that evening, the Milwaukee Police Band performed Sousa’s march “Gallant Seven” with the Sousa Band at the Milwaukee Auditorium. On November 17, 1923, the band performed a second time with the Sousa Band, again at the Milwaukee Auditorium. The Milwaukee Police Band, now comprised of 67 officers, joined the 80 member Sousa Band in playing a Sousa favorite, “Sabres and Spurs”. Sousa presented Chief J.G. Laubenheimer and the Milwaukee Police Band with an American flag with streamers embroidered with Sousa’s name and date of presentation. This flag is currently on display the Milwaukee Safety Academy along with other items and photographs depicting the band’s rich history.
In November 1924, the band made its first appearance at the municipal Christmas tree lighting ceremony. To this day the band has never missed a tree lighting ceremony. On March 22, 1925, the band was joined by the New York City Police Band, who was on a national tour, for a benefit concert before an estimated 8,500 people at the Milwaukee Auditorium. It was during this time period that a local composer, Howard B. Weeks, wrote the “Milwaukee Police Band March”. The original manuscript rests in the archives of the Police Band located at the Safety Academy.
The 1940’s – 1970’s
On February 2, 1940, Dr. Robert O. Brunkhorst became the first civilian director of the Milwaukee Police Band. He was a dentist by profession, but also a highly respected musician. He conducted not only the Police Band but also the Tripoli Shrine Band. Under Dr. Brunkhorst’s direction, the band became a regular feature on WISN radio. Several 78-rpm audio discs from those broadcasts are on display at the Safety Academy.
From 1956 – 1974, in addition to the concert band, 6 band members also performed in the “Police Combo”. The combo performed at various civic locations, including hospitals and schools, as well as special occasions, including concerts at the Milwaukee Auditorium, the children’s Christmas party, Chiefs of Police conventions and on PBS – Channel 10.
In 1962, John Paulish, a city maintenance supervisor, became director. Director Paulish was an accomplished musician playing in the Tripoli Shrine Band and the American Legion Band. During Mr. Paulish’s tenure the elementary school concert program began. In 1964, Mr. Paulish was succeeded by Perry F. Chalifoux, a professional trumpet player who had led his own orchestra in the city since the mid 1920’s. Under Mr. Chalifoux, the band made annual trips to the Veterans Home in King, Wisconsin and also played Christmas concerts at the boy’s home in Plymouth, Wisconsin.
The 1980’s – 1990’s
In 1980, Officer Dennis Benjamin was appointed director by Chief Harold Breier. While Officer Benjamin was director, the elementary school program was enhanced to include a “McGruff” character and an Elvis impersonator carrying an anti-crime, anti-drug, and positive self-esteem message to area school children. In 1986, the format of the band’s annual fall concert and dance was changed to a ‘concert only’. For years, the concert and dance had been held at the Milwaukee Auditorium. With the change in format came a change in venue; the concerts were now held at the Historic Pabst Theatre. The Milwaukee Police Band Jazz Ensemble was also formed to offer a more versatile program by performing big band swing music of the 1930′s and 1940′s.
In July of 1988 the Milwaukee Police Band played a joint concert with the Minneapolis Police Band at the Milwaukee County Zoo. In July 1989, the band traveled to Minneapolis where the band combined with the Minneapolis Police Band and the Winnipeg, Manitoba Police Band and marched in the famous Aquatennial Parade. In 1990, a high school awards program was developed with the help of Dr. Nicholas J. Contorno and Marquette University. Students from area high schools were selected to perform with the Milwaukee Police Band in a concert at Marquette’s Varsity Theater. On November 15, 1991, Chief of Police Philip Arreola presented the band with a Chief of Police Superior Achievement Award.
On May 16, 1992, the Milwaukee Police Band appeared in Cleveland, Ohio at the Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial Dedication Ceremony. Police pipe bands, choruses, military bands, and dancers from throughout the United States and Canada took part in this event. In October 1993, the Band was invited to appear at the Wisconsin Music Educators Association Music Conference in Madison, Wisconsin where they demonstrated their approach to youth programs.
In July 1998 the Milwaukee Police Band celebrated its’ 100th anniversary as the “Oldest Police Band in America”. They were invited to Washington D.C. for our nation’s Independence Day Parade, and proudly marched down Constitution Avenue.
In May 1999, Lieutenant Karen Dubis and Officer Bobby Lindsey were appointed co-directors of the Milwaukee Police Band by Chief Arthur Jones. This was the first time in the band’s history that a two-director format was utilized. Lieutenant Dubis was the band’s first female director and Officer Lindsey was the band’s first African American director.
2000 – The Present
March 2000, saw the expansion of the Milwaukee Police Band Youth in Arts Program to include a concert at Marquette Varsity Theater with new activities. Younger children were included in the program and paired with police officer-musicians who mentored and performed with the students at the All City Biennial Music Festival. The band members presented special awards to the student participants.
