tag:fwacb.org,2005:/blogs/band-news?p=2FWACB News2024-01-15T16:15:57-05:00News from the Fort Wayne Area Community BandFort Wayne Area Community Bandfalsetag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/73344182024-01-15T16:15:57-05:002024-01-15T16:24:41-05:00Jim and Tom Keefer: The More Different They Are The More They Are The Same<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/139f1c06b1567c3eb35b913a4dcf9321f3b5d960/original/image.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small"><i><span><strong>Keefer brothers</strong></span> Jim (left) and Tom (right) have been a part of the Fort Wayne Area Community Band’s tuba section since the Band’s inception 44 years ago. Following a recent Holiday concert in Auer Performance Hall on the local Purdue Fort Wayne campus, the tuba players are shown here with Principal Conductor Dr. Scott Humphries dressed as Santa Claus, a tradition he practices after every Holiday concert.</i></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"><i><strong>Article by Vince LaBarbera</strong></i></span><br><span class="text-small" style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"><i>Edited by Isaac Embree</i></span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> The Keefer brothers, Jim and Tom, have been a part of the Fort Wayne Area Community Band’s (FWACB) tuba section since the Band’s inception in November 1979. These two charter members have similar music beginnings and backgrounds, yet they differ in other ways, as well.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"><span> </span>Both brothers are Fort Wayne natives. Jim, being seven years older, attended St. Peter’s Catholic Elementary School and entered the former Central Catholic High School (CCHS), graduating in 1969. Tom also enrolled at St. Peter’s, but when the school was closed after Tom had completed fifth grade, he transferred to St. Patrick’s Catholic Elementary School. And by the time Tom was ready for high school, CCHS also had closed, so he attended Bishop Dwenger High School where he graduated in 1976.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> Both brothers began playing instruments other than the tuba. Jim played the violin from about the fourth or fifth grade, he said, through eighth grade. Tom started playing the trumpet in fourth grade. In their respective high-school bands, each switched to the Sousaphone at the request of Band Director Joseph Woods, who was short Sousaphone players at the high-school level. Jim, in fact, had begun playing violin in the high-school orchestra, but switched to band at the request of Mr. Woods.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> Incidentally, </span><span style="color:rgb(58,58,58);">the tuba traditionally is a concert band or orchestra instrument, meant to be played while sitting on a chair with the bell facing upward, </span><span style="color:rgb(17,17,17);">while the Sousaphone often is played while marching, with the bell facing forward.</span><span style="color:rgb(58,58,58);"> In fact, the Sousaphone is thought to have been invented by American Composer John Philip Sousa as a more practical marching-band instrument. </span><span style="color:rgb(17,17,17);">The tuba is larger and cylindrical, while the Sousaphone is smaller and conical. The tuba produces a deeper and richer sound than the Sousaphone, which has a more focused sound.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(58,58,58);"> “</span><span>I told (Mr. Woods) I didn’t know bass clef or anything about any horn,” Jim recalled. “Mr. Woods said not to worry, he’d give me private lessons! I never did get any lessons, just went to band camp… and learned to play Sousaphone and march on the fly! Never played violin again, and the rest is history…. One of the better decisions I ever made,” he added. “I had much more fun in the band than I ever would have had in the orchestra,” Jim concluded.</span></p><p><span> Tom was in the Dwenger Marching, Concert, and Dance bands all four years. “Mr. Woods was not only looking for a good musician, but also someone physically able to march while carrying a Sousaphone. I happened to meet both requirements,” Tom added. He also explained that the tuba section is unlike other instrument sections with first, second, and third parts. “Generally, all the tubas play the same part, with the exception of an occasional solo part,” Tom explained.</span></p><p><span> Following high school, Jim went </span><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);">to IPFW (Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, now Purdue University Fort Wayne [PFW]) for three semesters studying civil engineering from 1969 through January 1971. Following a mandatory transfer to Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus from February 1971 through May 1973, he graduated with a BSCE degree. “But there was no time for music at Purdue,” he emphasized.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> Tom also attended IPFW and Purdue University in West Lafayette, also graduating with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> Jim immediately went to work as a civil engineer for the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) five days after graduation. And, with the exception of 13 months at Hagerman Construction from 1990-1991, he worked his whole career at INDOT, retiring in July 2014 with more than 40 years of service.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> Tom has been employed for 41 plus years as a civil engineer in the Construction Department at INDOT and has not yet retired.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> In addition to music, Jim says, “I enjoy spending time with family, including attending the grandkid’s sports, plays, and concerts.” He and his wife, Peggy – whom he met at CCHS – were married in 1974. They also enjoy attending St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, traveling, cruising, seeing new places, camping, playing cards and games, reading, and dining out. Jim volunteers as an usher at church, holds membership in the Knights of Columbus (K of C), does charity work and AARP tax preparation. He says they are blessed with three children – a daughter and two sons – and 12 grandchildren. One son, Bob, played trumpet for four years in the Bishop Dwenger High School Band. “We get together all the time, and every other year at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina,” Jim added.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> Tom enjoys camping, wood working, antique electric fans, model trains, and model rocketry. He also volunteers as an usher at St. Charles and is a member of the K of C. He said he played a major role in the restoration of the old Wolf & Dessauer Santa Claus and Reindeer display, seeing it through to completion. He and his wife, Diane, were married in 1984. They have two children and four grandchildren. Both are active at church and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and attending their activities. “We get together often,” Tom added.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> A daughter, Mary, played trumpet in the St. Charles Elementary School Band. And a son, Michael, played tuba in both the St. Charles and Bishop Dwenger bands. “He then went on to play Sousaphone in the Purdue All-American Marching Band for two years, and then played Purdue’s ‘World’s Largest Bass Drum’ for an additional two years,” Tom said. “And for a couple of summers,” Tom proudly added, “Michael played tuba in the FWACB sitting aside his dad and uncle!” Michael continues to play tuba in the Carmel Community Band.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> In addition to playing in the FWACB, both Jim and Tom have played a couple of times at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve at St. Charles and performed with the Salvation Army Band for the lighting of the downtown Santa display. They’ve each also played with the American Legion Band for the Honor Flight returnees and for Tuba Christmas concerts.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> Both brothers saw the small article in a Fort Wayne newspaper in November 1979 announcing the formation and first rehearsal at IPFW of a community band in Fort Wayne to be led by the late Dr. William F. Schlacks. He turned out to be the founding conductor of the Fort Wayne Area Community Band and the Keefer brothers are two of eight remaining charter members still playing with the Band.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> “Tom mentioned seeing the article, so we decided to show up,” said Jim. “We’re sure glad we did,” he added. It had been more than 10 years since Jim had played his instrument and three years for Tom to go without playing.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> “The Community Band’s tuba section has fluctuated from just the two of us to a maximum of five. Probably at least 50 players have come and gone,” Jim recalled. </span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> “Remarkably, after 44 years, the Band is still going strong,” said Tom, and added, “I wish we would have kept a list of names of all the members, conductors, and especially the tuba players that have come and gone over the years. Sitting next to members of the Band weekly, you become friends and, sadly, some members of the tuba section have passed away while still active members of the section.”</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36);"> Both brothers agree that playing in the FWACB provides a great opportunity to keep playing the tuba – which they love doing – interacting with other Band members and performing for audiences that enjoy the concerts.</span></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/73182822023-12-12T17:00:44-05:002024-01-15T16:19:45-05:00Charter Member Bobby Patterson: A Faithful FWACB Screamer<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/6065caab42a635fac4a97167f4925d2be9fd976e/original/bobby-patterson-001.