Municipal Bands...

[Chuck(G)]

I know that the Ashland, OR Cityl Band is written into the city charter and has well-attended concerts (one every week) throughout the summer.

http://www.ashlandband.org/

[windshieldbug]

Now that I'm living in a more suburban area, the "community" band (i.e. dues-paying volunteer organizations) are the rule, with the only municipal band being a big professional outfit that puts on Sunday concerts at the state capital.

There is a third category, volunteer, not dues-paying, but community supported

[tofu]

Both the cities of Naperville, Illinois and Wheaton, Illinois have municipal bands. Both are located next to each other and are 24 miles or so west of the city of Chicago and are considered Western Suburbs of the city.

Wheaton plays just in the summer and pays union scale. Yearly committee auditions to get/stay in the band and for seat position. When I was in the band I think tenure was after 3 years. If you had tenure and didn't auditon you would be last chair in a section.

Naperville is a year round band and pay is meant to cover your expenses. A much bigger organization than Wheaton with a paid band manager and a paid manager of the performance center. Band started in 1859 and became a municipal band in 1929 and paid in 1931 when the citizens during the depression passed a band tax to pay the band.

The city adopted a small tax on restaurant meals a couple of years ago and this goes into a cultural fund which raises $2.8 million a year and the band's budget now comes from those sources. Budget is in the low six figures. Auditions by the director of over 40 years and after one year the band members vote whether or not you become a member and stay.

Group does a full summer concert series, fall, winter, spring indoor concerts and usually does a trip every year or so. Attendance at outdoor concerts is 2500-5000 with the 4th of July/1812 Overture with Civil War reenactors and their 8 cannons draws 10,000. Except when we did the 4th at the Millenium Carrillon which drew maybe 25,000. I tell you if you want a big audience - break out the cannons!

Organization also supports a Big Band Jazz Band, Light Guard Band, Tuba Choir, Clarinet Choir and a Flute Choir.[/code]

[Philip Jensen]

Boy, this make me jealous. I play in the State College Area Municipal band. No dues, no pay, the city pays about 30% (less than $2,000) of our budget the rest is from private donations (1/2 of that is from members). We perform 4 indoor concerts a year (freebies) and 2-3 outdoor concerts (free concerts, but the band does get paid for these). We generally just about pack the house with about 600 people (except for last Sunday right after the snow - only about 2/3 full). Population is about 40,000, not including the students.

The Band has really improved over the last 6 years I've been in the band and is now quite good. The current director started about 7 or 8 years ago and has really pushed us the last 3 years. New members sit in with us and then usually the section leader and conductor make a decision.

We'll be performing this May at the Association of Concert Bands meeting in Williampsort, PA. One of 4 selected from 17 applicants. If you'll be there, stop by and say hello.

We could certainly use more $$. We have a very limited budget for advertising. Now with the new high school remodeling plans, we may lose our rehearsal and performance venue. We'll either have to play smaller venues and turn people away or fork over $$$ to play in the auditorium on campus.

Of course we'll never be as good as the local symphony. My wife and I went to an outdoor concert fundraiser for the symphony last year. Nice setting at the base of a ski hill. We enjoyed the EVENING concert and quietly walked back to the car. We closed our car doors and both burst out laughing. They OBVIOUSLY were not used to playing outdoors and there was a nice cool breeze coming off the mountain as the sun went down. They stopped after the 2nd piece to re-tune, but it didn't matter. To make matter worse, some brilliant sound engineer decided that to better amplify the orchestra, rather than placing a pair of stereo mics out front, they placed several microphones in each section. You could clearly hear each missed note! Now playing indoors, they are quite good, I might give them the edge, but outdoors, we smoke em'. We occasionally play a piece as a wind ensemble with one on a part - here we might be better. But hey, we're just the municipal band - a band can never be as good as a symphony

[iiipopes]

With all due respect, I disagree that a band can never be as good as a symphony. With different instruments and repertoire, it is apples and oranges. Worse, the comment stereotypes band players as second class citizens in the music world.

Don't knock yourself. Sometimes the dedicated amateurs do a much better job than the "professionals." And not just in music. Isn't that what the Olympics was supposed to be about?

[jmerring]

I certainly agree with iiipopes. There are several examples of 'wind symphonies,' which more than hold their own with symphony orchestras. I am sure you all have heard of the Dallas Wind Symphony, to name but one. It is a professional organization, to be sure and can not be compared with lesser known or possibly lesser able community/city/municipal bands. So, the blanket statement that bands can not be as good as symphonies does not hold water (there would be an Amato key, wouldn't there?).

[Philip Jensen]

But hey, we're just the municipal band - a band can never be as good as a symphony

Where's that tongue in check emoticon? No, this is the attitude of the town, not me. It makes me a bit mad. I'd say the Municipal Band and the local symphony are actually pretty close in quality. Of course they have a lot bigger budget, and play some of their concerts in the fancy auditorium on campus, have a fancy board with all the snooty folks on it, etc.

