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The Concord Band Box 302, Concord, MA 01742 Tel: 978-897-9969 |
Notes from the Concord Band |
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Since 1959..................P.O. Box 302, Concord MA 01742............Published Semi-annually Winter/Spring 1997 NewsletterPrevious Issues of Notes:
Major Steven Grimo to Conduct The Concord BandThe Concord Band is honored that Major Steven Grimo, Commander of the Air Education & Training Command (AETC) Band of the West will be the guest conductor at the Band's Winter Concert on March 8, 1997.Major Grimo entered the United States Air Force in January, 1986. Upon completion of Officer Training School, he was assigned as Deputy Commander and Assistant Conductor of the 539th Air Force Band of the West, now the AETC Band of the West. His success in that assignment led to selection as Executive Officer and Vice Commander of the United States Air Force Band in Washington D.C. While in Washington, Major Grimo was Officer in Charge of the USAF Ceremonial Brass and the Airmen of Note. In that capacity, he regularly performed for the President, high ranking military and civilian leaders, and for national and international media events. Major Grimo is a native of Bristol, Rhode Island. He began a career in music as a percussionist, attending the New England Conservatory of music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Percussion Performance. Upon graduation, Major Grimo began his teaching career as an elementary and junior high school band director for the Newton public schools. He later became Director of Instrumental Music at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden, where he received the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence, and the Stanbury Award of the American School Band Director's Association. In 1985, Major Grimo received his Master of Music degree in Wind Ensemble Conducting from the New England Conservatory, where he studied with Frank Battisti. He was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1992. Major Grimo has numerous published works to his credit and is a nationally active guest conductor and clinician. WINTER CONCERT Saturday, March 8The Concord Band's 1997 Winter Concert will have a very different flavor as the Band welcomes guest conductor Major Steve Grimo, the Commander and Conductor of the United States Air Force AETC Band of the West based at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The Concert will feature a number of compositions which reflect the music of the Southwestern United States and Mexico.Appropriately, the concert will open with a John Philip Sousa March, The Daughters of Texas, which was commissioned by what is now known as the Texas Women's University. Concord Band Music Director, Bill McManus, will be conducting Arthur Frackenpohl's American Folk Song Suite, a delightful and charming suite based upon four American folk songs: "He's Gone Away," "John Henry," "Go Away from My Window," and "Mama Don't Allow." This is light-hearted music with jazz and American spiritual idioms. Concord Band Flutist Marianne Leonard will be featured in a performance of Rhapsody for Flute, a new work for flute and band by Steven Bulla. Major Grimo will conclude the first half of the concert with one of his own favorite marches, His Honor, by Herry Fillmore, and Carmen Dragon's arrangement of the Mexican folk song, La Cucaracha, originally arranged for orchestra and transcribed for band by Tim Rhea for the Texas Tech University Symphonic Band for performance at the Texas Music Educator's Association Annual Convention in 1990. The second half of the concert will open with Bill McManus conducting Sousa's great Invincible Eagle March. This is one of Sousa's most impressive marches as well as one of Sousa's favorites. In keeping with the Southwestern theme of the concert, the band will perform Lone Star Celebration, a new work by James Curnow written for the state of Texas. Jim Curnow has written several commissioned works for the Concord Band including Five Concord Diversions and Overture to a Winter Festival, which is dedicated to William Toland, former Music Director and now Music Director Emeritus of the Concord Band. Major Steven Grimo will take the podium to conduct Clifton Williams' Symphonic Dance #3, Fiesta. This work was commissioned by the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra and premiered by the orchestra in 1964. The composer then scored the work for band in 1967. The annual Fiesta celebration is an important part of San Antonio's cultural life. The Air Force Band of the West performs every year at this festival. The concert will close with a performance of Alfred Reed's exciting composition El Camino Real, which was commissioned by, and dedicated to, the 581st Air Force Band and its Commander, Lt. Col. Ray E. Toler. The music is based on a series of chord progressions common to countless generations of Spanish flamenco guitarists, whose fiery style and brilliant playing have captivated countless music lovers through out the world.  