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p><i><strong>Article by Rod King</strong></i><br><span class="text-small"><i>Edited by Isaac Embree</i></span></p><p> Flutist Bobby Patterson, known for her piercing Phantom of the Opera scream, is one of just seven remaining active charter members in the band. She wasn’t at the first rehearsal in Neff Hall in November 1978 but heard about it from someone who attended and made sure she was there the second week. Her name is on the charter and she’s been a stalwart member ever since.</p><p> Bobby not only looks forward to Tuesday’s rehearsals and the concerts, but the socializing, as well. She and eight to ten other band members, including her percussionist husband, Kenton, stop at a different restaurant after practice every week. “Not that we’re superstitious,” she said, “but we went to Cheddars three weeks in a row and it burned down.”</p><p> “Kenton would have been a charter member, too, except he volunteered to stay home with our two children, Joann and Josh, who were five years old and six months old at the time. Then, his work schedule kept him away, except for a few concert performances when we were short on percussionists. He returned to the band full time a couple years ago.”</p><p> Bobby’s first foray into music came at five years of age when she began playing the organ. In the fifth grade, she took up flute because she desperately wanted to be in the marching band, where her sister was a baton twirler. “I couldn’t throw or catch a baton to save myself, so flute was my way into marching band. I also played in the concert band and sang in the school choir.</p><p> “I also played for a number of years in the Three Rivers Fife and Drum Corps, which was founded in 1976. We marched in area parades and participated in the Stone’s Trace Festival and a muster at Greenfield Village in Detroit. The only difference between playing a fife and a flute is you have to blow harder on a fife.</p><p> “It’s great that so many talented young people are joining the band. They’ve helped raise the performance level of the band and made it possible for us to tackle more challenging music.”<br> </p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/72759172023-09-19T21:54:44-04:002024-01-15T16:24:41-05:00Howard Lininger: Band's Eldest Musician is Proud to be a Member<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/d4a8c36a99b7713dc8aec634933156113a6821f5/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p><i><span><strong>Article by Vince LaBarbera</strong></span></i></p><p><span> Howard Lininger, the elder statesman of the Community Band, was born in 1930 -- the beginning of the Great Depression -- in Wesleyville, PA near Erie. When he was just a youngster, his mother obtained a Conn cornet from a cousin and insisted Howard was going to learn to play it.</span></p><p><span> “My first teacher was the high school band director, a woodwind major,” said Howard. “After listening to me and two other 11-year-olds trying to get a sound out of our instruments, he suggested we take private lessons.” However, they were less than successful. He quit his second teacher because he didn’t want to practice. After changing his mind and agreeing to resume practicing regularly, however, his instructor was killed in an auto accident. After one lesson, his third teacher died of a heart attack. Howard labels his fourth instructor as the best, but he chose church work over the music profession. </span></p><p><span> Howard has had opportunities to play in churches and youth camps in a trumpet trio, too. Beginning in 1949, he attended a bible college in St. Paul, MN where he received a diploma in theology. He also attended Crown College in Minneapolis and earned a degree in sacred music education. In addition, he received a music education degree from the University of Minnesota. He then performed in Europe with Youth for Christ and subsequently graduated with a master’s degree in music education from Indiana State University in 1976. </span></p><p><span> “When I returned to Minnesota from Europe, I met a young lady, Joan, a music major with a beautiful voice who was an excellent pianist and organist,” said Howard. “She also became a wonderful wife and mother, and we lived together for more than 69 years.” Joan died in May 2023. </span></p><p><span> Howard suffers from arthritis and needs assistance walking, but he doesn’t let it stop him from enjoying life, especially his music. </span></p><p><span> “I’ve been playing trumpet for more than 80 years,” said Howard. “And, as a school teaching musician, I was able to play all band instruments and some strings.” In 1957, the Liningers moved to Fort Wayne where he became a minister of music and served as the radio producer for several weekly broadcasts. “My interests changed,” he added, “and in 1963 I became the director of music programs for two merged schools in Huntington County for four years.” He served as an associate band director in the New Haven school system and the junior high band director for Village Woods Junior High School. Howard also assisted with the New Haven High School and Junior High bands and at several elementary schools. In 1978, he became the New Haven High School Band Director until his retirement in 1986. </span></p><p><span> In addition to music, Howard has enjoyed fishing and golf. He also challenged himself to learn how to paint pictures, and over the years he’s created several hundred works. </span></p><p><span> Howard joined the Community Band in 1985, and since there were some 19 trumpet players, he chose to play baritone initially on a borrowed school instrument. “I’m often asked how many of my former students have played in the Community Band over the years, and I would estimate nearly 40.” Since joining the Community Band, Howard has never missed playing a concert, both summer and winter, for 38 years until he had to miss a recent June 2023 concert at Foellinger Theatre while recovering from surgery. He added, “This year’s band musicianship will match or outperform any other music group in the city, and I am proud to be a member of it!” </span></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/72673192023-09-02T11:56:43-04:002023-09-02T11:58:01-04:00Trombonist Isaac Embree: From At-Large to In Charge<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/b390fc263801d5601c6730422c9e444e5cdee7c4/original/isaac-embree-003.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p><strong>Article by Rod King</strong></p><p>One can easily spot trombonist Isaac Embree at band rehearsals because he’s the one wearing a bow tie. In fact, he’s almost always the <i>only</i> one wearing a tie, period. It’s his personal fashion statement.</p><p>When it looked like nobody was going to take over the band presidency after Sally Hinkle-Teegarden would step down this year, Isaac stepped up. He was already a board member at large and band webmaster for the past four years. Fellow trombonist Josh Barkey has been appointed by the board as the new supervisor of the website and Facebook page.</p><p>“I’ll never forget how I ended up on the FWACB board of directors in the first place! Wayne McBride was directing the election and making a call for the nomination of at-large members. I had no intention of joining the board, but Gary Kantz spoke up and said ‘I nominate Isaac Embree.’ Wayne looked straight at me and asked if I would accept the nomination. All I could utter in my shock was ‘Uhhh…’ and before I could have a second thought, he said, ‘Congrats, you’re on the board!’”</p><p>“I’m really honored to now be president of this talented ensemble. We’ve got a really good team on the board and the band membership has a wonderful balance of experienced players and newcomers who are all bringing innovative ideas and musicality to the band.”</p><p>The Green Bay, Wisconsin native says he hopes that the influx of new players will also help broaden our audience base. His goal is to see interaction and partnerships with other musical organizations in the community in order to inspire people to continue playing their musical instruments. “The idea, of course, would be for them to join the Community Band!” he added with a smile.</p><p>Like most of the band members, Isaac began learning to play trombone in the fifth grade. He attended Blackhawk Christian Middle School and went on to play in the Blackhawk Christian High School concert and jazz bands. “Blackhawk didn’t have a marching band because the school was too small,” he said, “but Trine University did, and I’m glad I it joined it! It was a fun experience and challenged me both musically and physically.” Isaac earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Informatics from Trine in 2014 that enabled him to become a database administrator at MedPro Group here in Fort Wayne.</p><p>“The Community Band has been such a great stress reliever for me with all of the fun music that we get to play. It has also helped me become a better musician by stretching my musical skills. I like the technical works that we get to play during the fall/winter/spring concert seasons.</p><p>“I love this band and am proud to be part of it as a member and as its president.”</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/72164562023-05-26T23:13:06-04:002023-05-26T23:13:06-04:00Charter Member Kulpa Seeks to Let French Horns Shine<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/15a748e3ef7d6cc4a3e8fdfc7c5f8c44c5c23233/original/dan-kulpa-004.