Thursday, November 15, 2018

Concord Band to present 42nd annual Holiday Pops Concerts

The Concord Band, under the direction of James O’Dell, will hold its 42nd annual Holiday Pops concerts at 8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8 at the Concord Performing Arts Center, 51 Walden St., Concord.

This year’s Holiday Pops will include “Overture to a Winter Festival” by James Curnow, the band’s traditional opener since 1994, plus “Suite from ‘The Nutcracker’” arranged by Curnow, Hanukkah music and several Christmas medleys. There will be other holiday favorites, singalongs and a special visitor.

Attendees at Holiday Pops will get a chance to reserve free tickets to the band’s 60th anniversary concert on March 2, 2019.

Tickets for Concord Band Holiday Pops are available in tables for four (with a few for six on the stage) at $25 for adults and $15 for ages 12 and younger and include free snacks, sparkling cider, water and soft drinks.

For tickets: ticketstage.com/concordband
For information: blog.concordband.org, or call 978-897-9969.

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Holiday Pops 2018

Holiday Pops 2018 Poster

Join us to celebrate the holidays with traditional music and seasonal favorites!

Friday, December 7, 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 8, 8:00 pm
51 Walden, Concord MA.

If either concert is snowed out, it will be rescheduled for Sunday, December 9, 2:00 pm.

For Pops reservations:
  • On line: Visit Ticketstage.com, select the date, then enter your payment information using our convenient and secure service. There is no surcharge for purchasing your tickets online.
  • By post: Send a check in the amount of $25 per ticket ($15 for children under 12).
  • By phone: Leave a voice message at 978-897-9969.
  • Via email: Contact reservations@concordband.org.
When placing reservations by post, phone, or email, we must receive a check sent to The Concord Band, PO Box 302, Concord MA 01742 to hold your seats. Be sure to specify which night, and include your name, email address, and phone number for confirmation. If you would like the tickets mailed to you in advance, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE); otherwise you may pick up tickets at the box office prior to the concert.

Monday, October 29, 2018

The Concord Band Celebrates Their Heritage

By Peter Broggi

On Saturday, October 20, I had the privilege of hearing the Concord Band perform their Fall Concert. The theme for the first concert in their 60th anniversary year, was “Celebrating Our Heritage.” The band celebrated this evening by performing several Concord Band commissions, as well as other band favorites. If you have not heard this band, I encourage you to attend their next concert and hear what a concert band is supposed to sound like.

The concert began with an apt title, Proud Heritage by William Latham. The band, led by Music Director James O’Dell, should be proud of their performance, which was exceptionally clean in timing, rhythm, balance, and intonation. They followed this with a Samuel Hazo piece, Diamond Fanfare. This piece started with a percussion trio of timpani, bass drum, and tom-tom, which unfortunately sounded a bit on balance and out of time with each other. Things quickly recovered as the rest of the band made their way in. The band’s next selection, a performance of R. Mark Rogers’ transcription of Verdi’s Overture to La Forza del Destino, showed off again the band’s proficiency with strong, clean articulation, as well as the welcome addition of harpist Lethicia Caravello.

Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E♭ is probably a favorite of anyone who’s ever played it, and the players in the Concord Band made it sound as if that was the case for them. The low brass section might just be the gem in this band, their opening phrase and eighth notes shortly thereafter were so smoothly and accurately executed. The first half ended with Concord, by Clare Grundman, aptly conducted by Assistant Conductor Steven Barbas, which started with an impressive introduction and again showcased the band’s great balance, blend, and energy. A ‘fife and drum’ section demonstrated excellent balance between the snare drum and piccolo.  A 7/8 section in the piece showed that the band is fluent with less common meters, although they did stumble slightly getting out of that section.

The second half opened with the Stephen Bulla composition North Bridge Portrait which was commissioned by the Concord Band in 1999.  This piece had a featured moment of planned cacophony, which the band entered and exited smoothly. There was a little timing trouble in parts, but the excellent solo playing more than made up for this. Triumphant Entrance by Warren Barker once again demonstrated the agility of the band’s low winds and excellent control of dynamics.  The baritone saxophone Kangyi Liu showed how much fun this piece was to play as he was spotted dancing in his seat as he played. 

The last two pieces of the concert were as professional sounding as the previous ones. On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss by David R. Holsinger was beautifully played, with delicately performed triangle, flute, and horn as the most noteworthy (pun intended!) Folk Dances by Dimitri Shostakovich wrapped up the concert as the band’s final demonstration of their agility and command of tone and time.

I came away from this concert full of appreciation for what a truly extraordinary asset this band is to this community. I hope that I have inspired the reader to attend one of the Concord Band’s upcoming performances. The major focus of their 60th anniversary year will be their Winter concert on March 2, 2019, at which they will play two new commissions conducted by their composers. Like the Fall Concert, admission is free, but the Band does appreciate contributions made at the concert in lieu thereof. Because of the expected demand for seats, free tickets must be requested in advance from www.ticketstage.com/concordband.

Peter Broggi is a music teacher in the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District and performs as a freelance percussionist. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Master of Music from University of Hartford.

Saturday, October 27, 2018

"Celebrating Our Heritage" Concert Videos

Celebrating Our Heritage
Saturday, October 20, 2018
The Concord Band
James O’Dell, Music Director
Steven Barbas, Assistant Conductor


TitleComposer/Arranger
Proud HeritageWilliam Latham
Diamond FanfareSamuel Hazo
Overture to La Forza del DestinoGiuseppe Verdi;
trans. R. Mark Rogers

First Suite in E♭ for Military BandGustav Holst;
ed. Frederick Fennell
ConcordClare Grundman
North Bridge PortraitStephen Bulla;
arr. Beeler
Triumphant EntranceWilliam Barker
On a Hymnsong of Philip BlissDavid R. Holsinger
Folk DancesDmitri Shostakovich;
ed. H. Robert Reynolds


One of the Band's long-term projects is to create a comprehensive video archive of concert band literature. The archive documents our performances, helps us to improve musically, and provides a valuable online resource for band programming. You can explore performance videos hosted on our YouTube channel, ConcordBandMA.