McManus nominated for MENC Eastern Division PresidentConcord Band Music Director, Dr. William McManus, has been nominated for President of the Eastern Division of the Music Educators National Conference by the Executive Board Of the Eastern Division of the MENC. The Eastern Division of the MENC is composed of the six New England states, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. Bill served as President of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association from 1991-93 and is currently chairperson of the Massachusetts Coalition for Music Education. He has been active at the district, state and division levels of the MENC for over twenty-five years. Bill's nomination was announced at the MENC National Convention which was recently held in Kansas City. Results of the election will be announced in March.Upcoming Events
Concord Band Finances: Sources and Uses of FundsFrom time to time we use this space to help those who support the Concord Band understand the financial side of our operation — where our money comes from and how we use it.The Band's budget this season ('96-'97) is approximately $34,000. The sources and uses of this sum are probably best shown in the form of a table. For both income and expenses, the largest item is presented first, with remaining items shown in decreasing order. INCOME Tickets & Parking Fees 37% Donations & Pops Raffle 34% Sponsored Concerts 14% Grants 15% EXPENSES Music Director 36% Music Purchases & Commisions 16% Administrative Expense 12% Concert Expense 11% Rent 11% Guest Artists 6% Publicity 4% Instruments/Equipment 3% Scholarships 1% If you would like to help support the Concord Band financially so that we might continue to provide the community with the best in concert band music, please send your contribution to the masthead address. Toland's MarchToland's March, composed by Peter Hazzard and commissioned by the Concord Band in celebration of the Band's 25th anniversary in 1984, was performed by the Massachusetts Northeast District Band at the 1997 Northeast Senior District Festival at Gordon College on January 11, 1997, with the composer conducting. The march was written in honor of former Concord Band Music Director, William Toland.Linda Nigro to SingVocalist Linda Nigro will be singing with the Concord Band at the 1997 Spring POPS Concerts on April 4 and 5. Linda was a big hit with the crowd at Fruitlands last summer as well as at the Payson Park Concert in Belmont where she delighted audiences with a medley of Gershwin tunes.Linda, a resident of Hudson, sang for many years with bands throughout central Massachusetts. Although she retired from professional singing a number of years ago to pursue a career as a science teacher and mother, she came out of retirement to sing with the Concord Band last year, much to the delight of the members of the Band and our audiences. Barbara CataldoThe Concord Band lost an enthusiastic, dedicated member on December 8, 1996, when Barbara Cataldo died in an automobile accident. Barbara was a flutist in the Band for more than 32 years, thoroughly enjoying the musical experience and lasting friendships. Barbara's husband, Ralph, was also in the Band during its early years, playing several woodwind instruments.In a note to retiring Music Director William Toland in 1994, Barbara described her years with the Band as a "long, happy, fantastic, musical trip." With her characteristic sense of humor, she wrote, "Although the music of 1994 is more challenging than the scores from the Band's early days, nothing more rewarding comes to mind than those beginning concerts...from the Concord Library to Buttrick Mansion, we all have shared sun, rain, cold, crowds, and faulty fingers." With a BA in music from Boston University, Barbara was a music teacher in the K-8 School at Hansom Air Force Base for 30 years. Barbara is survived by her husband and three children. The Concord Band is receiving gifts in Barbara's memory, and plans to dedicate its first CD, to be released later this year, in her honor. New Work in ProgressThe Concord Band will soon be adding another composition to the long list of works the Band has commissioned over the years. The Lowell Arts Lottery Council has awarded the Band a grant to support a new work being composed by Daniel P. Lutz to recognize the 50th anniversary of the publication of On The Road by Lowell author Jack Kerouac. Mr. Lutz is on the music faculty at the University of Massachusetts–Lowell, where he conducts the Marching Band and teaches numerous music courses. His commissions have included band and orchestral works, pieces for jazz ensemble, theater, corporate video, and commercial television and radio.
Young Artist CompetitionThe Concord Band will be sponsoring its second Young Artist Competition this spring. The winner of this year's competition will appear as a guest soloist with the Concord Band at the Band's annual Spring Pops Concert which will be held at 51 Walden in Concord on April 4 and 5. Last year's young artists, Denise Gaz and Timothy Moore were big hits at the 1996 Spring POPS Concerts as well as at Fruitlands Museums, last summer.
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