Since 2000, the Milwaukee Police Band has achieved several great milestones including marching in Milwaukee’s own Great Circus Parade (July 16, 2000 and July 15, 2001)), the South Shore Water Frolics (July 14, 2001 – received “Best Band in Parade” honors), Marshall Field’s Jingle Elf Parade in Chicago (November 21, 2001 and November 28. 2002) and Kettle Moraine Days Parade (June 24, 2007). The band also traveled to Florida to perform on Walt Disney World’s Tomorrowland stage in the Magic Kingdom and marched in the “Share a Dream Come True” parade (April 2003). On July 29, 2008, the Band performed at the Midwest Airlines Center for the FBI National Academy Conference.
The Band continues to perform regularly at the Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial, recruit graduation ceremonies, the Law Enforcement Mass of Blessing at St. Josephat’s Basilica, the MPAA Police Picnic and other civic functions.
Since 2003, Lieutenant Dubis has been the sole director of the Milwaukee Police Band. Under Lieutenant Dubis’s baton, the band continues in their efforts as “goodwill ambassadors” for the Milwaukee Police Department. They cherish the opportunity they have been given to do their part in contributing to the quality of life in this fine community.
The Band is funded solely by the Milwaukee Police Athletic Association with occasional private donations. No city monies are utilized to fund the Band’s operations. The civilian and police members who perform with the band volunteer their time and talent.
A Brief History of the Marine Band of Allentown
1903-2010
Celebrating Over a Hundred Years of Service to the Community
Contributed by Jack Kopstein
One of the outstanding qualities of Allentown, PA, is its bands and love of band music. The Marine Band of Allentown is an important part of that tradition and our history is a reflection of the musical growth of the city.
The band was first organized on Jan. 19, 1903, when a group of musicians headed by William Wereley met at the Friendly Inn on North 7th Street. Wereley, a fine cornetist, was selected as the first conductor, a position he held with the Liberty Band until it disbanded. The 23 charter members selected the following officers: William Hoover, president; Charles Long, vice president; William Gruver, secretary; William P. Long, treasurer; Peter DeLong, manager; Monroe Harring, assistant manager; and Solon Boyer, George Hoover and Charles Ruhle as trustees.
The band was in popular demand almost immediately, playing 131 engagements in its first year. In 1907, the band became affiliated with the Sons of Veterans Reserve. Led by William Werkheiser, it was known as the 2nd Regiment Band, S.V.R. Through World War I, the band was a popular attraction at all veteran and military functions. Members of the Marine Band performed faithfully with the United States military bands, serving this country in both World Wars and the Korean conflict. One member, Henry Herlicker, was killed while sounding the charge at Sedan, France only one day before the First World War ended.
In May of 1928, the Marine Band purchased the Morris Hoats homestead at 27-29 South 7th Street. The building was remodelled as a rehearsal hall and storage area by Butz and Clader Company at a cost of over $100,000. More than $20,000 was spent on the purchase of new uniforms and instruments. The band was under the direction of Joseph Ricapito.
In October of 1928, the Marine Band became nationally known when it performed for the National Convention of the American Legion in San Antonio, Texas. During this trip, the band played in Buffalo, New York, Chicago, Springfield, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, Houston, Galveston, Dallas and Ft. Worth, Texas and Little Rock, Arkansas.
In 1929, the Marine Band Auxiliary was formed, and for a number of years this group supported the band with many fund raising projects.
Tragedy struck in April, 1931, when fire swept through the three-story Band Hall. The loss of instruments, music, and damage to the building was $33,000. Fire insurance and the help of the good people of Allentown soon had the band back on the bandstand.
August 1965, saw the band sell its rehearsal hall to H. Leh and Company because of rising operating costs. The band found a comfortable home in the East Allentown Fire Company building on Walnut Street. In 1994, through the efforts of band president Martin Karess, the band relocated to its present headquarters, “The Band Barn”, on Academy Road in Lehigh Parkway.
The band has had 12 conductors since 1903. The early group (1903-1935) included William Wereley, John Meyers, William H. Werkheiser, Edwin Gangawer, Alvin C. Hoover, Charles Kehm, Vermond Knauss, Theodore Otto and Joseph Ricapito.
In 1935, Albert Marchetto took over the podium. Arguably the most famous of Marine Band leaders, this well known composer and conductor held the baton until 1960. Valgene Routch followed and conducted the band until 1962.
Since 1962, the band has been under the direction of Raymond S. Becker, Jr. A composer in his own right, Mr. Becker is in his 41st year as director, the longest tenure of any Marine Band conductor. During his leadership the band has gained recognition for its musical growth, quality of performance and diversity of programming. Mr. Becker credits the efforts of our talented membership as the most important factor in the organization’s artistic growth.
Over the years, several members of the band are credited with more than 60 years of service. The longest serving active member is Garner Ellis, who joined the band in January 1943. Next on the list is Frank Mesaros, Sr., who joined the band in March of the same year. Current members who have been active for 25 years or more include: Raymond S. Becker, Jr. Robert Billig, Jr., Russell Braun, Robert Danner II, Thomas Heinick, Louis Laubach, Kent Ruch and Burton W. Swayze
Today, thousands of people hear the band in its many venues, which include annual spring and Christmas concerts, West Park, the Festival of Bands, Mayfair, and other locations throughout the Lehigh Valley.
For more information, visit the band’s website here