The Performance Video Database concept has been created and led by percussionist and executive producer Dan Diamond, and video director Barry Mirrer, with generous technical assistance and resources provided by Concord-Carlisle TV. See feature articles: Performance Video Database, Video Production.

The complete Concord Band Performance Video Database is accessible through a tab at the top of each blog page. You can play a video or view program notes by selecting links in the excerpt shown here.

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Fall Concert 2018

Celebrating Our Heritage
Saturday, October 20, 2018 • 8:00 PM
The Concord Band
 James O’Dell, Music Director
Steven Barbas, Assistant Conductor

Program

James O’Dell conducting
Proud HeritageWilliam Latham
Diamond FanfareSamuel Hazo
Overture to La Forza del DestinoGiuseppe Verdi, trans. Rogers
First Suite in E♭ for Military BandGustav Holst, ed. Fennell
  1. Chaconne
  2. Intermezzo
  3. March
ConcordClare Grundman
Steven Barbas conducting

Intermission

North Bridge PortraitStephen Bulla
Concord Band commission (1999)
Triumphant EntranceWarren Barker
Concord Band commission (1991)
On A Hymnsong of Philip BlissDavid R. Holsinger
Steven Barbas conducting
Folk DancesDmitri Shostakovich, ed. Reynolds

Proud Heritage

Proud Heritage by American composer William Latham continues to be one of the composer’s most popular works. Considered a processional or concert march, it makes use of the legato of the reeds and baritones in their low range. The French horns also share the spotlight, and climaxes are powerful and brilliant using the brass choir alone for several measures that precede an interesting tone color change. (Source: Band Music Notes, Norman Smith and Albert Stoutamire)

Diamond Fanfare

Diamond Fanfare by contemporary composer Samuel Hazo begins with a percussion trio (timpani, bass drum, and tom tom), which soon climaxes and brings forth a majestic brass and woodwind fanfare followed by a melodic and lyrical chorale. Hazo skillfully brings all symphonic forces to bear in a uniquely formatted and blossoming work. (Source: JRO) 

La Forza del Destino Overture

Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) was to Italian opera what Beethoven was to the symphony. The transcription by R. Mark Rogers of La Forza del Destino Overture for concert band reflects the original symphonic setting. After six unison chords from the brasses, the Overture opens with a musical idea symbolizing the relentless force that carries forward the tragic events of the opera. The final statement of the “fate” motive is accompanied with a delicate obligato in the upper woodwinds, and the entire piece is pulled together in a stirring finale. (Source: Ridgewood Concert Band, Marcie Phelan)

First Suite in E♭

First Suite in E♭ (1909) by English composer Gustav Holst (1874– 1934) has left an indelible mark on band musicians and audiences around the world. Its appeal is in its simplicity and its artistry. While there are difficult passages and exposed solo work in many instruments, it places few extreme demands on the players, and it uses a straightforward and easily identifiable theme throughout its three movements. Yet this theme is turned and pulled into many different forms, and put on an emotional roller-coaster of doubts, sweet reveries, ecstatic joy, and triumph. (Source: Wind Band Literature by Andy Pease)

Concord

Concord by Clare Grundman was commissioned by “The President’s Own” Marine Band in 1987, and presents material from three folk tunes attributed to the American War of Independence. “The White Cockade” was a popular fife and drum tune. “America” was composed by William Billings, one of America’s first choral composers who supported the Revolution with his music. Now adopted as a patriotic American song, “Yankee Doodle” is thought to have been first sung by British military officers to mock the colonists they served alongside in the French and Indian War. (Source: Webnotes, US Marine Band)

North Bridge Portrait

North Bridge Portrait by Stephen Bulla was commissioned by the Concord Band in 1999 and is based on authentic musical themes of the American Revolutionary period. “A slow and ominously quiet introductory section leads to a brisk sea chantey-like tune, depicting the busy lifestyle of the Colonists. The music then slows and an expressive setting of William Billings’ song ‘America’ is developed and incorporated into the musical tapestry as a tribute to the New England composer’s work. The music concludes with a dramatic recreation of the famous first shot that led the country to war (this time fired by the percussion section), along with a rousing setting of ‘Washington’s March’, a popular song of that day.” (Source: Stephen Bulla)

Triumphant Entrance

Triumphant Entrance by prolific composer Warren Barker was commissioned by the Concord Band in 1991 and is a symphonic march in the style of a fanfare/processional which bookends a lush and beautiful interlude. (Source: JRO)

On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss

On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss by David R. Holsinger is a restful, gentle, and reflective composition based on the 1876 Philip Bliss/ Horatio Spafford hymn, “It is Well with my Soul.” Written to honor the retiring Principal of Shady Grove Christian Academy, this piece was presented as a gift from the SGCA Concert Band to Rev. Steve Edel in May of 1989. (Source: published score)

Folk Dances

Folk Dances by Dimitri Shostakovich is a standard repertoire piece for wind bands, but Shostakovich may never have heard it played by a band. Shostakovich’s original was the third movement of his 1942 suite of incidental orchestral music for a musical revue called The Motherland. The suite, written during the bleakest days of World War II, was often somber. The source material of Folk Dances was the “Dance of Youth,” a purely instrumental movement intended, it seems, to lighten the suite. It includes several Russian folk melodies strung together one after the other as it accelerates to a big finish. (Source: Wind Band Literature by Andy Pease)

Music Director James O'Dell

Music Director James O'Dell
James O'Dell became the third Music Director of the Concord Band in March, 2009, after the 50th Anniversary concert. He has been professionally active in instrumental music and music education for the past forty years. Mr. O'Dell holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Southern Oregon University and a Master of Music degree in Tuba, Euphonium, and Bass Trombone Performance from the University of Oregon. His graduate work also included residency at Arizona State University in the DMA program.