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><p><i><strong>Article by Rod King</strong></i></p><p> Dan Kulpa was one of the original 35 players who showed up at Neff Hall on the IPFW campus to play in a new start-up community band. Like the others in attendance, he answered an announcement in the Fort Wayne newspapers placed by professor William Schlacks. <span> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p> That was 43 years ago, and music means even more to him now. “I had been playing in the Magnavox Band, where I worked for about five years, but it was in the process of dissolving. So, the word about a new community band starting was really good news. I was seated third in the French horn section but moved into the section leader position not too long after that when the person who held that spot left the band. <o:p></o:p></p><p> “One thing I learned over the years as principal French horn player is that when you have a section full of really accomplished players, you give them the opportunity to shine whenever you can. So, my job is the make sure that the right personnel are on the right parts, so the band can get the most out of the section.<o:p></o:p></p><p> “I’m impressed with the fact that the band has attracted so many talented young people the last few years who are serious about playing. That’s probably why we’re able to tackle challenging music and why the quality of our performances is so good.”<o:p></o:p></p><p> Kulpa served as president of the band for 12 years, was its first treasurer, and did a couple years as an at-large member of the board. “Things were difficult in the early years because we had very little money and we survived pretty much on donations and selling advertising in our concert programs. We had to raise funds to buy chairs and stands and for a backdrop, which we used at the Scottish Rite Auditorium for many years. I think that the glue that has held us together all these years is our assistant conductors Susan Jehl and Dave Blackwell who conduct us during the summers, our graduation concerts, and other special performances.”<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> In addition to the Community Band, Kulpa has performed with the Community Orchestra for 25 years, the Auburn Community Band for a few years, the IPFW Wind Ensemble, and the Don Pearson Dance Band.</span></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/72126452023-05-20T14:26:27-04:002023-05-20T14:30:15-04:00Jordan Black: "It's Great to Just Simply Get to Play"<p><i><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/3e06ccd8271575c18e30217f10573213640f8b54/original/1683033019730blob.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" />Article by Vince LaBarbera</strong></i><br><span class="text-small"><i>Edited by Isaac Embree</i></span></p><p><span> Another one of the Community Band’s newest members is Jordan Black. He’s originally from a small town in southwestern Indiana called Freelandville – about 75 miles from Evansville – but has been living in Fort Wayne for the about two years. Black attended North Knox High School near his hometown and earned a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education from Indiana State University.</span></p><p><span> He began playing a cornet in sixth grade, an instrument his family borrowed from an uncle. After two years, he switched to trumpet and has played the instrument ever since. Black received training on every instrument while in music school, “but you wouldn’t want to hear me play much on anything other than brass and percussion instruments.”</span></p><p><span> Black has performed with many musical organizations. One of the most prominent ensembles was the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, which achieved a 10th place finish at the DCI World Championship in 2010. He was also invited to perform with Star United, a mini-corps that was formed by alumni of the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps. “We did compete in the Mini-Corps Championships that are part of DCA, and we won a championship in 2018, and achieved a second place in 2019,” he said.</span></p><p><span> Currently, Black works at Sweetwater Sound in Fort Wayne as Associate Category Manager of Band and Orchestra Merchandising. “That's a very long title that boils down to working as part of a team that determines what band and orchestra products Sweetwater will carry and sell,” he said. “My background being primarily a brass player helps to round out our team where the other three members are string, woodwind and percussion musicians. I get to see new products from manufacturers before the public does, and I get to play-test them as well. Sometimes it might be a new instrument stand, a new kind of mouthpiece or even new models of instruments," he added.</span></p><p><span> As to how he happened to join the Community Band, he said, “I've played with other community bands in college and since graduating. But when my schedule became less hectic last fall, I knew I wanted to get back to playing and simply went to Google to see if there was a community band in Fort Wayne. I enjoy being in the band because it's nice to get to make music with other people while not having to be on the podium,” he continued. “I was a band director for nearly 10 years before taking the position at Sweetwater. And while I do hope to get back on the podium someday, it's great to just simply get to play for now.”</span></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/72067362023-05-11T00:04:33-04:002023-05-20T14:22:12-04:00Bari Player Victoria Ricedorf Is One of a Kind<p><i><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/b04b081e6229f4535f29f769d379a4177a0e3557/original/band-members-008.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Article by Rod King</strong></i><br><span class="text-small"><i>Edited by Isaac Embree</i></span></p><p> Victoria Ricedorf literally stands in a class by herself among the ranks of the Community Band. She’s the only person who plays baritone (bari) saxophone!<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> </span>She purchased her beautiful silver-gray Cannonball bari in high school with the help of her parents. The decision was not an easy one, because she was also searching for a car. The musician in her won, however, and she got the bari.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> T</span>he Pennsylvania native came to Fort Wayne after earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at Lycoming College in 2020 and a Master’s Degree in Student Affairs at Slippery Rock University in 2022. She’s employed at the University of St. Francis, where she is Assistant Director of Student Engagement and is involved in residence life and student activities.<o:p></o:p></p><p> One of the first things she did when arriving in the Summit City was to do a Google search for community bands. “The first thing to pop up,” she said, “was the Fort Wayne Area Community Band. Music has been a big part of my life, since my music-teacher mom taught me the basics on piano at an early age, and I wanted to be able to continue playing here, as well.”<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> </span>In the fourth grade, Ricedorf took up clarinet. Alto saxophone was her main instrument in sixth grade, then it was tenor saxophone in high school. "When the jazz combo needed a bari player, I volunteered. I played in all the high school ensembles, competed in all the state and national music competitions, and even thought seriously about majoring in music in college. I decided against that, but did play in several college groups.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> </span>“I’ve been in the Community Band a year, and I’m glad I found It. It has been great, and some of the works we’ve been playing are things I played in competitions and at college. It also offers a good break from work.”<o:p></o:p></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/71996372023-04-29T15:17:03-04:002023-04-29T16:10:55-04:00Kelly Hornbarger: "I can't believe this is actually my 10th anniversary with the band!"<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/d2c1aa6200a44699bfe60bcebff8eb1311b188b5/original/kelly-star-trek-finals82-2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p><i><strong>Article by </strong></i><span style="color:rgb(29,34,40);"><i><strong>Vince LaBarbera</strong></i></span></p><p><span> Kelly Hornbarger is from Carlton, MI but has been living in Fort Wayne and playing with the Community Band as its principal flutist for 10 years. She attended </span><span style="color:rgb(29,34,40);">East Tennessee State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in music performance, and she earned a Master of Music Theory degree from Michigan State University. She began playing flute in fifth-grade band. She also plays piano, guitar, bass, and ukulele, as well as folk instruments such as the pennywhistle and ocarina. Kelly teaches flute at Manchester University. She also has her own home business performing online as an independent musician, under the username "The Nerdy Flutist." Kelly and her husband, Josh, are the parents of a five-year-old daughter, Amelia.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(29,34,40);"> “I have been performing online as ‘The Nerdy Flutist’ on platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, and other social media,” said Hornbarger. “Early on, I caught the attention of the Star Trek fan community -- of which I am a passionate member myself -- by performing Captain Picard's flute solo from <i>Star Trek: The Inner Light</i> by Jay Chattaway on social media.” She also arranged and performed that solo at a recent Community Band concert. Since then, she has made a group of friends and fans who share her love of Star Trek and other nerdy things, she added. Every week on Thursday night, she performs a show on Twitch called "A Little Nerdy Nightmusic," which features arrangements from Star Trek, Star Wars, Zelda, Final Fantasy and other sci-fi and fantasy covers.