Conductor's Corner - Christmas Music

- contributed by Gordon Bowie

Every Christmas and holiday season reminds us of how important our musical traditions are in marking the passage of the year. For me, the songs that mark the holiday season are among the most enduring musical memories, precisely because they come back at the same time year after year.

Anthropologists often describe a culture in terms of its “annual round.”  Plant in the spring, go off raiding in the summer, harvest in the fall, hunt meat in the late fall, have a big fire celebration to welcome the sun back at new year’s, etc. Whatever it is or was.....

Band members in our culture have an “annual round” too.  Veteran’s Day Patriotic music, Christmas and Hanukkah music, New Years and “Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot”  exploration of some serious works in the Winter and Spring, then patriotic music for the Fourth of July, and we do it all over again. 

Conductor's Corner - New Season Welcome!

September 22, 2011

It was great to see everybody last night, and to get into the band season once again. I’m grateful to Len for taking the first two rehearsals, and getting so much good learning started on our pieces. Likewise I am grateful for all the help and pitching in that has made it possible to get the season off to a good start in my absence.

Conductor's Corner - Community Bands

Community bands mean many things to many people.  A century ago most towns had town bands that played music for all kinds of functions.  Many considered themselves to be professional or semi-professional, and played dances and picnics as well as public and civic events. They also served as instructional bands for the young players coming up, because there were no band programs in the schools.