The birth of a Community Band!

[trseaman]

So as some of you may know... This past October our family left sunny Southern California and moved to Owasso, OK.

Before you ask! We had numerous reasons for the move; a better place to raise kids, paid off our bills, school loans & car, moved closer to family, etc...

Anyways, my first month here I contacted the local high school band director and I asked about starting a band. The school has a fairly new PAC that is rarely used by anyone except the high school. He said that he had tried before and there just wasn't an interest. He agreed to try again and said to check the schools web page, local newspaper and emails about the band... So I'm happy to announce that we had our first rehearsal about a month ago and there was a good turn out. We're playing patriotic type songs and working towards our first concert in mid June.

Now I'm not claiming to be responsible for starting this band but I am so happy to have a local band within 5 miles so I can continue to play...


Tim

[TubaRay]

Not being familiar with Owasso, OK, I have to ask: Just how many people live in that area? How many were at your first rehearsal? Do you have a good instrumentation?

I wish you well. This is not an easy endeavor. Getting it started is difficult enough. Keeping it going isn't necessarily easy, either.

[The Big Ben]

Now I'm not claiming to be responsible for starting this band but I am so happy to have a local band within 5 miles so I can continue to play...

Good luck! Maybe a few folks will bring their old clarinets, trumpets and saxophones out of the closet and join up. I really hope it works out.

[Dan Schultz]

Wonderful! There ought to be a community band in every town in the US.

[trseaman]

Not being familiar with Owasso, OK, I have to ask: Just how many people live in that area? How many were at your first rehearsal? Do you have a good instrumentation?

I wish you well. This is not an easy endeavor. Getting it started is difficult enough. Keeping it going isn't necessarily easy, either.

Owasso Population
2011 Projections 38,780
2006 Estimate 33,814
2000 Census 27,290
1990 Census 18,606
Growth 2006-2011 14.69%
Growth 2000-2006 23.91%
Growth 1990-2000 46.67%

Got this info from their Chamber of Commerce webpage...

It's been a growing city for a number of years and I believe about half of the band could be from his high school alumni. With the other half being (my crowd) old folks! The first rehearsal was quite funny since some hadn't played in a number of years. I think there may have been 25-30 people the first time and it has grown slightly. We still need more baritones/euphs and I think they need clarinets. Surprisingly it is pretty balanced... We could always use more tubas! I'll post more as things progress...

Tim

[Lee Stofer]

Tim,
Congratulations on having a band there! If the band elects a committee or board to plan and steer the ensemble, arrange for sponsorship, and plan performance events, the band could become quite an institution in the community.

I'm involved with the re-building of the River City Municipal Band in Clinton, Iowa, and this season looks promising. It would be fun to play, but the board chose me to conduct, based upon the fact that I've been struck by lightning ;^)

[Tubaryan12]

If your band needs some music go here:

http://www.bandmusicpdf.org/library-browse.php?by=title

It's free.

[iiipopes]

Wonderful! There ought to be a community band in every town in the US.

Indeed. Congrats. Best wishes.

[SplatterTone]

You dint give no info on rehearsal times, location, level of musicianship, if dogs are allowed, and stuff like that. You not the only Okie person whut lives round Tultsaaah.

[trseaman]

You dint give no info on rehearsal times, location, level of musicianship, if dogs are allowed, and stuff like that. You not the only Okie person whut lives round Tultsaaah.

Oops!,

I didn't mean to leave you out!!! I was going to email you last week but the mother inlaw came to town and everything is turned upside down!!! They have a way of doing things like that! She leaves in a couple more days!

Rehearsals are on Thursday nights, 7-9pm at the Owasso band room. (exit 86th and head East, if you've never been out here) The level of musicianship... I'd say they are pretty good! In fact, I was amazed that there were a number of music teachers from around the area but I guess that shouldn't surprise me... Teachers do know other teachers! The first few rehearsals were easy going but he's been slowly turning up the heat to get dynamics and what not... You should try to come out someday and give it a test drive! Let me know when your coming and I'll wear my TubeNet thong or something to help identify myself! (Kidding of course!)

Tim

[MileMarkerZero]

Does Owasso HS still put out tuba players like they used to? There was a run in the mid-to late-80's where they had at least 2 tubas in the OK all-state band every year for about 5 years.

In '86 3 of the 5 OASB tubas were from Owasso.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Does Owasso HS still put out tuba players like they used to? There was a run in the mid-to late-80's where they had at least 2 tubas in the OK all-state band every year for about 5 years.

In '86 3 of the 5 OASB tubas were from Owasso.

My senior year in Ponca City was 1984...I had just started tuba the summer before after becoming friends with Heiko Triebener at Interlochen. I auditioned for the OASB and got third chair, sandwiched between 4 Owasso players.