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(29,34,40);"> In August 2021, she made a video performing the <i>Star Trek: Voyager</i> theme in front of the new statue commemorating Captain Janeway in Bloomington, Indiana. This video caught the attention of the organization that built the statue, and they invited her to play for the event where Kate Mulgrew, the actress who played Captain Janeway, came to see the statue for the first time. In October 2022, Kelly opened for Kate's public appearance at the statue, playing for her favorite group of people: fellow Star Trek fans. “Not only that,” she added, “I got to meet Kate Mulgrew, play music for her, and then go out to dinner with her afterward. It was an absolute dream come true!”</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(29,34,40);"> Kelly is currently working on her first full-length album, which was recently fully funded on Kickstarter. “It will be an album of all Star Trek flute arrangements,” said Kelly, “ranging from flute quartet to flute solos with piano, and even a couple featuring the ‘Ressikan Flute’ from <i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i>." In addition, she said, “I am currently in the process of recording the album, titled <i>The Inner Light: Flute Music from the Final Frontier</i>, which should be out sometime this summer.”</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/40355d0a8f6f9d4f38612deeb1e5c6cec921ec2d/original/kelly-star-trek-finals142-2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/71934832023-04-19T22:44:28-04:002023-04-28T23:03:44-04:00Morris’s Harp Adds Special Touch To Star Wars Trilogy<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/9a71893daad14e341eec0742856536f17550a847/original/band-members-001.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><p><i><strong>Article by Rod King</strong></i><br><span class="text-small"><i>Edited by Isaac Embree</i></span></p><p> Music surrounded percussionist Leah Morris when she was growing up in Greenville, South Carolina. Her mom is a music teacher and her dad is a professional bus driver/music director for a church. She and her two siblings played instruments and sang when they all performed in churches up and down the east coast and as far away as Texas.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> </span>“Mom and dad taught me to play piano,” said Morris. “In fifth grade, I became a percussionist. In sixth grade, she enrolled me in my school’s harp program, and I practiced on a three-foot-high lever harp she found at a garage sale. By seventh grade, I was playing a full-size pedal harp.”<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> </span>She continued her music in high school, playing in both the band and orchestra. In college at Bob Jones University, she was in the band, symphony orchestra, harp ensemble, percussion ensemble and pit orchestra. After four years, she headed for Fort Wayne with a degree in mathematics education and a minor in music. She’s been teaching at South Side High School for the past five years and played in the pit orchestra when the school recently presented <i>The Music Man</i>.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> </span>Morris joined the percussion section of FWACB in 2019 and first played her harp when the band performed <i>Jurassic Park</i> that year. She’ll be adding the mellow tones of her harp to <i>Star Wars Trilogy</i>, which will be performed at the upcoming May 2 concert. “I realize that a harp is not generally part of a band,” she said, “but on occasion it’s called for in certain orchestrations and adds a nice touch.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span> </span>“I was really happy to learn about the Community Band when we moved here. It has enabled me to continue to participate in something that was such an important part of my life when I was growing up.”</p><p> <span>She and her husband, Chad, are expecting their first child in June. A girl!</span><o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/71855282023-04-06T22:29:49-04:002023-04-08T15:54:49-04:00Community Band Performing Galactic Concert May 2<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/514381/23d72260ffd598c05d7a2a611a264cfad26e6329/original/condustors-011.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">CONDUCTING THE BAND — Giving the Vulcan salute are conductor Dr. Scott Humphries and assistant conductor Susan Jehl, who will be directing the Fort Wayne Area Community Band’s Beyond the Stars concert May 2 at the John & Ruth Rhinehart Music Center on the Purdue Fort Wayne campus. Concert goers are encouraged to dress as their favorite sci-fi characters.</span></p><p><i><strong>Article by Rod King</strong></i><br><span class="text-small"><i>Featured in the April 2023 issue of Senior Life (</i></span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://issuu.com/thepapersinc/docs/sl-allen-april-2023?fr=sZWY4ODU0NDQ5MTk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><span class="text-small"><i><u>https://issuu.com/thepapersinc/docs/sl-allen-april-2023?fr=sZWY4ODU0NDQ5MTk</u></i></span></a><a rel="noreferrer"><span class="text-small"><u>)</u></span></a></p><p> The Fort Wayne Area Community Band’s May 2 concert is expected to have some outlandishly dressed individuals in its audience. Theme for the concert is Beyond the Stars and concert goers are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite sci-fi characters. Members of the band will also be in costume and there will be a parade of the costumed attendees.</p><p><span> </span>Music to be performed includes the <i>Star Wars Trilogy</i>, <i>Star Trek</i>, <i>Jupiter Hymn</i> and <i>Mars </i>from <i>The Planets</i>, <i>Legends of the Galaxy</i> fanfare, <i>Halo Theme</i> from <i>Video Games Live</i> and topping off with <i>When You Wish Upon a Star</i>! </p><p><span> </span>“With all this exciting space themed music, people in costume in the audience and on stage and a costume parade, this should be a really fun concert,” says conductor Dr. Scott Humphries. “Principle flutist Kelly Hombarger and principle percussionist Patrick Kruse actually came up with the space idea after our Super Hero concert before the pandemic and assistant conductor Susan Jehl and I were 100 percent for it. We began working on some of it back in January.</p><p><span> </span>“The music she and I chose is all very challenging. Everything we have been performing in concerts leading to this one has been building up to doing the orchestral version of the Star Wars Trilogy. The band has been on an upward trajectory since last September and has been getting better each week. We’ve been working on creating a warm, dark sound that is fitting for this music.</p><p><span> </span>“I will probably be in some sort of a costume,” says Humphries, “but it will have to be loose enough so I can direct the band without getting all tangled up,” he added. <span> </span></p><p><span> </span>Jehl, who will be conducting half of the program, says she listened to hours and hours of music early in the year to find just the right works that would fit the theme and appeal to the audience. “Our principal percussionist suggested one I had never heard that is from a space colony video game called <i>Halo Theme</i> from <i>Video Games Live</i>. It’s pretty cool and should be crowd pleaser. <i>Mars</i>, composed by Gustav Holst, is a real challenging piece.”</p><p><span> </span>Dr. Humphries, who has been principal conductor of the Community Band for the past eight years, serves as associate professor of music and director of bands and music education at Manchester University and teaches saxophone and clarinet. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in music education from Boston University.</p><p><span> </span>Jehl, who joined the Community Band in 1980, has been an assistant conductor nearly 40 years. “Tuesday has always been a favorite day for me because no matter what’s going on, I have band (Tuesday is rehearsal night) to look forward to. Whether I’m playing my clarinet or conducting the band, it’s the highlight of my week.” She’s retired from teaching music and directing bands in Fort Wayne since getting her Masters at Ball State University in 1988.</p><p><span> The galactic program will be staged at the John & Ruth Rhinehart Music Center on the Purdue Fort Wayne campus. Downbeat will be at 7:30 p.m. Adult tickets are $9, seniors $8 and persons under 18 are free. PFW students/faculty free with valid ID and non-Purdue students are $5.</span></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/71472362023-02-01T20:43:11-05:002023-02-01T20:43:11-05:00Equipment Manager Baker Sets Up FWACB For Success<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/424b20bf32af669fee7e53e456fd8f1de195481b/original/chaplin-and-kyle-007.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><strong><em>Article by Rod King</em></strong><br><em><span class="font_small">Edited by Isaac Embree</span></em></p>
<p> For those who don’t know, the person who makes sure the band room is set and ready for rehearsals every week is Kyle Baker. As equipment manager, he’s not only in charge of getting the stands and chairs in place and returning them to the storage room, but ordering replacements for damaged stands, chairs and percussion equipment. Kyle also sees to it that FWACB band chairs and stands don’t get mixed up with PFW’s equipment.</p>
<p> Kyle became equipment manager in 2018 after joining the band in 2016. He researched area ensembles and showed up with trombone in hand, only to find that the band was on its break after the Christmas concert!</p>
<p> Kyle started his musical career playing piano, inspired by his mother. He quickly learned that “you can’t march with a piano,” and he wanted to be in the Westview Junior/Senior High School band. He started playing trombone in junior high. The Westview marching band had just 40 members at the time.</p>
<p> When he joined the Purdue University Marching Band after graduating from Westview, he recalls Purdue's trombone section having more players than his entire high school band! He relished the experience and played in the 365-piece band throughout his time at West Lafayette while earning a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology.</p>
