A Tribute to William Toland

Bill Toland

The Concord Band’s Fall Concert at 8 pm on Saturday, October 27 will be a tribute to the group’s first Music Director, William Toland. The concert will be held at Bedford High School, where Toland was Band Director and Assistant Director of Music from 1957 to 1984.

Toland, who led the Band from 1962 to 1995, passed away in January 2012 at the age of 80.

Known in Boston’s western suburbs as a dedicated music educator, Toland earned many awards, including the DeMolay Award for Exemplary Teaching, and the Lowell Mason Award for Outstanding Leadership in Music Education from the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA). He was also active in the MMEA Northeast District festivals, often serving as host, band manager, and district band conductor.

While with the Concord Band, Bill Toland was recognized as an important contributor to the world of band music through his prolific commissions of new works for concert band, particularly his commissions of Satiric Dances (1975) and Five Concord Diversions (1987). Toland received a bachelor of music degree from Boston University in 1953, a master of music degree from B.U. in 1960, and a master of music education from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, in 1970.

Under current Music Director James O’Dell, the Concord Band will perform Norman Dello Joio’s Satiric Dances, Toland’s own Pennyghael: Reflections of Scotland, James Curnow’s Welsh Variants, also commissioned by Toland, and more. Former Concord Band Music Director William McManus will conduct the premiere of Elegy, a tribute he wrote in Toland’s memory.

The Legacy of William M. Toland

William M. Toland

Here is the full text of a feature article, written by band member Ken Troup, on William M. Toland, Music Director Laureate of the Concord Band, submitted for the fall 2012 edition of Mass Music News, published by the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA).

If you are a band director, there’s a good chance that you have performed Satiric Dances by Norman Dello Joio. The three-movement band piece was commissioned in 1975 for the bi-centennial of the battles of Lexington and Concord by William M. Toland and the Concord Band. The piece is most associated with Toland as it was the first in a long line of works for band that he and his successors commissioned.

Bill Toland, 80, died on January 25, 2012. He was Music Director of the Concord and from 1962 to 1995, and also had a distinguished career as band director and assistant director of music at Bedford High School from 1957 through 1984. For his work in Bedford, he received the DeMolay Award for Exemplary Teaching and the Lowell Mason Award for Outstanding Leadership in Music Education from the Massachusetts Music Educators Association. Active in the MMEA Northeast District, Toland hosted the Northeast District Music Festival in 1961 with the Bedford football field literally filled with uniformed band players from the various marching bands. He was Northeast band manager frequently and in later years conducted District bands.

Review: "Brassed Off!"—Concord Band Style

The Concord Band, with special guests, the Triton Brass Quintet, provided a most enjoyable Saturday evening concert. Music Director James O’Dell’s choice of repertoire was very entertaining and well received by the almost capacity audience. Hazo’s “Go” - a lively and upbeat piece that began the concert -tested the rhythmic capabilities of the ensemble. After a bit of an unsettled start, the band did rise to the occasion and ended on a solid and somewhat more confident note.

 
The nicely played Horn opening of McBeth’s “Ishmael” from Of Sailors and Whales, truly evoked images of the open sea. The intonation within the flutes and later, the saxophones did not significantly detract from the overall performance of an otherwise lovely presentation.

Cheetham, Cheetham, Cheetham! Anything Cheetham is always a favorite! The Triton Brass Quintet delivered a top-notch performance of the “Concertino for Brass Quintet and Symphonic Band”. The ‘Allegro resoluto’ was fantastic! The Triton Brass tossed melodic lines around effortlessly as the Concord Band accompanied with confidence and familiarity. Well done!