Mr. O'Dell is currently the Associate Dean for Academic Operations of the Conservatory at The Boston Conservatory. Previous appointments during a 25-year tenure at the Conservatory include serving as Interim Dean and Director of the Music Division. He is the Associate and Principal Guest Conductor of the Metropolitan Wind Symphony and past Music Director of the Middlesex Concert Band and Southeastern MA Community Concert Band. Mr. O'Dell has served as Director of Bands at Boston University and Mansfield University (PA). He is founder of the New England Collegiate Jazz Festival, Boston Tuba Christmas, and cofounder of the Boston Tuba Quartet and The Brass Consortium.

Assistant Conductor Steven Barbas

Assistant Conductor Steven Barbas
Steven Barbas is a Music Specialist at Waltham High School, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, and Pep Band. He also teaches Music Theory and Technology, Sound Recording, and directs the Middle School Honor Band. He received the Master of Music degree in conducting from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, where he studied with Mallory Thompson. He previously earned the Bachelor of Music degree summa cum laude in Music Education and Clarinet Performance from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

Prior to working in Waltham, Mr. Barbas was director of bands in Bedford, MA. Under his direction, the Bedford High School Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band consistently received Superior and Excellent ratings at festivals. He is director of the Belmont Parent/Teacher Band, is active as a freelance conductor and clarinetist, has appeared onstage in several community theatre productions, and sings in his church choir. Mr. Barbas has been a member of the Concord Band since 2004, and has been Assistant Conductor since 2011.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Concord Band to Celebrate Its Heritage

Music Director James O'Dell
Submitted to The Concord Journal

The Concord Band will kick off its 60th anniversary season at 8 p.m. Oct. 20 with a concert at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden in Concord.

The band will be “Celebrating Our Heritage.” Music Director James O’Dell and Assistant Conductor Steven Barbas will conduct.

O’Dell, who celebrates his 10th year with the Concord Band, has chosen concert band classics as well as two Concord Band commissions for the program, Triumphant Entrance by the late Warren Barker and North Bridge Portrait by Stephen Bulla. Proud Heritage by William Latham will be on the program along with Frederick Fennell’s edition of Gustav Holst’s First Suite in Eb for Military Band and a new transcription of Verdi’s “Overture to La Forza del Destino.”

The Holst was one of the first original compositions for the modern concert band, completed in 1909 and premiered in 1920. In his arrangement, Fennell, who was a guest conductor with the Concord Band in 1983, incorporated all of his own corrections, interpretations and notes into the score.
Concord by Clare Grundman was commissioned and premiered by the U.S. Marine Band in Boston and includes a mixed-meter setting of “Yankee Doodle.” Barbas will conduct both the Grundman and On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss, by David Holsinger.

The Concord Band was originally formed in 1959 as a marching band to participate in patriotic celebrations in the Town of Concord, and has been performing as a year-round symphonic concert band since 1970.

The concert is free; donations are appreciated. To donate: Go Fund Me.

Friday, October 5, 2018

Celebrating Our Heritage

James O'Dell
Music Director
By James O’Dell

Saturday, October 20 at 8 PM
51 Walden, Concord MA

Ten years ago when I became aware that the Concord Band was searching for a new Music Director and Conductor, I eagerly prepared my letter of interest and professional materials for the application. After successfully advancing to the “short list” of four candidates I was invited to conduct a rehearsal.  I was honored to be offered the position, and began preparing the Concord Band for its 50th Anniversary concert in March, 2009—at which time I would succeed Dr. William McManus and his 14-year tenure as Music Director. During the interview process and rehearsal, I was struck by the commitment of the members to the Band and their love of lifelong music making. And I was just as impressed with the historically strong organization of the Concord Band Association Board and its substantial and ongoing support of this gem of a community ensemble.

Now, nine years since assuming the podium, we embark on a year-long season celebrating the 60th Anniversary milestone of the Concord Band and its distinguished and rich history.  Over the past nine years we have performed more than 126 concerts that presented 684 pieces of music and featured a variety of soloists from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music, the Metropolitan Wind Symphony, professional jazz musicians, the Concord Players, and our own Concord Band members.  One of the highlights of the past decade was our becoming the first community band in New England to receive the prestigious Sudler Silver Scroll Award.

Our 60th Anniversary Season begins with a bang on October 20th, featuring works commissioned by the Concord Band, concert band masterpieces, chosen gems, new works and beloved transcriptions. Triumphant Entrance by composer Warren Barker, commissioned by the Band in 1991, is a symphonic march in the style of a fanfare/processional which bookend a lush and beautiful interlude. Concord by Clare Grundman was commissioned by “The President’s Own” Marine Band in 1987, and presents material from three folk tunes attributed to the American War of Independence—“The White Cockade,” “America,” and “Yankee Doodle.”  On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss is based on a moving and solemn 1867 work by hymn writer Philip Paul Bliss, arranged by David R. Holsinger.  La Forza del Destino (The Force of Destiny) Overture by Giuseppe Verdi was first performed by the Concord Band at the 25th Anniversary concert in 1984. The fall concert will feature a new transcription by R. Mark Rogers that more authentically captures this magnificent opera overture.

Contemporary composer Samuel Hazo’s new work Diamond Fanfare brings all symphonic forces to bear in this uniquely formatted and blossoming fanfare. Folk Dances by Dimitri Shostakovich ,superbly transcribed by H. Robert Reynolds, draws source material from the “Dance of Youth,” and includes several Russian folk melodies strung together one after the other as it accelerates to a big finish. It was first performed by the Song and Dance Ensemble of the NKVD, the Soviet Union’s feared secret police that became the KGB. [Source: Conductor and Music Educator Andy Pease]

North Bridge Portrait was commissioned by the Concord Band in 1999 and was described by composer Stephen Bulla as “a descriptive fantasia for band that seeks to portray an historical picture through music of this important locale, where the first shot of the American Revolution rang out in 1775”. First Suite in E-flat by English composer Gustav Holst is considered to be among the very first cornerstone masterworks for band, setting the stage for countless original compositions for concert band to this day. Proud Heritage by American William Latham is listed as one of the 100 most popular mid-20th century marches.