<p> Kyle came to Fort Wayne in 2016 to work at Indiana Michigan Power as a Grid Modernization Engineer. His instrument was in storage at first, because he really didn’t expect to be playing. “I’m glad I found the Community Band. It’s a great opportunity to continue my music, express my musicality, and vent off some steam after a day’s work. I especially enjoy socially interacting with other band members.</p>
<p> "My desk job has me sitting too long and makes me antsy for activity. So, Tuesday evening, I get a good cardio work-out at band lugging and lifting chairs and stands.” When not moving chairs and equipment, Kyle plays volleyball, runs, and rides his bike to keep in shape.</p>
<p> On weekends, you’ll find Kyle in his garage restoring/modifying a 1967 Mustang, which he hopes to have running by 2026 for the 100th anniversary of Route 66. To reflect his passion for his alma-mater, Kyle intends to paint it black and gold and drive it all the way from Chicago to L.A.</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/71211732022-12-10T23:36:25-05:002023-01-14T17:19:39-05:00Lynn Emrick: "My goal is to have fun and be challenged in a different way"<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/affa15ae4ae9a777efb8c811a85a1c6eb9778dba/original/lynn-emerick-005.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><strong><em>Article by Rod King</em></strong><br><em><span class="font_small">Edited by Isaac Embree</span></em></p>
<p> Being on the board of the Community Band has given flutist Lynn Emrick a greater appreciation of the organization. “Before Sally asked if I’d be interested in running for an at-large position, I didn’t realize just how much is involved in making an ensemble this size function smoothly.”</p>
<p> The Fort Wayne native, who was active in almost all of the Columbia City High School musical organizations, at one time had thoughts of being a music teacher. “I also thought I might become a lawyer, but I dropped that idea, too,” she said. Instead, she graduated from Indiana University Purdue University at Fort Wayne (IPFW) with two separate degrees from IU prior to its split from being a dual campus. While at IPFW, she participated in the symphonic and pep bands.</p>
<p> Lynn first heard the Community Band while attending her cousin’s graduation from the University of Saint Francis at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. "After that, I talked with my closest family members about the possibility of joining the local band. I Googled it and FWACB came up. I was a little apprehensive about my abilities, because I hadn’t played for about six years. Besides that, I have a carpal-tunnel problem in my left wrist that hampers me sometimes. In all honesty, I’m probably just a little lazy about playing."</p>
<p> It’s ironic that Lynn became so heavily involved in music and considered dedicating her life to teaching it, because she loathed her elementary music class at Harrison Hill Academy Elementary. However, she wanted to play the violin at that same age. When introduced to the recorder in the fourth grade in another school system, she really liked the idea of playing an instrument.</p>
<p> It was fate when middle school music teacher (and now fellow FWACB member), Stan Roth, made rounds to the fifth grades in the WCCS school system. “I made sure my parents knew my interest in playing an instrument and remember going to the school office to ask to call my mom at work to remind her of an appointment with Mr. Roth at Indian Springs.</p>
<p> “Switching school systems from FWCS to WCCS and learning to play the recorder opened a door for me that I didn’t look back from. I practiced a lot and set extremely high expectations for myself. It broke my heart to step away from music my senior year for my mental health and well-being. Now my goal is to have fun and be challenged in a different way.</p>
<p> “Tuesday’s band night and that’s the one night I can be selfish and do exactly what I want, in a way,” she added.</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/70802972022-10-12T22:27:46-04:002022-12-10T23:34:34-05:00Spencer Mohre: "I really love the band and making music for the community"<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/401b847a627caba9e7669c0dae6fba86d997b615/original/003.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><strong><em>Article by Rod King</em></strong><br><span class="font_small"><em>Edited by Isaac Embree</em></span></p>
<p> Tuba player Spencer Mohre joined the Fort Wayne Area Community Band when it resumed rehearsals in the parking garage at Purdue Fort Wayne in 2021. The pandemic was beginning to slow, but the university was not allowing large gatherings in its buildings, especially one with 90 members blowing germs all over the place!</p>
<p> “I remember that day,” says Mohre. “It was May 21, and I was carrying my horn, a chair, and my music stand from my car to the band set up on the second floor of the parking garage. It was kind of weird, but fun at the same time. Ron Reese in the percussion section had suggested I come out. I’ve known his family for a long time and his son, Adam, and I grew up together.</p>
<p> “I’m really glad I did. I don’t know what life would be without music. I really love the band and making music for the community. One of the high points of my short time [so far] in the band was performing <em>Basses on the Roof</em> at the July 12 Sousa Concert at Foellinger Theater."</p>
<p> Mohre started playing euphonium in sixth grade and switched to playing tuba in eighth grade. At DeKalb High School, he played in the marching and concert bands, as well as their jazz band (where he switched instruments again to bass trombone). He has also played in local honor bands, participated in state solo and ensemble competitions, and was a member of the Fort Wayne Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.</p>
<p> While studying for a degree in public relations at Western Michigan University, he performed in the school’s Symphonic Band, Campus Band, and a tuba quartet. After graduation, he moved to Fort Wayne to work at Credent Wealth Management.</p>
<p> Now, he’s a walking advertisement for the Community Band, encouraging others to dig out their instruments and make music. For those concerned about playing with a talented, long established group of musicians, he simply says, “It’s a good chance to get your fingers and lip back in shape, and it’s a lot of fun!”</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/70287032022-08-01T23:04:23-04:002022-11-03T21:37:47-04:00Flutist Debi Kennedy Related to Famous 18th Century Composer<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/7bbc19fc9958a5bcab35762001b79e916322a7b4/original/004.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong><em>Article by Rod King</em></strong><br><em><span class="font_small">Edited by Isaac Embree</span></em></p>
<p> Debi Kennedy, flute player in the Community Band, has a famous composer on her family tree. Johann Sebastian Bach is her sixth great uncle! Maybe that’s where she got her musical talent! Now she’s passing it along to her three children. Her oldest daughter played flute in high school, her son plays trombone, and her youngest daughter played clarinet.</p>
<p> Debi joined the Community Band in the spring of 1997, the same year she got married, and some of the band members played at the wedding in August. She took a break from the band in 2012 to attend Ivy Tech Community College and earn an associate degree in business administration.</p>
<p> “I really missed playing in the Community Band and the members after those 15 years,” said Debi. “That’s why I rejoined the band in 2018. Music has always been a part of my life. I started playing flute in the fourth grade, was in marching, jazz and concert bands, and the orchestra at Elmhurst High School. I played in the American Legion Band for about five years, sang in the Sweet Adeline Chorus, and played at my church.”</p>
<p> The Fort Wayne native has lived in New York City for nine years, worked at the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce for five years, and retired from Parkview Hospital after 20 years of service. Debi was recently elected to the Community Band’s board as an at-large member.</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/70083362022-07-05T22:27:16-04:002022-08-01T23:06:51-04:00Elva Resendez "Lovin’ Community Band"<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/5603cf6bed78d414aa48afb6a3be513971bda9dd/original/003.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong><em>Article by Rod King</em></strong><br><em><span class="font_small">Edited by Isaac Embree</span></em></p>
<p> Among the newest members of the Community Band is Texan flautist Dr. Elva Anne Resendez. She joined the band in 2021 and wants to let others know just how much fun it has been. “I even subbed in the percussion section on the bass drum for one number in a concert, got in touch with my percussion side, and made friends!” she said.</p>
<p> Dr. Resendez and her husband, Dan House, came to Warsaw, Indiana from Commerce, Texas in the middle of the pandemic in August of 2020 to take a position at Purdue Fort Wayne as visiting assistant professor of management. Her research area is organizational behavior and how it applies to the business world.</p>
<p> Though she hadn’t played in a band since graduating from high school, she continued to keep her flute skills active by playing in church groups and for weddings and funerals. The first thing she did when arriving at PFW was to join the university choir to meet people and make friends. The director, Dr. William Sauerland, told her about FWACB. She Googled it, and the rest is history. </p>
<p> Not one to be idle, Dr. Resendez is an EMT with Tri County Health Care Emergency Services and is a psychtech at Bowen Center Inpatient Hospital in Pierceton, Indiana. Asked about her one-hour drive from Warsaw to come to band rehearsals, she said, “In Texas, that’s nothing!” </p>
