Wow! We’re on the internet! Again!
Welcome to our site, dedicated to the musicians of the Marion Concert Band. Although a web presence has not been a new development, depending on your opinion of MySpace.com, we’ve been around in one form or another since 1961. For your review, a brief description of our group follows.
History:
In 1961 some 30 musicians formed the Marion Summer Concert Band. Engagements were at the Marion City parks as well as area communities, and included parades and special events. As the band grew in size, there was a desire to add winter performances. At first this led to an additional winter band, with virtually identical membership. As the groups evolved, both bands merged in 1985.
From its inception in 1961, the band operated as an informal entity. As performance requests increased, sponsorships changed, and the group became larger, the decision to become more officially organized was made. In 1985 the Marion Concert Band applied for and received official status as a tax exempt association (501-C-3). A governing board was elected and installed, and a director appointed. Bill Swihart, who had been the band’s summer director since 1973, accepted the challenge of expanding his role, which continues today.
Play Lists:
Many bands claim to “play it all”, referencing their willingness to program a wide variety of songs for a performance. We don’t make that claim, preferring to describe our play lists as diversified and entertaining, both for the members and the audience. Included in that mix are marches (of course!), Broadway and show tunes, waltzes and orchestra pieces. When we are joined by vocalists we make every effort to include music that best displays their talents.
Although we feel better suited to concert settings, we can be found in area parades, such as for the Popcorn Festival. One audience member described our sound this way:
“Every performance sounds as refreshing and relaxing as a concert in the park.”
If that sounds like your idea of a good time, then we’re the band for you.
Members:
Our group is even more diversified than our play lists. Ranging in age from high school to ages ladies won’t like to have listed, our members come from many walks of life. Students, teachers, mechanics, carpenters, secretaries, social workers, and nurses are some of the categories represented, but there are many others.
The level of musical ability of our members is equally broad, ranging from high school level on up. An observant person would recognize many of our members performing with other groups in the area, including productions at the Palace Theatre, Rainbow Singers, an assortment of jazz and rock bands, and community bands from the central Ohio area. In case you haven’t guessed, our members just love playing music!
Membership:
No information on members would be complete without a mention of how to belong. We practice at 7pm on Monday evenings in the band room of Grant Middle School in Marion. For locals, this might be better known as Lane Hall in the most-recent former Harding High School. Practice is usually over by 8:30pm.
Anyone who has an interest in playing can make their desire known in several different ways. The easiest is to show up at practice with your horn in hand and introduce yourself. Another is to talk to a band member you might know, or to one of us following a performance. We do take breaks occasionally, so if you live a distance away it is a good idea to contact us first. Our email address is [email protected], and our web master’s email address is [email protected].
There are several details that may be different from other groups:
* We don’t have auditions for chairs or sections.
* We don’t charge a membership fee of any kind.
* We don’t offer financial compensation to members for playing.
* We don’t require purchase of uniforms. (For most performances we wear light blue band shirts with black or tan slacks, shorts, skirts, etc. The ladies of the band usually figure this out for those of us who are fashion-challenged.)
* We don’t have a supply of instruments to loan out. There might be a different answer for Percussion specialists, so contact us. (No, woodwinds are not normally considered to be percussion items.)
That sums up who we are, what we’re about, and how to be a part of our experience. As performance details become available they will be posted, along with additional information about our group.
See you at the show!
.
Welcome to our site, dedicated to the musicians of the Marion Concert Band. Although a web presence has not been a new development, depending on your opinion of MySpace.com, we’ve been around in one form or another since 1961. For your review, a brief description of our group follows.
History:
In 1961 some 30 musicians formed the Marion Summer Concert Band. Engagements were at the Marion City parks as well as area communities, and included parades and special events. As the band grew in size, there was a desire to add winter performances. At first this led to an additional winter band, with virtually identical membership. As the groups evolved, both bands merged in 1985.
From its inception in 1961, the band operated as an informal entity. As performance requests increased, sponsorships changed, and the group became larger, the decision to become more officially organized was made. In 1985 the Marion Concert Band applied for and received official status as a tax exempt association (501-C-3). A governing board was elected and installed, and a director appointed. Bill Swihart, who had been the band’s summer director since 1973, accepted the challenge of expanding his role, which continues today.
Play Lists:
Many bands claim to “play it all”, referencing their willingness to program a wide variety of songs for a performance. We don’t make that claim, preferring to describe our play lists as diversified and entertaining, both for the members and the audience. Included in that mix are marches (of course!), Broadway and show tunes, waltzes and orchestra pieces. When we are joined by vocalists we make every effort to include music that best displays their talents.
Although we feel better suited to concert settings, we can be found in area parades, such as for the Popcorn Festival. One audience member described our sound this way:
“Every performance sounds as refreshing and relaxing as a concert in the park.”
If that sounds like your idea of a good time, then we’re the band for you.
Members:
Our group is even more diversified than our play lists. Ranging in age from high school to ages ladies won’t like to have listed, our members come from many walks of life. Students, teachers, mechanics, carpenters, secretaries, social workers, and nurses are some of the categories represented, but there are many others.
The level of musical ability of our members is equally broad, ranging from high school level on up. An observant person would recognize many of our members performing with other groups in the area, including productions at the Palace Theatre, Rainbow Singers, an assortment of jazz and rock bands, and community bands from the central Ohio area. In case you haven’t guessed, our members just love playing music!
Membership:
No information on members would be complete without a mention of how to belong. We practice at 7pm on Monday evenings in the band room of Grant Middle School in Marion. For locals, this might be better known as Lane Hall in the most-recent former Harding High School. Practice is usually over by 8:30pm.
Anyone who has an interest in playing can make their desire known in several different ways. The easiest is to show up at practice with your horn in hand and introduce yourself. Another is to talk to a band member you might know, or to one of us following a performance. We do take breaks occasionally, so if you live a distance away it is a good idea to contact us first. Our email address is [email protected], and our web master’s email address is [email protected].
There are several details that may be different from other groups:
* We don’t have auditions for chairs or sections.
* We don’t charge a membership fee of any kind.
* We don’t offer financial compensation to members for playing.
* We don’t require purchase of uniforms. (For most performances we wear light blue band shirts with black or tan slacks, shorts, skirts, etc. The ladies of the band usually figure this out for those of us who are fashion-challenged.)
* We don’t have a supply of instruments to loan out. There might be a different answer for Percussion specialists, so contact us. (No, woodwinds are not normally considered to be percussion items.)
That sums up who we are, what we’re about, and how to be a part of our experience. As performance details become available they will be posted, along with additional information about our group.
See you at the show!
.