Keep On Growing: Building and Maintaining a Community Band
by: John Otis
The previous practice site they had scouted would have been perfect for a budding New Horizons Band, if not for the heavily trafficked highway that separated the Art Education Center from its parking lot.
Bill Callen, 62, and Ed Nuccio, 70, co-founders of the Colorado Springs, Colorado, New Horizons Band knew the mostly retirement-age band members would not be suited for a mad dash with heavy instruments across a busy main road.
Big Enough?
The duo had been location hunting for roughly four months, but instead of a place to practice, they only found frustration. Some sites demanded exorbitant rent, while others couldn’t guarantee use of the space on a consistent basis. Salvation finally came from the local First Lutheran Church, where Nuccio and his wife Mary—a fellow band co-founder—attended services.
“The church site was perfect,” explains Callen. “It was big enough, it had easy access, it had plenty of parking, and it was centrally located given that we have people who drive from all over.” And best of all: the church didn’t charge the band to use its property, which included the church’s choir room and the first floor of the nearby Parish House. As a show of thanks, the band donates to the church every year.
Callen and Nuccio’s search is a shining example of how essential finding the right location is to the success of a band. Anyone looking to start a community band of any type can learn from their example. They found hosts that not only let them to set up shop on site but also allowed band members to store their instruments, sheet music, and other accessories between practices—and all without digging too deep into the budget.
With a settled, hassle-free location, the Colorado Springs band found it easy to attract members. Word of mouth quickly traveled throughout the community as musicians told their friends about the joys of playing in the band. In fact, so many new members joined the band that before long, neither the spacious church nor the Parish House were the perfect fits they once were.
Roy Ernst, founder of the first New Horizons Band in Rochester, New York, offers some simple advice for other community bands. “You need to find a rehearsal space that is comfortable for people,” he says. But be conscious of the possibility of growth early on, continues Ernst, and perhaps shop for a space that is bigger than your initial needs. “If you do get up to a certain number of people, when you get a lot of players, it becomes very difficult for everyone within the group to hear even basic instructions. It just becomes less enjoyable to play.”
Divide and Conquer
Outgrowing a rehearsal space is not an uncommon problem. Other community bands have already dealt with this problem and figured out what to do when their size hit critical mass.
Peter Ford, of Ontario, Canada, started his band in 2002. Again, the band grew very quickly, leaving Ford with some decisions to make. “When we got to 75 people, I divided the band,” Ford explains. He said that splitting membership into smaller groups was an incredibly effective way to handle growth. Since he was an orchestral player, he says he prefers the “smaller numbers” anyway.
Actually, his band became so popular that he’s had to divide it more than once. “When groups hit 80, I divide them. I say you go here, and you go there, and it’s worked well.” Now his New Horizons operation has grown to include an impressive three bands and 10 ensembles.
“The first step when separating is to make sure that there is a band for beginners and that classes for beginners are offered on a regular basis,” advises Ernst. “People who are starting out will be with other people like them. The instruction will be tailored for them. Then as the numbers get larger, it’s possible to add another level, and to have an intermediate and an advanced band.”
The Colorado Springs band currently exceeds 150 people. The problems this band’s growth has created, although nice problems to have, nevertheless illustrate that separating this band was a “must.”
For one thing, it had become difficult for the players who meet in the Parish House to cram into the long, rectangular living room to rehearse. Furthermore, being able to actually see the baton became a problem. So Callen and Nuccio divided the band into six large ensembles and several smaller groups. Because they gather in different shifts, they can still use their church practice location.
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Task Masters
But having multiple bands can also multiply the responsibilities of those in charge. “The downside is difficulty of scheduling,” admits Ford. But since he is retired, Ford has some extra freedom and flexibility, as do many—but not all—of his band members.
As community bands grow they need to also attract more leaders, conductors, and teachers. “It’s important the instructors have a teaching load that’s pleasant for them, not a burden,” Ernst adds. “In order to expand the program, it becomes necessary to involve more teachers. In fact, increasing the number of teachers as the group expands is key.”
Another key is making sure that those in charge are truly dedicated to the band, and that they will provide the proper level of leadership. Nuccio and Callen are both retired band conductors, music and leadership are in their blood, so there’s no question that they—and others driven by the same values as them—are up to the task.
And it is a daunting one. Even though duties have been divided, Nuccio says that he still puts in a lot of time in order to successfully steer his ship. “You have to commit to this fully in order to have a worthy program,” he says.
But, all the work does pay off: “Our people love band!” Callen enthuses. “They rarely miss it!” He then tells a story about how one member of the band had to undergo surgery to implant a pacemaker. But he was back at New Horizons the next week.
“It’s a perfect activity,” Ernst concludes. “It offers a challenge, it offers opportunity for accomplishment, it’s mentally and physically stimulating, and it develops great friendships among people so people have friends and work on things together.”