I'm trying to figure out ways to get this town to realize they have a top quality band in town, but haven't come up with a winner idea yet. We're hoping to milk a bunch of publicity out of going to play for the Association of Concert Band conference in May. Our local "Weekender" section that comes out every Friday in the local paper always has a nice little feature when the symphony, or the local chamber orchestra plays. We're lucky if we get something half the time. Nothing for our last concert. We always send them a press release

[tofu]

But hey, we're just the municipal band - a band can never be as good as a symphony

Seems to me I heard there was once some guy named Sousa who had a pretty good "band".

In all seriousness, the President's Own (the Marine Band) I believe plays at the same level as any of the best Symphony Orchestra's I've heard including the CSO.

[Allen]

It's only right that Mason City IA fund a band. After all, it's the birthplace of Meredith Wilson -- Mr. "Music Man."

[Lew]

One of the bands in which I play is the Henrico Community band. My understanding is that this organziation is sponsored by the Henrico County (VA) parks and recreation department. I'm not sure what the level of funding is, but our concerts are mentioned on the county website.

[iiipopes]

The UK has brass bands.
The USA has community concert bands.
Two exceptional traditions to keep quality music ongoing at a local and approachable level. Isn't life grand!!!!!

[WilliamVance]

http://www.prairie-architects.com/302-k ... dshell.htm

This is the kinda bandshell I want. It would really bring in an audience! It looks Hollywood Bowl-ish on a smaller scale...

[Chuck(G)]

The UK has brass bands.
The USA has community concert bands.

Yes, and the UK has symphonic/wind bands and the US has brass bands, too! FWIW, I like the brass band literature a lot more than the concert band stuff. The tuba parts are usually pretty interesting.

[Art Hovey]

Try googling "Iowa Band Law". Karl King even wrote a march about it. When they tried to repeal the law back around 1928 my uncle helped form the Iowa bandmasters association.

[LoyalTubist]

There is a difference between a municipal band and a community band. When I was growing up, both Long Beach and San Diego had wonderful municipal bands. These were professional, full-time groups that worked all year long. These have given way to community bands, which are made up of volunteers, some of whom are charged dues to become a member.

The Long Beach Municipal Band is still around today, under the direction of Larry Curtis, but only gives concerts during the summer. If someone knows what happened with the San Diego City-County Band, I would love to know.

[tofu]

There is a difference between a municipal band and a community band. When I was growing up, both Long Beach and San Diego had wonderful municipal bands. These were professional, full-time groups that worked all year long. These have given way to community bands, which are made up of volunteers, some of whom are charged dues to become a member.

The Long Beach Municipal Band is still around today, under the direction of Larry Curtis, but only gives concerts during the summer. If someone knows what happened with the San Diego City-County Band, I would love to know.

Well we are a Municipal Band, it is even stated so in our name - Naperville Municipal Band - have been since 1929, we are paid, we play all year long - BUT - everybody has a full time job or is retired. While some are retired musicians and a majority are music educators many like myself are doctors, bankers, lawyers etc. If you are claiming that to be a municipal band that this is the full time job of the players then I have to disagree.

[chipster55]

I play in the Southlake (TX) Community Band, about 70 members (5 Tubas, 4 Euphs). We are supported in part by the city of Southlake, pay our director, but the players do not pay dues and are not paid. We play several concerts every year, including the annual Christmas tree lighting and July 4th fireworks concerts in the town square.

http://www.southlakeband.com

[Philip Jensen]

Steve, when do you play? We play on Thursday night I believe.

We have to beg for money from the city. We've slowly been accumulating percussion. This has been, almost exclusively through band member donations. Our gong, chimes, marimba, bass drum, all largely through a single donor providing ~75% and the rest of us make up the rest. Our newest purchase, just two weeks ago, just in time for our last concert was a vibraphone- used on Blue Shades by Tichelli. We will play this again for the ACB convention.

We also of late have been getting a grant from the PA rural arts agency ($600-800), typically to bring in a soloist, often from one of the DC military bands. Last year we brought in James Markey, the Asst, principal trombone of the NY Phil.!!! That was great! (compared to the local symphony - paid players - whose "big" soloist are almost always local - very good though - yet we still get looked down upon as second rate... harumph!)

I'm pushing for trying to each year have a different Asst. principal from the NY Phil. to come play with us (we couldn't afford the pricipals). Kind of like the sister city thing.

This year our grant is going towards an offical, all royalties paid, etc. CD which we can then sell to the public to raise some $$$$ (more likely $)

[scottw]

Kinda coat tailing this thread: Has anyone participated in this community band event? http://www.lakegeorgecommunityband.com/ ... tival.html
We got the news last night that one of the bands I play with has accepted an invitation to play for the festival this coming July. Anything I should know about it? Thanks in advance!
Scottw

[J.Harris]

I performed with the St. Joseph Municipal Band (St. Joseph, MI) this previous summer. The band is supported by the City of St. Joseph. Pay is union scale for AFM members and somewhat less for non-members. We have one two hour rehearsal on Thursday evening and then two one-hour concerts on Sunday throughout the entire summer(14 weeks). The band shell is on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. We almost always had full attendence. A good time w/a very good group of musicians.