Friday, September 28, 2018

Help Us Commemorate a Major Milestone

Jean Patterson, Chairperson of the Concord Band 60th Anniversary Season Celebration Committee, began planning for the celebratory year in the spring of 2018. All Band members were asked how they wanted to mark the 60th season. Celebration Committee members Yvonne Wilson, June Grace, Liz Irvin and Dave Purinton reviewed the suggestions that were received and recommended a variety of celebration ideas.

The Committee worked with Dan Diamond to create a 60th Anniversary logo that will be used throughout the anniversary season. To celebrate the band’s early history of marching in Concord’s Patriots’ Day parade, a special concert is being arranged with the Town of Concord as part of Concord’s Patriot’s Day events. The Committee is also organizing a 60th Anniversary dinner for Band members.

Other Band committees have been planning for the special season as well. The Concord Band Board of Trustees has been supportive in guiding all planned activities. The Commissioning Committee (Liz Irvin, Charlie Learoyd, Dan Diamond, and James O’Dell) commissioned a new fanfare by Roger Cichy and a new major work by Andrew Boysen, Jr., both to be premiered at the Winter Concert on March 2, 2019. Music Director James O’Dell has also programmed many musical pieces with special relevance to the Concord Band’s long history. He has also invited honorary Concord Band member Amanda Carr and American Idol alumnus John Stevens to headline the Spring Pops concerts on April 12 and 13.

We are looking forward to the participation of Music Director Emeritus Dr. William G. McManus at the Winter Concert, which will also involve Band alumni.

The Concord Band has a long history to celebrate. We can’t fit it all into a single anniversary concert, so expect a full and exciting 60th Anniversary Season!

Monday, September 17, 2018

Concord Band Celebrates 60th Season

Photo courtesy Daisy Design

Commissions and special guest soloists will highlight the anniversary season

By Peter Norton, Patch.com | Sep 16, 2018

The Concord Band, a community concert band based in Concord, Mass., is commemorating its 60th anniversary season from September 2018-July 2019. The Band was originally formed in 1959 as a marching band to participate in patriotic celebrations in the Town of Concord, Mass., but has been performing as a symphonic wind ensemble since 1970. The band typically plays about 15 concerts a year, mostly at the historic Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden in Concord and outdoor concerts at its summer home in Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts.

In honor of this special anniversary season, the band has commissioned a new fanfare by Emmy-award-winning composer Roger Cichy and a new major work by Andrew Boysen, Jr. both to be premiered at the Band's Winter Concert on March 2, 2019. These commissions will add to the Band's sponsorship of more than 80 new works and arrangements for symphonic concert band. Music Director James O'Dell has also programmed many musical pieces with special relevance to the Concord Band's long history for other concerts this season (especially the Fall Concert on October 20, 2018). Honorary Concord Band member and jazz vocalist Amanda Carr and American Idol alumnus John Stevens will headline the Spring Pops nightclub-style concerts on April 12–13. The Band is also working with the town of Concord to get involved with Patriots' Day celebrations for a special concert on April 15, 2019.

The Concord Band looks forward to celebrating its long history throughout the coming year. More details about the Concord Band's 60th anniversary season concerts will be posted on its website http://www.concordband.org as they are available.

The band is an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that gladly accepts any donations to help fund the costs of the 60th anniversary season at https://www.gofundme.com/60th-season-celebration. The Concord Band is supported by the Cultural Councils in Concord, Bolton, and Harvard.

Be sure to save the date for our "Celebrating Our Heritage" Fall Concert on October 20, 8pm at 51 Walden. The concert is open to the public and funded by donations.

Friday, September 14, 2018

Fall Concert: Celebrating our Heritage

Fall 2018 Concert Poster
The Concord Band is looking forward to the first concert of its 60th Anniversary Season on October 20, 2018, featuring music commissioned and composed for The Concord Band as well as masterworks in the concert band repertoire.  The Band will be led by Music Director James O'Dell and Assistant Conductor Steven Barbas.  Admission is free, donations are gratefully received.  Concert to be held at The Performing Arts Center, 51 Walden Street in Concord, Mass.

Friday, August 31, 2018

60th Anniversary Season Poster

2018–2019 60th Anniversary Season Poster

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Save the Dates

2018–2019 60th Anniversary Season Schedule Card
As the Concord Band celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2019, we're preparing a very special season you won't want to miss! Look for our colorful season schedule card included with the Fall 2018 issue of our newsletter, Notes from the Concord Band. If you would like to receive a season card for your bulletin board or 'fridge, sign up for our free newsletter by following this link.

Friday, July 27, 2018

"Anniversaries" Concert Videos

Anniversaries
Saturday, March 3, 2018
The Concord Band
James O’Dell Music Director
Steven Barbas Assistant Conductor


TitleComposer/ArrangerSoloist
Overture to CandideLeonard Bernstein;
arr. Beeler
Funeral March of a MarionetteCharles Gounod;
arr. Squires
Toccata MarzialeRalph Vaugh Williams
A Trumpeter's LullabyLeroy Anderson;
arr. Lang
Richard Given, trumpet
Three Dance Episodes from
On The Town
Leonard Bernstein;
arr. Stith

"Mars" from The PlanetsGustav Holst
"A Simple Song" from MassLeonard Berstein;
arr. Sweeney

Petite Symphonie  I. Adagio, AllegroCharles Gounod
Irish Tune from County DerryPercy Grainger
Shepherd's Hey: English Morris DancePercy Grainger

One of the Band's long-term projects is to create a comprehensive video archive of concert band literature. The archive documents our performances, helps us to improve musically, and provides a valuable online resource for band programming. You can explore performance videos hosted on our YouTube channel, ConcordBandMA.

