February 2012 Community Band Spotlight February 14 2012, 0 Comments
Contributed By: Stacy Flankey
Montrose Community Band of Colorado
Montrose, Colorado has a rich history of municipal bands, dating back nearly 100 years. Herb Probasco organized the Montrose Community Band in 2002 with just 12 members. Today, the band has over 30-40 members per concert and continues to grow. The band features a wide range of musicians from High School students to accomplished artists. The youngest player is 11 years old, and the oldest musician is 82 years young! There are several veterans in the band, Lyle Miller on tuba; Don Macdonald with the percussion section; alto saxophonist Dave Loncar; Dave Reddish playing trumpet; Jim Gibson on Bari Sax; Steve Nelson on Tenor Sax; Kalynn Carlton, who is a member of the 101st Army National Guard Band, on French Horn.
Toby King is the Montrose Community Band director. King started playing the saxophone in 6th grade at Delta Middle School. He played through the ranks of the Delta School District and studied Music Education in college. He received a Bachelor of Music Education and achieved a Masters in Instrumental Conducting. He currently works as a Certified Financial Planner for Raymond James Financial Services.
The band has a special committee that decides what music will be played for each concert. There is also a Band Member of the Quarter that is awarded each concert, and that person gets to choose a piece to be played in the following concert as part of the reward. The band likes to play a variety of music. The 4th of July concert is patriotic and filled with marches and an annual salute to veterans. The Christmas concert has classics and a few new songs to keep everyone excited for the holidays. The spring and fall concerts vary and usually have a theme-based lineup. The committee tries to honor the soldiers and veterans throughout the year and remember important dates surrounding them and the battles fought by picking pieces based on or dedicated to these events. The next concert will be on April 15th, at 3 pm and included swing music and other songs from the big band era titled “Spring Swing.”
Along with the four main concerts each year, the band will participate in the Telluride’s 4th of July parade, and at Deltarado Days Fair and Rodeo in Delta, CO. The band has also traveled to Ouray and Lake City to play with the Lake City Stingers. Montrose Community Band also performs for nursing homes and assisted living centers, and in the Christmas parade. Some members of the band also went “caroling” at businesses around the holidays. The Saxophone Ensemble performs after intermission at regular concerts, and is often called on for special events. The band offers younger musicians the chance to earn some community service credits while gaining more experience playing with the Montrose Community Band.
This year marks the 10-year anniversary for the band. The first concert was played in December 2002 for Christmas. Founder Herb Probasco passed away last fall, and is greatly missed by the band members and community. Tina Woodrum added, “We are a group that really loves playing their instruments and we welcome all ages and skill levels.” All concerts are free and open to the public.
Thank you, Tina Woodrum for taking the time to gather the information for us!
You can view the band's YouTube video here.
View the Montrose Community Band Website