<p> Like most FWACB members, Dr. Resendez started playing flute in elementary school and participated in her high school marching, concert, and pep bands. She qualified for the Texas Class 1 solo and ensemble competition in her freshman through senior years. “I quit playing after graduation my senior year because of band politics.” </p>
<p> She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with honors, majoring in human resources management, English and Spanish and her MBA Degree specializing in International Business from Texas A&M University-Commerce. She earned her doctorate from the University of Texas at Tyler, Texas in human resources development and organizational development and change. Her 19-year-old daughter, Maria Celeste Resendez House, attends college at Texas Tech.</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/69873842022-06-05T22:04:27-04:002022-08-01T23:12:37-04:00Blackwell as Sousa in Upcoming FWACB Foellinger Concert<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/ab49d7991e3d6f35389d2dc456be2255111d943b/original/sousa-concert-july-2006-066.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><em><strong>Article by Rod King</strong><br><span class="font_small">Edited by Isaac Embree</span></em></p>
<p> Assistant conductor David Blackwell will take on the persona of the “March King” John Philip Sousa to direct the Community Band in concert on July 12 at Foellinger Theater in Franke Park. </p>
<p> Impersonating Sousa is not new for Blackwell. He first did it when he was band director at Wawasee High School in the 1980s, and he has performed as Sousa a half-dozen times with the Community Band, mostly at Foellinger Theater. “Like Sousa,” he says, “I like to put on a show. I’ll be dressed in a formal uniform with tails similar to that worn by him, and I’ll try to emulate his mannerisms and his directing style.” </p>
<p> The concert will be performed as Sousa did when he and his band toured the country between 1892 and 1931. Several works by other composers will be played, followed immediately without announcement by a march. During the march, a sign girl will carry a placard across the stage with the name of the march being played. </p>
<p> Blackwell became a Sousa fan at an early age listening to his dad’s 78-RPM Sousa albums. “By the time I was eight years old, I had several of them memorized. Dad used to tell me stories about going to Sousa concerts and taking drum lessons from Sousa’s drummer. That and my interest in music and playing in my high school and college bands led me to become a Sousa fan, too.” </p>
<p> Born in Marion, Indiana, Blackwell earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indiana University. He played in the Marching 100 and the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. He has been a member of the Community Band since 1986 and assistant conductor since 1992.</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/69500112022-04-16T21:17:39-04:002022-04-16T21:19:03-04:00Mike Blombach: Family, FWACB, and Flight <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/3d074e7486ed4dd4174f5d25710a62c6046e8580/original/005.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong><em>Article by Rod King</em></strong><br><em><span class="font_small">Edited by Isaac Embree</span></em></p>
<p> Mike Blombach is a three-passion guy! Passion number one is his wife, Annie, their four daughters (Aimee, Molly, Katie, Sarah), two sons (Tim, Joe), and their combined 18 grandchildren. Then, there’s playing his bass trombone in the Community Band. Finally, he enjoys flying his 1967 four-seat Comanche airplane he got when his children were students at Purdue University. </p>
<p> He recalls going to a week-long air show event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and taking his horn with him to play in a band made up of show attendees. “Eighty of us showed. We had a couple practices and put on a concert. There were junior high school kids and senior citizens in their 90s. Great fun!” </p>
<p> He joined the Community Band in 2008. “At that time, I think there were just two other trombonists, Everett Hardy and Don Cox. Now there are 14 of us,” said Blombach. “It’s a great section, and I like all the guys. We’re still a lot smaller than the flutes,” he added. </p>
<p> Like most everyone in the Band, Blombach started his musical career in the fifth grade. At Bishop Luers High School, he participated in the concert band, marching band, and a jazz group. “Dick Brown was the band director back then, and I took private lessons from Dick Hickman who was a member of this ensemble for many years. </p>
<p> “I guess I really wasn’t ready for college. So, after a year at University of Saint Francis, I went off to the U.S. Navy for four years, but did play in a couple of base bands during my service. When I got back, I became a student at IPFW where I got a degree in secondary education and taught physics and chemistry at New Haven High School for 30 years. I ended my teaching career a few years ago right here at PFW.” </p>
<p> While Blombach was working and helping raise a family, his horn stood forlornly in the corner of a closet until two years before joining the Community Band. “Trombone has always been my only instrument,” he says, “but my real musical claim to fame is that I played the piano at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago and the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. In both instances, I had only plunked out a few notes when a security guard said, ‘Sir, you can’t play that piano.’ My response was, 'I know, I’ve never had lessons.'”</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/69345832022-03-28T22:34:39-04:002023-01-14T17:19:39-05:00French Horn Player Zellman Rates Community Band High<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/391eed6031422adfa8779e522ed7db9714b4e79e/original/001.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><em><span class="font_small">French horn player Don Zellman has played in a lot of ensembles over the years and says FWACB compares favorably with all of them. "I’m glad I found the band when we moved here from Florida."</span></em></p>
<p><strong><em>Article by Rod King</em></strong><br><em><span class="font_small">Edited by Isaac Embree</span></em></p>
<p> Don Zellman, who joined the Community Band when it started rehearsing in the parking garage at Purdue Fort Wayne last year, says FWACB compares favorably with all of the musical organizations he has performed with over the past 30 years. </p>
<p> The Buffalo, New York native took up the French horn at age ten when he was in the fifth grade. He played in his high school's musical ensembles and at Erie Community College where he studied to become an optician. In addition, he studied music performance at the University of Buffalo. Then the U.S. Army intervened and sent him to Fort Dix, New Jersey. He left his horn at home. </p>
<p> After becoming a civilian again, he picked up the horn and auditioned to be in the American Legion Band of the Tonawandas. “They happened to need a French horn player at the time, so I got in and played with them for 10 years. They were really good because more than half of the group were music teachers. Every time we entered American Legion music competitions, we won,” he added. </p>
<p> He and his wife, Mimi, moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they resided for 18 years. While there, he played in the Charlotte Concert Band, the Matthew Town Band, the Charlotte Civic Orchestra and the Bowers Wind Quintet. Their next move was to Boynton Beach, Florida. He and his horn became a fixture in the Gold Coast Band and the Florida Intergenerational Orchestra. “I thought that might be the place I would retire,” he said, “but COVID-19 closed down everything, including the clinics where I was working. </p>
<p> “So, we decided to come to Fort Wayne to be close to our daughter. And, of course, I got on the Internet and found the Community Band. I’m glad I did! My first concert with the Band was at Foellinger Theatre last August, and I was really impressed with that venue. </p>
<p> “I haven’t yet reached retirement, but I’m a little closer. I’m working part time at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital, so I guess I’m officially semi-retired.”</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/68998422022-02-16T22:49:15-05:002022-02-16T23:13:23-05:00Nancy Gossett: Volunteering As A Way of Life<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/4d7026058cb70f7a9570a2b2ee086b041f7e757e/original/1643393913183blob.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="font_small"><em>WARMING UP – Nancy Gossett warms up her clarinet prior to a weekly rehearsal of the Fort Wayne Area Community Band.</em></span></p>
<p><strong><em>Article by Vince LaBarbera</em></strong></p>
<p> Volunteering gives a way to make a difference in the lives of others and in your own life. </p>
<p> Meet Nancy Gossett, a person who willingly dedicates her time to help improve lives in support of church and community. For 12 years Gossett has volunteered at the Lifehouse Forest Park Food Pantry, 2100 Kentucky Avenue, Fort Wayne. What began in a small room in 2005 with just a few volunteers has evolved into nine rooms and a workforce of 22 helpers serving upwards of 60 families weekly. </p>
<p> Gossett helps behind the scenes on Saturdays, filling sacks with food items from Community Harvest Food Bank and placing the donations in grocery carts that are wheeled by other volunteers for curbside pickup. The free food facility is open from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays. </p>
<p> “I was taught to do for others,” said Gossett who originally is from Richmond, IN. “That means helping others whenever I can,” she related. It includes many opportunities at church from loading trucks for recycling, funeral dinners, church functions, festivals and other events. Gossett also makes blankets and has served in the workshop for Project Linus, a local non-profit organization, providing new handmade blankets to children in need. </p>