The Performance Video Database concept has been created and led by percussionist and executive producer Dan Diamond, and video director Barry Mirrer, with generous technical assistance and resources provided by Concord-Carlisle TV. See feature articles: Performance Video DatabaseVideo Production.

The complete Concord Band Performance Video Database is accessible through a tab at the top of each blog page. You can play a video or view program notes by selecting links in the excerpt shown here.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Summer Series at Fruitlands Museum

Sunset view at Fruitlands Museum Summer Concert Series

Gather on the lawn for Fruitlands Museum Summer Concert Series and listen to beautiful music performed on Fruitlands’ outdoor stage!

For six Thursdays, from June 21 through July 26, Fruitlands Museum welcomes The Concord Band, a group of 65 musicians from 40 area towns, as their forthcoming 60th Anniversary Season celebration begins this fall. The Concord Band will treat concert-goers to a fun roster of timeless music, including pieces commemorating historic events, show tunes, patriotic favorites and more.

Music begins at 7:15 pm. Bring your blanket, lawn chairs and picnic basket, or purchase food from vendors.

Special Evenings:
  • July 12th. Stop by our Picnic Pop-Up Tent, sponsored by Picnic Perfect, and learn some fun picnicking tips and tricks to amp up your picnicking style.
  • July 19th. Take part in our Picnic Contest. Katie Schur of Picnic Perfect will be our expert contest judge and prize sponsor.
  • All evenings between 5 and 7 pm, stop by the Art Gallery to see some examples of picnicking through the ages in our current exhibition, Leisure Pursuits: The Fashion and Culture of Recreation.
Admission:
  • Member: $15 per vehicle, $5 for cycles.
  • Non-member: $20 per vehicle, $10 for cycles.
Admission includes entry to the Art Gallery between 5 and 7 pm.

For more information: Trustees of the Reservations

Monday, June 4, 2018

Picnic in the Park

Join us for The Town of Concord's annual Fourth of July Picnic in the Park.

The day kicks off with the Minuteman Classic Road Race. The Youth Fun Run starts at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 5-Mile Road Race at 9 a.m. [Click here] for more information about the race.

The Children's Bicycle and Tricycle Parade starts the day's assembles at 11:15 a.m. After the parade, there will be music, games and entertainment until 4:30 p.m. Here's a look at what's in store.

Schedule of Events


10:00 a.m.‒12:00 p.m.
RE/MAX Balloon Rides (weather permitting)
11:45 a.m.1:00 p.m.
David Polansky
12:301:30 p.m.
Field Games
1‒3 p.m.
Lizzie the Clown
1‒4 p.m.
Henna Tattoos
1‒4 p.m.
Roaming Railroad Rides
1:30‒3:00 p.m.
Southern Rail Band
2‒3 p.m.
Hampstead Players: Treasure Island--Hunt Gym
3:15‒4:30 p.m.
The 60-piece Concord Band play a variety of patriotic tunes to end Picnic-in-the-Park on a high note!

Friday, June 1, 2018

Summer Series Showcases Musical Variety

Concord Band at Fruitlands Museum
Concord Band at Fruitlands Museum's outdoor amphitheater.
The Concord Band is preparing for its 33rd season at Fruitlands Museum, in Harvard, Mass. The summer concert series begins on Thursday June 21conducted by Jim O’Dell, who next fall, along with the Concord Band's 60th Anniversary Season celebrationwill be celebrating his own 10th season as Music Director.

The first program, titled Main Street USA, will feature some Dixieland, some blues, some marches, and selections from Broadway.  The program includes a reprise by Concord Band trumpeter Rich Givens of Leroy Anderson’s Trumpeters Lullaby. The following week, June 28th, it’s Strike Up the Bands with popular music from Chicago, Santana, the Beatles, ABBA, and big bands of the swing era.

The Independence Day program of patriotic American music will be performed at the Picnic in the Park concert in Concord on July 4 and repeated at Fruitlands the following evening on Thursday July 5. The program includes the march, America Forever written by Malinda Zenor, which is a delightful medley of Battle Cry of Freedom and America the Beautiful.

The program on July 12, themed For Kids of All Ages, includes catchy children’s tunes and familiar movie music. The Band will be lead by dynamic Assistant Conductor Steve Barbas, who has chosen A Rhapsody of Reruns, an amusing melange of  favorite TV show themes from the 1950s and 1960s, as well as World of Warcraft, a piece with symphonic themes from the hit video game.

July 19 will have a program honoring American Masters Leonard Bernstein, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Frank Sinatra, and George Gershwin. Bernstein, who was born in Lawrence and educated at Harvard, became the leading figure in 20th-century American classical music. The Concord Band continues our tribute to his 100th birthday by performing A Simple Song from Mass and Selections from West Side Story.  The final concert on July 26 is a Summer Retrospective, comprising encores of audience favorites across the entire concert series.

Fruitlands concerts are Thursdays starting at 7:15 pm. The grounds open at 5:00 pm and the Art Gallery is open to concert goers.  Admission is $20 per carload, or $15 for members of Trustees of the Reservations; $10 for cyclists and motorcycles, or $5 for members.

The Picnic in the Park concert at Emerson Field in Concord begins at 3:15 pm.  Come early for lots of fun family activities!  Admission is free.  In the event of rain, the concert will be played in the Performance Arts Center at 51 Walden Street.

Fruitlands concerts may be canceled if weather is threatening; the Band’s phone line (978-897-9969) will have cancellation information. More information about the Concord Band can be found on Facebook or at www.concordband.org.

The Concord Band’s Fruitlands summer series is supported in part by the Bolton and Harvard Cultural Councils. The Concord Cultural Council also supports the Band’s Winter concert at 51 Walden.

Boston Festival of Bands

Although the Concord Band is not scheduled to perform this year, we're passing along this announcement from our friends and colleagues at Metropolitan Wind Symphony, who host the Boston Festival of Bands annually.

