If we've missed seeing it in the newspaper or The Shopper, we realize when we see the band shell in the parking lot at the Community Center in the morning that the City Band will be performing that night at 7:00 p.m. This City Band is the second-oldest in the state of Minnesota, having been formed in 1915. Since that time there have been only 6 conductors (one conducted for 31 years!).
It thrives because members enjoy playing in it and the townfolks enjoy listening to it.
This writer remembers when the band used to perform in a concrete band shell on a corner on Main Street. When the Union Hall was built on that corner the band shell was moved to the city park. When that was vandalized and had to be torn down a portable band shell was purchased and now the band can perform in adjoining towns also (since some of these towns provide a subsidy for the band). In addition to the concerts, they perform during the Fourth of July and at the Water Carnival.
At one point the band consisted of almost 70 people ranging in age from 16 to near-90! Now there are around 30 ranging in age from 14-74. For a night of practice and a night of performance, each of these band members receives a small stipend. Obviously, this stipend is not the incentive for their participation. Instead, they participate because they love to play the instruments that they learned to play in elementary and high school and because they love the camaraderie of playing in an intergenerational ensemble.
This writer was in the check-out line at the grocery store earlier this summer. A city band member must have been asking the check-out clerk if she still played her clarinet. I think the response was, "Not for 34 years!" That didn't stop the recruiter. It worked because the clerk is now sitting in the clarinet section playing away and looks to be having a ball! It must have come back to her quickly!
We come in droves to listen to this band perform for these concerts--some in their cars (with windows and doors open) and some on lawn chairs right in the front of the band shell. The applause and horn-honking after the selections is very rewarding to hear.
Due to budget cuts, there are fewer concerts than there used to be, but we still love them.
The members tune their instruments and get ready to play.
Dorothy leads us in singing The Star-Spangled Banner (sans flag!).
The band director introduces the selections. Everyone especially loves the show tunes and the marches!
Counting and waiting to start!
Ending with Stars and Stripes Forever with the wonderful piccolo playing again!
The final concert of the year is played at the local nursing home in the patio so that the Elders can enjoy what we have been enjoying all summer. It is so rewarding to see their response to the music and how they sing along with some of the songs.
WT's, Helen S. and Joan, enjoy a recent concert! The WT's are generally well-represented at the concerts!
