The Platte City Community Band (PCCB) and the North Star Community Band (NSCB) from North Kansas City will join to perform a concert at 3 p.m. On Sunday, March 1 at The Wilson Center for the Performing Arts inside the Platte County R-3 High School. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served during intermission.
Both bands play a wide variety of music ranging from patriotic selections, classical concert selections, marches, and pop tunes.
The mission statement for the PCCB is “an organization drawing individuals together to experience the joy and passion of making and performing music for themselves and their community.”
The NSCB has a similar motivation dedicated to continuing music education through participation. Both bands consist of ages ranging from 17 to the 70’s and early 80’s. Some musicians dusted off their instruments that had been idol for 40-50 years and enjoy the pleasure of “making music” again. The sizes of both bands are similar with membership consisting of 50-60 members. During the concert the audience will be entertained by a comic selection performed by the NSCB, and a musical trip by the PCCB to the Bush Country of Australia featuring an Aborigine percussion instrument.
The NSCB performed its 100th program in 1993 and is celebrating its 21st season this year. The band is directed by its founder, Faye Rader. Roy Jones is the band’s assistant director. All of the musicians volunteer their time and talent and come as far away as Topeka to participate. They play concerts the year round, and are sponsored by Antioch Music and the North Kansas City Community Education Program. Their web page is “www.nstarband.org”.
The PCCB is sponsored and funded by the Platte City Friends of the Arts (PCFA) organization. This concert is the PCCB’s first spring concert with the second scheduled on May 3rd. The band performed four concerts in 2007, 2008, and plans a similar schedule for 2009. Some of the members played for the Platte City 4th of July celebration in 2008 and plan to do so in 2009. The PCCB is directed by Al Sergel III who retired from his position as Director of Bands at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO.
The first part of the concert will feature the NSCB. Their program consists of the following selections:
The Rakes of Mallow—-Leroy Anderson An Irish Lullaby—-Stephen Bulla Sweet Charity—-Coleman/fields, arr. by Bill Holcombe Comic Tat-too (Musician’s Strike)Fabrbach, arr. by Meyrelles Before intermission both bands will join and perform the following: Highlights from the Music Man—-Meredith Willson,arr. by Alfred Reed Semper Fidelis March—-John Phillip Sousa, arr. by Brion/Schissel After intermission, the PCCB will perform: Flashing Winds—-Jan Van der Roost Entry March Of The Boyars—-Johan Halvorsen. Revised arr. by Frederick Fennell Bushdance—-Ralph Hultgren On A Hymnsong Of Lowell Mason—-David R. Holsinger
For those who would like to join the PCCB, rehearsals are held 7-9 p.m. at the Platte County R-3 High School on Tuesday evenings. Music and stands are furnished, so musicians need only bring their instruments. Band members other than high school students are requested to be members of the PCFA. Membership cost is $10 per person per year. High school students are requested to contact Al Sergel III.
For more information on joining the band contact Al Sergel III at 858-7040. For information on becoming a member of the PCFA contact Susan Anderson at 858-5342.