Spend June's second Saturday, June 9, 2018, in Boston shopping, eating, enjoying the city, and listening to some of New England's finest wind ensembles! MetWinds hosts its 30th annual Boston Festival of Bands. Enjoy the many talented bands performing throughout the day in the heart of Faneuil Hall near Boston Harbor.

Please note that you may enter the hall at any time throughout the day. There will be a 20 minute break between each performance to reset the stage and allow time for the next band to warm up in the hall.

For more information: Metropolitan Wind Symphony

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Friday, March 30, 2018

Spring Pops with Amanda Carr

Punxsutawney Phil
Punxsutawney Phil was right—we’ve had another six weeks of winter!

James O'Dell
But, never fear, April is almost here and that means the Concord Band Spring Pops concerts. Friday April 6 and Saturday April 7 at 8:00 pm, 51 Walden in Concord is the place to welcome Spring.

Music Director James O’Dell will reprise the best numbers from the Band’s March concert. Continuing our tribute to the anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday, the Band will perform Overture to Candide and the sailor's dance from On the Town.

Amanda Carr
Jazz vocalist Amanda Carr is back to warm your hearts along with the seasonable weather. Amanda adds a jazz and Latin feel to the Pops concerts, including her fabulous renditions of Route 66, One Note Samba, and Blue Moon.
Richard Given

Trumpet soloist Richard Given will thrill the audience with A Trumpeter's Lullaby.

Friday evening's concert is presented by The Rotary Club of Concord, Pops sponsor for more than 40 years. Tickets are available via email at info@rotaryclubofconcord.org.

Saturday night's concert is hosted by The Concord Band, and tickets are available online at www.ticketstage.com/concordband.

For more information, call the Band’s announcement line at 978-897-9969, or view our website at www.concordband.org.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Spring Pops Poster

Spring Pops 2018 Poster

Friday, March 9, 2018

Spring Pops Concert Features Vocalist Amanda Carr

Amanda Carr
vocalist
SPRING POPS
featuring jazz vocalist
Amanda Carr

Friday, April 6, 2018 at 8 pm.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Concord
For ticket prices and reservations,
Call: 978-394-5158 or 978-505-2783
Email: sjpaving@aol.com

Saturday, April 7, 2019 at 8pm.
Sponsored by the Concord Band
Tickets: Adults—$25, children (under 12)—$15
Order online http://www.ticketstage.com/concordband
Call: 978-897-9969

Guest Artist Amanda Carr, perennial favorite with Concord Band Pops concert audiences, rejoins the Band at 51 Walden on April 6 and 7 for Spring Pops, 2018. The fabulous Ms. Carr, who is one of only two Honorary Members of the Concord Band, will be featured in a wide variety of musical selections from the American Songbook, including jazz and swing originals, as well as arrangements specially commissioned for Amanda and the Concord Band. Carr’s multi-styled vocal work and fresh interpretations will delight both audience and band members alike! The Concord Band Jazz Trio will join the exciting and fun-filled evening of music for a special tune with Amanda.

Monday, March 5, 2018

Review: Concord Band Winter Concert, "Anniversaries"

by Cal Armistead 

First, full disclosure: despite living in the Concord area for nearly twenty years, I’d never been to a concert of The Concord Band until last Saturday evening. And now, although I’m late to the party, I can with authority chastise myself for missing out all these years. It was my great delight to finally experienced this local cultural treasure first-hand at 51 Walden in Concord on March 3rd.

The inspiration behind the music for the Winter Concert was “1818, 1918, 2018Anniversaries,” and began, stated music director and conductor James O’Dell, with the celebration of the 100th birthday this year of composer Leonard Bernstein. “Then we started thinking, ‘what else can we tie in?’ We came up with [Charles] Gounod’s 200th,” he said. As for the rest? The connection was applied loosely, he admitted, “a little bit, but not too much.” Certainly anniversaries are on the minds of The Concord Band members and enthusiasts as they contemplate their 60th year in 2019.

The concert began with Overture to Candide, its performance dedicated to assistant conductor Steven Barbas, who was unable to lead the piece as planned Saturday night due to a death in his family. The exciting Overture was a treat for theater nerds in the audience (this reporter included), reminding us of the comic operetta based on Voltaire’s work that had its premiere under the direction of Bernstein by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1957.

The next number, Funeral March of a Marionette with its dancing xylophone instantly brought to mind the image of movie director Alfred Hitchcock stepping into his famous big-bellied profile. O’Dell described the tune as “a clever little march, a tongue-in-cheek piece,” which was originally conceived by Charles Gounod as a parody of a music critic he detested.

The grand Toccata Marziale by Ralph Vaughan Williams conjured images of a royal parade, and indeed was composed for the Commemoration of the British Empire Exhibition of 1924.

A particular treat for the evening was the performance of A Trumpeter’s Lullaby, featuring the impressive talent of trumpet soloist (and Concord Band principal trumpeter) Richard Given. The piece was written by Leroy Anderson at the prompt of Roger Voisin, first trumpet of the Boston Pops. In turn, Given himself studied with Voisin at the New England Conservatory, allowing the appreciative audience to experience this direct lineage of talent and inspiration. The number—which was dedicated to the memory of longtime member and trumpet player Ron Smith, who recently passed away—was rewarded with whoops, whistles and cheers.

The Three Dance Episodes from Bernstein’s On the Town conjured the unmistakable excitement and razzle-dazzle of Times Square in 1944. “Dance of the Great Lover,” “Pas de Deux” and “Times Square Ballet” created fun auditory images of three sailors seeking romance and adventure during 24-hour shore leave in wartime New York City.

Following intermission, The Concord Band went interplanetary with the Gustav Holst tone poem “Mars, the Bringer of War,” from his composition The Planets. Although conceived in 1914 to reflect the rising threat of World War I, to this listener it also evoked images of marching Star Wars storm troopers planning intergalactic war. After rising to the musical equivalent of artillery attacks within a cacophony of chaos, the music quieted, seeming to lay destruction bare, for all to look upon, and contemplate.

