Community bands date back to the American Revolution, currently there are more than 1,000 of them around the country Bands are returning to performing with a strong bond over music after the pandemic ended performances and practice spaces.
Every one of its performances opens with"Freedom Fanfare," a 68-second piece originally arranged in 1971 for a college football team that incorporates the melodies of"The Battle Hymn of the Republic,""Lift Every Voice and Sing" and the gospel song"Take My Hand, Precious Lord."
Associate Director Allen Ward has been with the Metropolitan Atlanta Community Band for more than a decade.Associate Director Allen Ward has been with the Metropolitan Atlanta Community Band for more than a decade.The pandemic has not only halted many of the community bands' indoor concerts but also taken away their rehearsal spaces. To cope with this new reality the Atlanta band staged outdoor performances with seven-piece combos.
Sixteen of the Perinton Concert Band's 50 members have been music educators. Eleven of them are retired.