In Concert:
Community Music Groups Working Together
A Newsletter of Southwestern Pennsylvania Band Partners
Winter 2006
Volume 2 Issue 2 
 Printable Version in PDF Format
Inside This Issue:
Three Rivers Community Band Festival| Armstrong Concert Band | Community Bands | Band Birthdays | Combined Calendar | Contact Us | Other Information
Three Rivers Community Band Festival
    The third annual Three Rivers Community Band Festival will be held April 9th, 2006 at 3pm at the Upper St Clair Theatre.  Four bands from the Pittsburgh area will perform: the  East Winds Symphonic Band, the West Hills Symphonic Band, Community Band South and the Harmony-Zelienople Community Band.  Each band will perform for 20 minutes, then all members (300+ musicians) will join on stage for a combined finale under the baton of Paul Gerlach, conductor of the Carnegie Mellon University Kiltie Band and the music director of the Allegheny Brass Band. WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham will be the MC for the afternoon. Admission is free with contributions appreciated.  After the concert there will be refreshments that have been baked by members of the bands.

    In 2002, Roger Schneider, member and co-founder of the East Winds Symphonic Band, was   honored as a recipient of the WQED-FM/Dominion Peoples Volunteer In The Arts (VITA) award. The monetary portion of the award was designated by Roger and the East Winds to partially fund a festival at which community bands from the area could come together to share musicianship and camaraderie. Additionally, it was hoped that such a festival would spotlight amateur bands in the Pittsburgh region to the community.

    In the fall of 2002, a committee was formed to begin the planning process.   It was decided that the inaugural festival would be held in 2004, and it was hoped to have bands from all four of the compass points around Pittsburgh.   Over the next year, a larger committee was formed,  involving conductors and members of four area bands - the East Winds Symphonic Band, the North Suburban Symphonic Band, the West Hills Symphonic Band, and Community Band South.   This geographically diverse group of people, brought together by their love of community bands, worked together to plan to present the first festival.

    The first festival was held on April 4, 2004 at the Upper St. Clair Theatre located at Upper St. Clair High School with Jim Cunningham of WQED-FM  as Master of Ceremonies.   The afternoon began with a trumpet fanfare written by Jim Rosetti of the East Winds Symphonic Band, for the occasion.  Then, each of the four bands performed for approximately 20 minutes each.   The afternoon performance culminated with a special performance by all four groups taking the stage together (nearly 210 musicians).  Max Gonano, Director of Bands at California University of Pennsylvania, conducted this combined band.   

    In keeping with momentum, shortly after the first festival, plans were underway for the second festival that was held April 10, 2005 at the Upper St. Clair Theatre. The format was the same, with all four bands (about 225 musicians) converging on the stage under the baton of  Dr. Edwin P. Arnold Chairman of Music and Fine Arts and Director of Bands at Grove City College for the finale.

For more information, please visit  http://www.ewsb.org/festival
Armstrong Concert Band
Provided by Dennis F. Cramer, Summer 2005
    The Armstrong Concert Band is currently celebrating twenty-one years of music making in Armstrong County.  Under the musical direction of Dennis F. Cramer, the band maintains the centuries old tradition of concerts in an outdoor setting.  People of all ages tap their feet to the stirring sounds of a Sousa march, sing a long to an old time favorite and feel their heart beat with renewed fervor to patriotic selections as the band plays in the shade of trees that may remember a different time when life moved at a slower pace and friends gathered to socialize as the town band entertained them with the latest hits.
   
    The Armstrong Concert Band was established in the fall of 1984 as the Lenape Concert Band and held their first rehearsal in October of that year in Ford City.  Bill McGann and Dave Lindeman, two area musicians were the driving forces to provide central Armstrong County with a concert style performance group.  They contacted Mr. Cramer to be musical director, placed a few phone calls and the band was underway.  This all-volunteer group performed their first concert on May 26, 1985 in the Ford City Park as part of the Memorial Day Celebration.
   
    The band moved to the Worthington/West Franklin Civic Center during the fall of 1988.  At that time, the name was changed to the Armstrong Concert Band to better reflect the area served by the group.  The Civic Center has been the home to the band since that time and has been supported by the Worthington/West Franklin Recreation Authority by means of a rent-free rehearsal hall.  In return, the band performs their annual Holiday Concert at the Center and has donated over $3000.00 for improvements to the facility.
   
