Author: musicus1685

See you all next year!

The weather is going to be perfect! Grab the kids and bicycle over to City Hall to hear us!

Thanks for coming out to our concert! Band and audience members all had a great time. Special thanks to the surprise attendance by Santa. Click Here to see the photos!!

Tonight’s concert will be great fun with the theme, “Classics of Different Stripes.” We’ll perform a number of popular light classical works as well as some pop classics that you won’t want to miss. Come on out to downtown Staunton at the bandstand behind the Staunton Public Library. The concert is free, family friendly and lots of fun, especially with the homespun humor by our announcer, Jolly John Fassero. Members of the band are local people, good players and range in age from teens to octogenarians! Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and even a picnic if you like. We’re looking forward to seeing you!

Our Staunton concert series is jointly supported by the City of Staunton, First National Bank in Staunton and the Music Performance Trust Fund of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 88. We’d like to give a hearty thanks to all of our sponsors.

This week, the Heritage Community Band kicks off its 2015 Staunton concert series. The July 2nd concert features a widely varied program that includes music commemorating Independence Day. If you’ve never attended any of our fun summer concerts, why not try it this week?

Our Staunton concerts are presented on the stage behind the Staunton Public Library and begin at 7:30 PM. All concerts are family friendly and free of charge. Bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on and picnic if you like. Our band is made up of musicians from Staunton and surrounding communities. This year’s concerts in Staunton will occur on July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30. Come on out for an evening of music and humor. Our Staunton concert series is co-sponsored by the City of Staunton, First National Bank in Staunton and Musicians Local #88. Our conductor is SIUE Professor Darryl Coan and our emcee is jolly John Fassero.

Tonight’s concert that was to be in Mt. Olive is cancelled due to expected rain. Sorry!

If you’re a local musician who would like to be in the Heritage Community Band, please contact the director using the contact form on this website (see menu above). You may come to the first rehearsal on April 15th and sit in with the band so the director can determine your playing level and so you can see if you like it. We may be in need of a clarinet player or two, a bassoon and perhaps some other instruments. The best thing to do is contact the director and come to the first couple of rehearsals.

For band members and those interested in becoming members:

Our first rehearsal will be Wed. April 15. On Wed. April 8th, the Local 88 will have it’s meeting in the building next to the Benld Civic Center where we normally practice.

I am sad to report the passing of long time band member, Rich McLaughlin. Rich continued to play third clarinet for us despite his mounting age related health issues right up to the start of our 2014 season. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Rich the first year I was in the band. He always had a wisecrack ready and loved to talk about his years in college and his long career as a teacher, coach and principal. No one in the clarinet section will ever forget the added flourishes he would add when we played a march or polka. We send our condolences to Rich’s family and I’d like to thank Laurence for giving Rich rides to the rehearsals and concerts for the last few years. Though both his step and his tone faltered in the last year or two, his commitment to the band and to playing music didn’t wane for a minute.  I have great respect for that. I will never forget him.  DC

The visitation for Richard McLaughlin will be TODAY Thursday from 4 – 8 pm at Heinz Funeral Home, 212 East Main St. in Carlinville.  The funeral service will be 10 am Friday at Zion Lutheran Church, 501 South Broad St. in Carlinville.