“A Simple Song” from Bernstein’s Mass was commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center in 1971. This meaningful piece reflected—as noted in the program—Bernstein’s desire to compose an ecumenical service “that would combine elements from various religions and sects of ancient or tribal beliefs.” At the time, he’d attempted to explore what he perceived as a spiritual crisis. Certainly A Simple Song, the introductory movement to his Mass is as pertinent today, nearly five decades later, as it was then.

Gounod’s Petite Symphonie showcased nine woodwind musicians from the Band. A fun, light number that evoked frolicking woodland creatures, it followed—as the program states—“the standard Mozart serenade instrumentation of two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, and two horns, but Gounod also included a single flute part for [celebrated flutist Paul] Taffanel.”

Rolling green hills, homes with thatched roofs, and grazing sheep were brought instantly to mind by Irish Tune from Country Derry, written by Percy Grainger. The pipes were calling (along with beautiful flute melodies) with the familiar strains of “Danny Boy.”

The concert was brought to a close with Grainger’s Shepherd’s Hey, evoking English “Morris Men” dancers wearing jingling bells. This whimsical, joyful, swirling, twirling piece provided a big finish, leaving the audience cheered and satisfied. Including and especially, me.

I am thrilled to have finally “discovered” The Concord Band after all this time (what was I thinking?), and although this was this first concert I attended, it will be far from my last.

Writer Cal Armistead is the author of the young adult novel Being Henry David, and is a member of Custom Blend, an Acton-based a cappella group that has sung together for 16 years. She resides in Acton.

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Winter Concert 2018

Anniversaries
Saturday, March 3, 2018 

The Concord Band 

James O’Dell, Music Director 
Steven Barbas, Assistant Conductor 
Richard Given, Trumpet Soloist

Program

Steven Barbas, Conducting
Overture to CandideLeonard Bernstein;
arr. Beeler
James O’Dell, Conducting
Funeral March 
of a Marionette
Charles Gounod;
arr. Squires
Toccata MarzialeRalph Vaughan Williams
A Trumpeter’s LullabyLeroy Anderson;
arr. Lang
Richard Given, Trumpet Soloist
Three Dance Episodes from On The TownLeonard Bernstein;
arr. Stith
  1. The Great Lover
  2. Lonely Town: Pas de Deux
  3. Times Square: 1944

Intermission

“Mars” from The PlanetsGustav Holst
“A Simple Song” from MassLeonard Bernstein;
arr. Sweeney
Petite SymphonieCharles Gounod
  1. Adagio, Allegro
Irish Tune from County DerryPercy Grainger
Shepherd’s Hey: English Morris DancePercy Grainger


This program is supported in part by a grant from the Concord Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Overture to Candide

Candide, the comic operetta based on Voltaire’s work, had an unfortunately short musical life on Broadway in 1956. However its lively Overture to Candide had its premiere by the New York Philharmonic orchestra under the direction of composer Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) in 1957, and has become a favorite in the concert repertoire of both orchestras and bands. The work is very rhythmic, yet forceful, combining the classical and popular style into a clever and modern composition. (Source: Carl Barnett, Will Rogers High School, Tulsa, Oklahoma)

Funeral March of a Marionette

Funeral March of a Marionette was originally conceived by Charles Gounod (1818–1893) as a tongue-in-cheek parody of a music critic whom he had come to detest. This spirit of good-hearted fun was certainly personified by the man who later became indelibly associated with this theme—Alfred Hitchcock. Interpreted with a sly wink of the eye, this classic novelty is great fun for players and audience alike. (Source: Published Score)

Toccata Marziale

English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) is most noted for his compositions for orchestra, the theater, and chamber groups, but his works for band, like the Folk Song Suite and Toccata Marziale demonstrate his unrivaled skill in scoring for this medium. Together with the two Holst suites for band, this music forms a set which has become a traditional cornerstone of the concert band literature. Composed for the Commemoration of the British Empire Exhibition of 1924, the Toccata Marziale is a first-rate rate work by any measurement. (Source: Acton Osterling, Jr., University of Maryland)

A Trumpeter’s Lullaby

Roger Voisin, first trumpet of the Boston Pops, was born in 1918. Composer Leroy Anderson (1908–1975) wrote “Roger Voisin asked me why I didn’t write a trumpet solo for him to play with the orchestra that would be different from traditional trumpet solos which are all loud, martial or triumphant. After thinking it over, it occurred to me that I had never heard a lullaby for trumpet so I set out to write one—with a quiet melody based on bugle notes played by the trumpet and with the rest of the orchestra playing a lullaby background.” (Source: PBS.org)

Three Dance Episodes from On the Town

Leonard Bernstein writes, “The story of On the Town is concerned with three sailors on 24-hour leave in New York, and their adventures with the monstrous city which its inhabitants take so for granted.” The first episode is 'Dance of the Great Lover,' in which the romantic sailor Gabey falls asleep on the subway and dreams of sweeping Miss Turnstiles off her feet. In the second episode, “Pas de Deux,” Gabey watches a scene, “both tender and sinister, in which a sensitive high-school girl in Central Park is lured and then cast off by a worldly sailor.” The finale, “Times Square,” is described by Bernstein as “a more panoramic sequence in which all the sailors congregate in Times Square for their night of fun.” (Source: Boosey and Hawkes, Inc.)

Mars: The Bringer of War

The Planets, composed for orchestra in 1915 by Gustav Holst (1874–1934), is a suite of 7 tone poems, each describing symbolically a different planet. The entire suite was first performed for a private audience in 1918 and in the public, without Venus and Neptune, in 1919. "Mars, The Bringer of War" was complete in the composer's mind in the early summer of 1914, when the First World War was but an emerging threat. The work is dominated by the relentless hammering out of a 5/4 rhythm which suggests the relentless destruction of war. The movement was transcribed for band by the composer in 1924. (Source: Boosey and Hawkes, Inc.)