    The Armstrong Concert Band has grown from 35 members to a roster of double that today.  In the past twenty-one years, more than 250 different musicians have performed with the band.  The band rehearses for ten weeks in the fall and ten weeks in the spring.  They perform a Holiday Concert during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend and then do anywhere from six to ten outdoor concerts during the summer season.  Members come from Armstrong, Indiana, Butler, Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties.  The minimum age is ninth grade in high school and our oldest member is in his early eighties.  Attorneys, housewives, secretaries, engineers, public school teachers, college music majors and high school band members all give freely of their time and talents.
   
    The band has been a member of the Armstrong County Tourist Bureau in 1993 and has established a two-way relationship in the promotion of the band and the county.  Over the past twenty-one years the band has performed over 190 concerts throughout Armstrong County and has also performed at the Saxonburg Arts Fair and the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington County.  The highlight of the summer season is the concert sponsored by the Tourist Bureau at Crooked Creek Lake Park where the quiet solitude is only slightly disturbed by the musical strains of the band.
   
    Musical director for the group is Dennis F. Cramer.  Mr. Cramer earned a BS in Music Education and an MA in Music from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  He is employed as a music teacher with the Armstrong School District and is a former conductor of the Kittanning Fireman’s Band.  He has appeared as a guest conductor with the American Wind Symphony, the Venango County Band and the IUP Trombone Choir.  He plays principal trombone with the Butler County Symphony Orchestra, performs with the Armstrong Brass Quintet and works as a freelance trombonist throughout western Pennsylvania.  Aside from being the music director, Mr. Cramer also donates his time and efforts as the music librarian, manager, public relations person, treasurer and webmaster of the band.  He was recognized for his volunteer efforts by WQED Multi Media of Pittsburgh as a Volunteer in the Arts in 2001.

(continued on next page) 

The Armstrong Concert Band has always been an all-volunteer organization and one of the most dedicated members was John Schad.  The band incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 2000 to be able to accept a donation from Mr. Schad’s estate.  The corporation was formed with Mr. Cramer as the President and the other members being David C. Suckling, Elmer Z. Smith, Rosalie Hogg and Paul McNelis all of Kittanning, PA.  On September 11, 2002 the corporation donated $35,000.00 to the Foundation for IUP to create a trombone scholarship.  The bulk of the money for the scholarship came from Mr. Schad’s estate.  In April of 2005 the band performed a joint concert with the IUP Trombone Choir in Grace Presbyterian Church in Kittanning to add to the scholarship fund.     

The future of the Armstrong Concert Band lies with the younger members.  High school students from around the county are encouraged by their teachers to further their training by rehearsing and performing with the adult members of the band.  Music is an activity that can cross generations and our band is a testimony to that.  Older members participate for the joy in making music and relaxing while the younger ones add the vitality and quest for more knowledge.  It is a wonderful learning experience for all ages. 
    Persons interested in more information can visit our website, http://www.geocities.com/armconband or email us at armconband@alltel.net  Our phone number is 724-548-5225.
Southwestern PA Community Bands (As of January 9, 2006 
For complete listing see the online directory

Additions Since Jan 9, 2006

Kiski Valley Community Band
http://welcome.to/kvcb#
Patti Marco, Director/President
724-845-9419
plmarco@comcast.net

send email to  newsletter@swpabandpartners.pghfree.net
Bands Celebrating Anniversaries in 2006
Combined Calendar (As of March 21, 2006 for Spring 2006)
For the updates and the entire calendar visit the online calendar

April 2006:

Sat, 1
 7pm
 North Pittsburgh Philharmonic North Hills Jr. High School Auditorium
Sun, 2
 7pm
 Armstrong Concert Band
 Kittanning
Thu, 6
 7:30pm
 Harmony-Zelienople Community Band  Seneca Valley Intermediate High School
Sat, 8
 7:30pm
 Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra
 Upper St Clair High School Theatre
Sun, 9
 3pm
 Three Rivers Community Band Festival
East Winds Symphonic Band, Community Band South, West Hills Symphonic Band, Harmony-Zelienople Community Band  		Upper St Clair High School Theatre
Sun, 9
 11am
 Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh Church Service, First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh
Tue, 25
 7:30pm
 Community Band South and California University of PA
 Upper St Clair High School Theatre
Sun, 30
 3pm
 West Hills Symphonic Band Montour High School
Sun, 30
 6pm
 Kiski Valley Community Band Casino Theater, Vandergrift

May 2006:

Mon, 1
 7:30pm
 South Hills Community Concert Band Brentwood Presbyterian Church
Sat, 6
 TBA
 Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh
Sun, 7
 7:30pm
 North Suburban Symphonic Band Ross Elementary School, North Hills
Sat, 13
 8pm
 Allegheny Brass Band North Allegheny Intermediate High School
Sat, 13
 7:30pm
 Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra
 Upper St Clair High School
Sat, 13
 7:30pm
 Edgewood Symphony Orchestra East Allegheny High School
Sat, 20
 7pm
 North Pittsburgh Philharmonic North Hills Jr. High School Auditorium
Sun, 21
Jeannette Community Band Jeannette American Legion
Sun, 28
 7pm
 Armstrong Concert Band
 Dayton Glade Run Presbyterian Church
Wed, 31
 7:30pm
 Community Band South and Upper St Clair Bands
 Upper St Clair High School Theatre

June 2006:

Sat, 10
 7:30pm
 Edgewood Symphony Orchestra Lower Burrell High School
Sat, 10
 7:30pm
 Community Band South South Hills Assembly of God, Bethel Park      
Sun, 11
 7pm
 Jeannette Community Band The Diamond in Ligonier
Wed, 14
Kiski Valley Community Band Leechburg Elks
Wed, 14
 6pm
 Kittanning Firemen's Band Elk's Lodge, Kittanning
Fri, 16
 8pm
 The Musicians Concert Band Miller Auditorium, Slippery Rock University
Tue, 20
 7pm
 Armstrong Concert Band
 Ford City Borough Park
Sun, 25
 7pm
 South Hills Community Concert Band
 Wilmerding Park
Sun, 25
 7pm
 Armstrong Concert Band Concordia Concert, Cabot
Sun, 25
 10:30am
 Allegheny Brass Band Bach, Beethoven, & Brunch, Mellon Park, Pittsburgh
Sun, 25
 6:30pm
 Community Band South Wallace Presbyterian Church, Greentree
Mon, 26
 7:30pm
 South Hills Community Concert Band Hamilton Presbyterian Church
Thu, 29
 8pm
 The Musicians Concert Band Miller Auditorium, Slippery Rock University
Thu, 29
 7:30pm West Hills Symphonic Band Clinton Park (Findlay Twp.)
Thu, 29
 8pm
 Allegheny Brass Band Harmony, PA, Fourth of July Celebration
Fri, 30
 7pm
 Kiski Valley Community Band Natrona Presbyterian Church

Contacting Us:

Southwestern Pennsylvania Band Partners is dedicated to helping community music groups in the southwestern Pennsylvania Region. 
Please visit us online at the address below to learn more or become involved.
    http://swpabandpartners.pghfree.net
Regional Bands with websites (for updated list vist the links page)

Aeolian Winds http://www.aeolianwinds.com/
Allegheny Brass Band http://www.alleghenybrassband.com/
Armstrong Concert Band http://www.geocities.com/armconband
Blairsville Community Concert Band http://www.bccband.com/
Butler County Symphony
 http://www.butlerarts.org/symphony/
Community Band South http://cbs.pghfree.net/
East Winds Symphonic Bandhttp://www.ewsb.org/
Edgewood Symphony http://www.edgewoodsymphony.org
Harrisville Community Band http://www.harrisvilleband.com/
Jeannette Community Band http://www.jcbweb.com/
Kiski Valley Community Band http://welcome.to/kvcb
Kittanning Firemen's Band http://www.kfband.com/
Musicians Concert Band http://www.tmcband.com/default.htm
North Pittsburgh Philharmonic http://www.northpghphilharmonic.org/
North Suburban Symphonic Band http://www.nssband.org/
Ohio Valley Community Band http://www.geocities.com/ovcband
Pine Creek Community Band http://www.pinecreekband.com/
Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra http://www.artsnet.org/pco/
Resurrection Band http://www.boro.zelienople.pa.us/band.htm
Scottdale Concert Band http://www.scottdaleband.com/
Somerset County Community Band
 http://www.somersetcounty.com/band
Washington Symphonic Orchestra http://www.washsym.org/
West Hills Symphonic Band http://www.whsb.org/
Westmoreland Symphonic Winds http://www.wswinds.org/

Contributing to the newsletter
Everyone is welcome to contribute an article to the newsletter.  The topic is up to you—something you think your fellow musicians would be interested in. Just email your article to:
newsletter@swpabandpartners.pghfree.net

For additions to the website email:
info@swpabandpartners.pghfree.net
In the next newsletter
In our next newsletter due out in early July you will find:
Editors
Sarah McElfresh,  East Winds Symphonic Band
Scott McElfresh, East Winds Symphonic Band
Kathy Wikowski, Allegheny Brass Band,  North Suburban Symphonic Band
March 27, 2006