Dayton, Ohio – There is something about the sound of a brass band floating through the clear summer air that is markedly different than any other musical experience. More than merely nostalgia, band music symbolizes timeless American hometown values. For a general sense of community and festivity, nothing else quite compares.
The American concert band tradition includes colorful pioneers such as John Philip Sousa and Arthur Pryor and harkens back to the days following the Civil War. From the Gilded Age up through World War II, these bands provided the musical “glue” that helped bind communities together. These days, many municipalities in the nation maintain their own local professional wind bands that mark important local, regional and national occasions and provide summer entertainment for citizens of every age and interest. As the concert band has evolved over the decades, the music composed for this type of ensemble has greatly expanded and diversified.
The Dayton Philharmonic Concert Band is an excellent contemporary example of this type of musical organization. Currently under the baton of DPO Assistant Conductor Patrick Reynolds, the band has roots that stretch back to at least the 1890’s. As we know it today, the Dayton Philharmonic Concert Band was revitalized in 1984 by the legendary Clark J. Haines. He was a musician, a conductor and a fine educator. Mr. Haines brought the Concert Band under the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Association umbrella in 1988. He retired in 1995 and passed away in 2001, but his musical legacy is with us today.
Each Concert Band conductor imbues their tenure with a valuable personal perspective. DPO’s charming, energetic Patrick Reynolds is a good case in point. He began his term in 2000, bringing ever-heightened artistic standards and lively repertoire choices.
Two Sunday concerts are slated for August:
VANDALIA, OHIO
The Dayton Philharmonic Concert Band will perform a FREE concert on Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Christopher Church in Vandalia, OH, located at 435 E. National Road in Vandalia. Patrick Reynolds conducts.
The program will include a broad spectrum of music, including All-American favorites like Chester, Shenandoah, and America the Beautiful, along with traditional marches by Karl King and a tribute to the brassy jazz-rock of Chicago.
The Concert Band will be joined by six students from Vandalia-Butler High School as special guest performers. They are Rachel Fishbein (flute), Natalie Schmidt (clarinet), Megan Bargerhuff (alto saxophone), Ryan Betts (horn), Katie Korthauer (horn), and Jaci Moorman (trumpet). The concert, presented by the Vandalia-Butler Foundation, is FREE and open to the public.
TROY, OHIO
The Dayton Philharmonic Concert Band will perform the 17th Annual Mayor’s Concert on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at Prouty Plaza in downtown Troy, OH. The Dayton Philharmonic Concert Band and Festival Chorus have been honored to perform these concerts, presented by Troy Mayors Concerts, Inc., since their inception. It is FREE and open to all. Prouty Plaza is located in Downtown Troy. In the event of rain, Hobart Arena will be the concert site.
DPO Assistant Conductor Patrick Reynolds will conduct a program entitled The American Musical Landscape. Traditional American songs form the heart of this program. Baritone William Caldwell will be featured as guest vocalist in selections including Old Man River from the musical Showboat and as narrator in Aaron Copland’s famed Lincoln Portrait.
Under the direction of Amy Vaubel, the Dayton Philharmonic Festival Chorus will join the band for a number of selections including Battle Hymn of the Republic. The concert will conclude with a show-stopping rendition of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
Photo of Patrick Reynolds, here and scroll to bottom