A Simple Song

Leonard Bernstein’s Mass was commissioned to inaugurate the John F. Kennedy Center in 1971 as a national showcase for the performing arts in Washington, DC. Bernstein, although Jewish by tradition, stated he had always been fascinated by Catholic ritual, which he deemed dramatic and even theatrical, and “always wanted to compose a service of one sort or another,” especially an ecumenical one “that would combine elements from various religions and sects of ancient or tribal beliefs, but it never came together in my mind until Jacqueline Onassis asked me to write a piece dedicated to her late husband.” In Mass, Bernstein attempted to universalize the Catholic ritual in order to explore the spiritual crisis of our time. "A Simple Song" is the introductory movement to the Mass. (Source: Austin Symphonic Band)

Petite Symphonie

The premiere of Charles Gounod’s Petite Symphonie for nine winds (1885) was the result of a particular convergence of circumstances. The first contributing factor was Theobald Boehm’s revolutionary improvements to the structural design of woodwind instruments. Boehm re-imagined the mechanism of these instruments so that they could be built with ideal acoustical properties in mind. The second factor was the concurrent resurgence of wind music as championed by flutist Paul Taffanel. He reached out to several belle époque composers for new woodwind works, and Gounod responded with the Petite Symphonie. The work calls for the standard Mozart serenade instrumentation of two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, and two horns, but Gounod also included a single flute part for Taffanel. (Source: Dr. Amanda Cook, Between the Ledger Lines)

Irish Tune from County Derry

Irish Tune from County Derry is based on a tune collected by Miss J. Ross of Limavady, County Derry, Ireland, and published in the Petrie Collection of Ancient Music of Ireland in 1885. This setting by Percy Grainger (1882–1961) was written in 1918 and was dedicated to the memory of Edvard Grieg. The “perfect” melody and the rich sonorities of this arrangement have kept the Irish Tune in a favored position for decades. (Source: Carl Fisher, Inc.)

Shepherd’s Hey

The air on which Percy Grainger's composition is based was collected by Cecil J. Sharpe. In some agricultural districts in England teams of “Morris Men”, decked out with jingling bells and other finery, can still be seen dancing to such traditional tunes as Shepherd’s Hey, which are played on the fiddle or on the “pipe and tabor” (a sort of fife and drum). (Source: Richard Franco Goldman, The Goldman Band)

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Anniversaries

The Concord Band is joining music groups around the world in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of American composer Leonard Bernstein. The Band’s Winter Concert on Saturday March 3, 2018 will include three selections by Bernstein: Three Dance Episodes from On the Town, the Overture from Candide, and “A Simple Song” from Mass. In addition, the Concord Band’s Music Director James O’Dell is programming other pieces that involve anniversaries in 2018, including works by Charles Gounod, Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Leroy Anderson.

Leonard Bernstein wrote his first Broadway musical On the Town based on the successful Bernstein-Jerome Robbins’ ballet Fancy Free earlier in 1944. On the Town follows the adventures of three sailors on shore leave in New York City and is focused on a series of dance episodes choreographed by Robbins; the three dances were selected by Bernstein for an orchestral suite. The band transcription is by Paul Lavender.

Leonard Bernstein
composer and conductor
Candide is a comic operetta written by Bernstein in 1956 and is based on Voltaire’s 1759 novella. Although the operetta was not successful at the time, the overture was well received from the start, and it promptly became a very popular curtain-raiser. Bernstein himself conducted the overture with the New York Philharmonic in January 1957. Brilliantly scored, it has a certain type of vitality that is not easy to match.

Bernstein wrote Mass in 1971 on commission from Jacqueline Kennedy for the opening of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. “A Simple Song” is the second movement and has become the best-known and most often recorded song from this 32-movement theatre piece for singers, players, and dancers. Featuring a trumpet solo as well as solo spots for trombone and baritone, this beautifully poignant setting has been transcribed from the original by Michael Sweeney.

French composer Charles Gounod was born in 1818 and the Band will perform his Petite Symphonie (Nonet) and Funeral March of a Marionette. The latter was originally written for solo piano and then orchestrated a few years later by Gounod. It is perhaps best known as the theme music for the television program “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” The Petite Symphonie is for 2 each oboes, clarinets, horns, bassoons, and one flute.

Gustav Holst’s The Planets was premiered in 1918. The Concord Band will play the first movement, “Mars: The Bringer of War.” For another noted composer for British military bands, Percy Grainger, 1918 was also a significant year. Grainger became a U.S. citizen that year after serving throughout World War I as a U.S. Army bandsman, and that year he published two of his enduring settings for band based on British Isles’ folk songs: Irish Tune from County Derry and Shepherds Hey. These separate pieces were published together and so will be performed as a suite.

In 1918, Gustav Holst’s friend Ralph Vaughan Williams became the director of bands for the British Army. In 1924 Vaughan Williams composed an original work for band, Toccata Marziale, in commemoration of the British Empire Exhibition. The piece is considered a masterpiece of both counterpoint and instrumental color, and holds an important place in the wind band repertoire.
Richard Given
trumpet

A Trumpeter’s Lullaby was written by Leroy Anderson at the request of Roger Voisin, principal trumpet of the Boston Pops, who asked that Anderson write a trumpet solo for him to play with the Pops. Voisin, who was born in 1918, suggested it be different from traditional trumpet solos “which are all loud, martial, or triumphant.” Anderson said it occurred to him that he had never heard a lullaby for trumpet so he wrote a quiet melody based on bugle notes played by the trumpet and with the rest of the orchestra playing a lullaby background. The piece is now famous around the world in orchestra and band versions orchestrated by Anderson himself. At the March 3 concert, the trumpet solo will be played by the Concord Band’s principal trumpet Richard Given, who for four years was a student of “his hero” Roger Voisin.

The Concord Band’s March 3 concert will be held at 8:00 pm at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden Street in Concord. The concert is free with donations gratefully accepted. The Concord Band is supported by grants from Concord, Harvard, and Bolton Cultural Councils, agencies of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.