<p> There are many ways one can volunteer. Sometimes it begins as a hobby as is the case with Gossett. By fourth grade she developed an interest in playing the clarinet due mainly to the influence of a girl two years older who played the instrument well. With continued practice, others recognized she, too, was talented on the clarinet. Gossett joined the band and orchestra in both middle school and high school. </p>
<p> Gossett moved to Fort Wayne in 1974 and landed a job as well as a career with Parkview Health System where she remained one week short of 37 years. After retiring, she volunteered at Parkview wherever she was needed. </p>
<p> Five years after she moved to the Summit City, two friends who had played in high-school band with her insisted she attend a rehearsal at IPFW (Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne) the next Tuesday evening. That get-together of some 37 former high school and college musicians in November 1979, was the beginning of the Fort Wayne Area Community Band (FWACB) currently observing 42 years since its founding. Gossett is one of eight charter members of the musical organization. And, since the definition of a volunteer is a person who donates his/her time or efforts without being paid, Gossett can be considered a volunteer there as well giving freely of her time and talent for rehearsals and concerts for the enjoyment of the northeast Indiana community. </p>
<p> Gossett volunteers within the FWACB, too, assisting the Band’s music librarian making copies for nearly 70 musicians and serves as the librarian for the clarinet section.</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/68802342022-01-26T15:53:00-05:002022-03-28T22:36:25-04:00Andrew Thomas Alone in a Sea of Female Flutists<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/bed580f541fd9cc967941dbbde7f68ac5baad178/original/002-cropped.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong><em>Article by Rod King</em></strong><br><span class="font_small"><em>Edited by Isaac Embree</em></span></p>
<p> Flutist Andrew Thomas has always been surrounded by women. He's the only male flute player in FWACB's 18-member flute section. He was the only one in his junior high school band and his high school band, as well. However, it's a fact nobody has ever heard him complain about.</p>
<p> Thomas didn't live in the United States until he was 18 years old. He was born in Germany on an American military base where his father was a teacher. He was also stationed with his parents on bases in Japan. During high school in Germany, he played flute in the concert band and alto saxophone in the jazz band.</p>
<p> Thomas and his wife, Cameo, came to Fort Wayne in 2013 after completing law school at Indiana University. She heard about the Fort Wayne Area Community Band while attending classes at IPFW. He looked up the band on the internet and became a member in 2015. "There was another man who joined the flute section a couple years ago, but he's apparently moved on. I'm happy to have found the band and really enjoy making music again in a group like this," said Thomas.</p>
<p> Thomas is a legal aid attorney with Indiana Legal Services, where he practices housing law. He helps his clients avoid eviction from their apartments and homes.</p>
<p> The Thomas' have two four-year-old sons and are foster parents to a seven-year-old daughter.</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/68399812021-12-13T23:07:37-05:002022-03-28T22:37:20-04:00Saxophonist Hank Lehrer Had Music, Aviation Careers<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/b2f13cb39b78d4dae7f686093ad493d9f6def04c/original/006.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><em><strong>Article by Rod King</strong><br><span class="font_small">Edited by Isaac Embree</span></em></p>
<p> Hank Lehrer, the newest member of the Fort Wayne Area Community Band’s saxophone section, comes to the ensemble with a long and impressive musical pedigree. He was a high school band director for 18 years in Ohio, and is principle bass clarinetist in the Ann Arbor, Michigan, Concert Band. He performed in his college band and in bands while serving in the U.S. Army. </p>
<p> Like most members of our Community Band, Lehrer began playing an instrument (clarinet) at age 12 in his home town of Sandusky, Ohio. He switched to alto saxophone in eighth grade and then to tenor sax in high school. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at Ohio University, where he was a member of the band and symphony. He followed that by getting a Master’s Degree in Secondary School Administration at Kent State University and then a Ph.D in Higher Education Administration at Bowling Green State University. </p>
<p> Over the years, Lehrer has played in numerous chamber music groups, pit orchestras, jazz combos, big bands and community bands. On his experience with other bands and finding FWACB, he says, “Some of the community bands were pretty good and some were not. I was searching the internet to find a band when I came across the Fort Wayne Area Community Band. I thought I’d give it a try and I’m really happy I did because this organization is outstanding, the music is challenging and the players are talented. My wife, Lynne, calls me a musical snob because I won’t play with just anyone.” </p>
<p> So now, Lehrer drives to Ann Arbor every Monday evening from his home in Perrysburg, Ohio (which is located just south of Toledo), and he heads to the Summit City for rehearsals with FWACB on Tuesday nights. “Music has really been good to me,” he says, “and I plan to continue playing until my eyes are so weak I can’t read the music, my hearing is so bad that I can’t follow the beat and my fingers won’t work the keys fast enough to keep up with the band.” </p>
<p> Lehrer's other love is aviation. He learned to fly on the G.I. Bill, became a flight instructor and helped start the aviation program at Bowling Green State University, where he was assistant professor and chief flight instructor. From there, he went to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and then to the University of Nebraska to teach aviation. He was editor of several aviation journals and still holds a valid flight instructor license. Lehrer closed a 52-year career in education (music and aviation) at Purdue University.</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/68122052021-11-16T23:38:45-05:002022-03-28T22:38:11-04:00Flutist Janet Garver Returns to Band After 33 Years Away<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/33bd5e7061467fcbe0eb85feb04cb2711dd375ef/original/1479.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><em><strong>Article by Rod King</strong></em></p>
<p>Thirty-three years ago, Janet Garver left the Fort Wayne Area Community Band, put her flute in a closet, taught special needs children for 25 years and raised a family In LaGrange. In September, she returned to the Band and is happy to be playing again. </p>
<p>“I hadn’t touched my instrument all those years until I saw that the Community Band was starting up again in June after being dormant for a year-and-a-half because of the pandemic. I contacted some old friends from when I was in the band from 1981 to 1988, followed it on the Internet and decided to get my flute repaired and start practicing in July. </p>
<p>“It came back slowly at first, but I worked really hard because my goal was to get back by September. When I saw the music at the first rehearsal, I wondered if I was really ready. My hard work had paid off. I was ready. Everyone has been very welcoming and returning to the Band has been a wonderful experience. It means a lot to me to be playing again. </p>
<p>“I joined just two years after Dr. Bill Schlacks founded the band in 1979. There were only 40 to 50 members then. We were pretty good, but there’s no comparison with the quality of the Band now. It’s really exceptional! Everyone’s a musician.”</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/66513942021-06-06T22:33:46-04:002022-02-10T22:14:01-05:00‘There’s Music in the Air’<p><strong><em>Article by Vince LaBarbera </em></strong></p>
<p> You probably didn’t realize it but Tuesday, May 18, 2021, was a very special day in Fort Wayne for many musicians. At 7:30 p.m. that evening, members of the Fort Wayne Area Community Band (FWACB) gathered for the first time in about 413 days for a rehearsal! </p>
<p> The last concert the Band played was on March 3, 2020, at The John and Ruth Rhinehart Music Center’s Auer Performance Hall on the campus of Purdue University, Fort Wayne (PFW). The concert, titled “Art of the Dance,” was an ongoing celebration of the band’s 40th anniversary year which officially began in 2019 on Nov. 29 and included a special pre-anniversary concert on Oct. 22, 2019. </p>
<p> One week after the March 3 concert FWACB members gathered on March 10 in the Auer Performance Hall band room to begin rehearing for the next concert on May 5, 2020. In addition, the band was in the process of scheduling guest artists for all of its concerts in 2020 as well as commissioning a new piece by Anthony O’Toole, in hindsight appropriately titled “The Crossroads,” to be performed on its Oct. 27, 2020, concert in commemoration of the 40th anniversary year. </p>
<p> All music was muted after that March 10 rehearsal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were told that, hopefully, the cancellation would not last too long and we would be able to assemble again to resume rehearsals and maintain our concert schedule. But, no matter how well you plan, there’s no guarantee of success, especially during a pandemic. I had a funny feeling at that last rehearsal. I looked around at everyone in the band and thought, “I'm not going to see these people for a very long time!” </p>