Ironically, I chose to play string bass in the orchestra instead, so all 4 top chairs in the tuba section of the OASB that year were from Owasso! I don't know a thing about the current state of tuba playing at the high school there, but you can bet it's still very good...they have an excellent band program with a top-notch wind ensemble. David Gorham is a fine director, and has been there for quite some time.

Good luck with the band...I have a couple of high school classmates from Ponca City playing flute in there! Here in Stillwater we have a well-established, pretty good 60-70 piece band that plays a six-week concert series from late May to early July.

http://stillwatercommunityband.spymac.com

[TubaRay]

Interestingly, here in Texas it would not currently be possible for one school to send four tuba players to the all-state band. Three would be the maximum. This would be true even if they had the dozen best tuba players who ever lived. In fact, this would be true even if all their tuba players had a "world class sound." Isn't that an amazing bit of information?

[MichaelDenney]

Last year Rick F alerted us to yet another free march for wind band, which some call Sousa's last march: http://memory.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.n ... fault.html

We read it recently in a community band I play in. There's a printable score and parts, and a sample recording of it by the Marine Band. The euph part is pretty good (Duh! Isn't it always?) and the tuba part is okay. And it's free.

[Eric B]

Owasso HS has a great tradition of excellent bands and inividual musicians. I know of David Gorham's reputation from my days at the University of Arkansas. He is the current band director and he is a tremendous composer himself. Perhaps you could get sponsorship to commission a new piece by Gorham. If the alumni base is still geographically close, then your band will thrive. Gorham's predecessor is the late Harlon Lamkin and his bands were also fantastic. I remember the 1989 All-State band was loaded with Owasso band members. If I were you, I would determine if the high school band has addresses of band alumni. If you can get a hold of that, you have found a gold mine of talent. Congratulations on your new endeavor!

[AndyL]

There ought to be a community band in every town in the US.

It amazes and disappoints me, how at one time it was a matter of "civic pride" that some cities had multiple bands (company, "lodge", and civic bands), and now they have none.

Too many distractions competing for the attention of city dwellers? Three of the "small town" community bands I participate in will play their 104th, 87th, and 60th seasons this year.

[TubaRay]

There ought to be a community band in every town in the US.

I agree.

It amazes and disappoints me, how at one time it was a matter of "civic pride" that some cities had multiple bands (company, "lodge", and civic bands), and now they have none.

This is too bad. Considering the large number of students(now adults) who have participated in school bands, one has to wonder why there aren't more who want to continue to play.

Too many distractions competing for the attention of city dwellers? Three of the "small town" community bands I participate in will play their 104th, 87th, and 60th seasons this year.

Those are impressive numbers.

[lgb&dtuba]

This is too bad. Considering the large number of students(now adults) who have participated in school bands, one has to wonder why there aren't more who want to continue to play.

Speaking to the question and not the questioner, maybe because the typical music played by a lot of community bands is out of fashion, stodgy, cliched, repetitive, and downright boring to audiences and all but the most hard core band musicians? Times have changed and the music played by most community bands hasn't.

[AndyL]

the typical music played by a lot of community bands is out of fashion, stodgy, cliched, repetitive, and downright boring to audiences and all but the most hard core band musicians? Times have changed and the music played by most community bands hasn't.

Programming can be a real challenge, as well as how the group presents itself visually. Does the band want to play music that the members find challenging musically, or that an average audience will find engaging....or both? Will the band have a formal or informal visual appearance?

FWIW, arguably the "least formal" band I play in continues to attract the largest crowds. After a performance two summers ago, we noticed a lady standing near the exit of the cul-de-sac where the band shell is located.

Turned out she was from the local arts council, and was "counting heads" as the crowd left the performance. Later it was reported the band had attracted the largest audience _ever_ in years of the council's summer series of Tuesday evening concerts....which features a different band or "act" every week.

One successful community band conductor told me anything appearing "highbrow" turns audiences off. He said his band's summer audiences (small city) typically numbered close to 1,000, and he makes a point to recognize audience birthdays and anniversaries at each concert.

Also, FWIW, the symphonic band I participate in that plays the most challenging music, rehearses the most (of 4 bands I play in), and the men wear a "tux look" for the concerts.....attracts the smallest audiences.

[lgb&dtuba]

One successful community band conductor told me anything appearing "highbrow" turns audiences off. He said his band's summer audiences (small city) typically numbered close to 1,000, and he makes a point to recognize audience birthdays and anniversaries at each concert.

Yep. Don't underestimate the value of a good front man. A conductor who can engage and entertain the audience in his own right can be a great asset for a band.

Conversely, a conductor who is prone to giving a stiff lecture to the audience between songs can kill the whole performance regardless of how well (or poorly) the band plays.