<p> Being a musician is not a job. It’s something you live for. We all missed the human connection, not only between each other but between the band and our audience.</p>
<p> The recent May 18 rehearsal definitely was a day the music started again. But it was a bit unusual. The rehearsal did not take place in the Auer band room as the final practice did on March 10, 2020. Due to remaining COVID-19 restrictions by PFW, the practice was held on the third-floor level of the Rhinehart Center Parking Garage. Musicians were asked to wear a mask, bring a chair, a music stand, a battery-powered light and wind clips. Oh, and one more thing: their instrument!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/3aacbfcaf7f7ebc8750f22b47287c2209af2185a/original/music-in-the-air-inset-pic.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> We even had a make-shift audience as curious students and faculty were drawn to the sound of 67 instruments blowing in the wind of the parking garage. That’s two thirds of the former 90-piece ensemble. It was great to see many familiar faces again and even seven new ones. Several musicians had lost weight and others were sporting a new hairdo: grey! And, we sounded pretty good despite some cobwebs on instruments that hadn’t been played for 15 months. But many dedicated musicians had continued practicing during the absence. They helped cover up any sour notes emitted from those whose tender lips were out of shape or who had forgotten the fingering for a couple of sharps or flats in the music. </p>
<p> The first piece we practiced appropriately was titled, “Sweet Sunset,” as the sun began to descend outside the campus parking garage. </p>
<p> “I can’t wait to be playing again,” said Sally Hinkle-Teegarden, FWACB president, prior to the rehearsal. Associate Conductors David Blackwell and Susan Jehl both were there to again lead the band in the summer. “It feels like we’re starting all over again for the first time,” Jehl exclaimed. </p>
<p> “Tuesday night has been 'band night' for 40 years,” added Rod King who is a charter member and plays tenor saxophone. “So, when this whole thing hit, it took a while to get used to staying home instead of going to rehearsal. It's great to be back playing and good to see band members again.” </p>
<p> As a charter member, past president and co-announcer of the band, there was no way I was going to miss that rehearsal! I was really anxious to finally take my trumpet out of its case and begin playing in an ensemble again. Practicing scales, exercises, long tones and arpeggios at home is not the same as playing together with other musicians, even if it’s just in a parking garage! </p>
<p> What are arpeggios? Ask your teenager or grandchild that question and listen to what he or she has to say. But before they can consult their cell phone you can impress him or her by replying, “Arpeggios are the production of the tones of a chord in succession and not simultaneously.” </p>
<p> The practice and those that follow weekly have a purpose as we attempt to bounce back and launch forward. Two concerts are scheduled this summer at Foellinger Theatre in Franke Park. They are “Together Again” on Tuesday, July 13, and “Music for a Summer Night” on August 10. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m., are free and open to the public. The band also is scheduled to perform on Saturday, July 17, at 8:00 p.m. at Friemann Square both before and during the closing fireworks of the annual Three Rivers Festival. </p>
<p> <em>“There's Music in the Air, it makes the sorrow go. Let the Music take you there, far from the world you know.”</em> (Artist: Letta Mbulu)</p>Fort Wayne Area Community Bandtag:fwacb.org,2005:Post/66429742021-05-28T18:51:32-04:002022-01-26T11:12:54-05:00Community Band Rehearsing For Two Summer Concerts<p><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/22b9002e38dd6ef3fca69d3ce51c0ff1170edfdc/original/015.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="font_small">Assistant director Susan Jehl leads the Fort Wayne Area Community Band in playing West Side Story at its first rehearsal since COVID-19 shut it down 14 months ago. The rehearsal was held Tuesday, May 18 on level number three of the Purdue Fort Wayne parking garage #3.</span></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Article by Rod King</strong></em></p>
<p> After almost a year-and-a-half without rehearsals or concerts, the Fort Wayne Area Community Band reassembled Tuesday, May 18 to begin preparing for two concerts at Foellinger Theater this summer. Theme for the July 13 concert will be <em>Together Again</em> and the August 10 concert will be <em>Music for a Summer Evening</em>. </p>
<p> Rehearsing for the two concerts was completely different from what members were used to. For the past 40 years the band has practiced in the Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW) rehearsal hall and is considered an ensemble in residence. COVID-19 social distancing restrictions enforced by the university only allows for 25 to 30 musicians to be in the room at one time which pretty much excludes the Community Band from using it because it has more than 90 members. </p>
<p> The band’s first rehearsal since being furloughed was held Tuesday, May 18 on the third level of Parking Garage #3 across from the entrance to the John & Ruth Rhinehart Music Center on the PFW campus where the band performs its winter concert series. Players, who in the past showed up at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday to a room that was already arranged with chairs and stands, now had to bring their own stand, stand light and chair in addition to their instrument. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/a2d44cebb253f2eb54c766b0bfec5d462442f475/original/024.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><em><span class="font_small">Conductors David Blackwell and Sue Jehl will share directing duties at the Fort Wayne Area Community Band’s July 13 concert at Foellinger Theater.</span></em></p>
<p> The rehearsal area in the garage was marked off with yellow crime scene tape and birds occasionally swooped through the garage to add more excitement. Cement floor, ceiling and support posts made the sound bounce wildly, but as conductors Susan Jehl and David Blackwell said “it sounded great and it was wonderful to have so many band members at the rehearsal. We chose some music we have played before and some new, fun pieces. They really sounded good.” </p>
<p> Band President Sally Hinkle-Teegarden said that “everyone was very excited to get back to making music and were agreeable with the new conditions, though they are not ideal by any stretch of the imagination. Sixty-seven of our 90+ members showed up for the first rehearsal. Some members are still not ready to be part of a crowd, some moved away, some have job conflicts and a few have retired. However we did have seven new musicians come. Masks were required from their parking space to the rehearsal set-up and social distancing was achieved by placing chairs three feet apart and six feet between rows. The parking garage is covered so rain will not be a problem, but wind, lightening and cold weather could cause rehearsal cancellations. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/fb0f0a84a4efe2f4530a49fb18495363f6139c01/original/017.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="font_small"><em>Band president Sally Hinkle-Teegarden said everyone was excited to get back to making music. Sixty-seven of the band’s more than 90 members showed up for the first rehearsal in 14 months.</em></span></p>
<p> “It has been a frustrating time to be president of a musical organization that has no place to rehearse and no concerts to perform,” says Hinkle-Teegarden. We investigated other rehearsal venues, but with the average age of our group which is around 65, most were not willing to take a chance of being exposed to the virus so we just suspended operation. I was able to play with some small groups during the past year and I know of others who also performed. Some members practiced during that time, but some didn’t touch their instrument until the first practice. The board did, however, keep in touch through Zoom meetings and we also communicated with band members via e-mail. During that time our tech person, Isaac Embree, totally revamped our website (FWACB.org) by making it more comprehensive and more user-friendly. </p>
<p> Trumpeter and charter member, Vince LaBarbera, said ‘It really is great to be back playing again. I had a funny feeling at our last rehearsal way back on March 10, 2020 when our conductors told us we’d have to take some time off due to the COVID-19 virus. I looked around at everyone in the Band and thought to myself, I’m not going to see these people for a very long time.” </p>
<p> Principal clarinetist Jan Gidley said she “can’t believe it’s been 14 months since we’ve been together! We sounded a little rusty at the first rehearsal, but hopefully it won’t take too long to get back in shape. I think the garage will be OK for the summer as long as it isn’t too hot, but I hope that we can return to the rehearsal room in the fall even if it means instrument covers for everyone. I actually watched some new TV shows on Tuesday night that I had never seen before. It will be interesting for sure!” </p>
<p> “I’m so excited to be able to make music again,” said flautist Donna Haywood. “I hope this will lead to getting back to normal.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/514381/d450d5e38e42b049303c9b9154b69d253b832be3/original/026.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="font_small"><em>Loaded down with his tuba, music folder, chair and stand is Spencer Mohr who was attending his first rehearsal with the Fort Wayne Area Community Band. Six other new players attended the band’s rehearsal in the Purdue Fort Wayne parking garage #3 last Tuesday.</em></span></p>Fort Wayne Area Community Band