The Batavia Concert Band’s 85th anniversary season of music-making and free public concerts begins June 24 in Batavia’s Centennial Park. Additional concerts and parades will feature the Band at other locations and times, including Batavia’s popular July 4 Picnic In The Park and Trigon Park in LeRoy.
The Batavia Concert Band’s repertoire is wide-ranging in origin, period and style: Sousa-style marches, Broadway show tunes, classical adaptations, fun songs for kids of all ages, big-band and swing numbers, popular songs from hit musicals and movies, rock favorites arranged for concert band… and everything in between.
Remember when family entertainment was participatory? The family was together… physically, not “virtually?” No TV, no cable, no internet, no cell phones, no texting, no IMing, no MP3 players, no Facebook or Twitter? When LIVE music was the center of community entertainment, celebration and leisure time?
Such was Batavia New York in 1924, when Angelo Colarusso arrived to form the Batavia Boys' Concert Band. Colarusso had earned medals and wide recognition in Europe and America as a conductor and baritone horn player.
In those first Batavia boys-only bands, Colarusso was both conductor and instrumental instructor, for which he charged the proud boys’ families the princely sum of $3 per month.
2009 Board of Directors
Ann Arent has been a board member for 4 years. She has worked for 31 years at UMMC and is also active in Resurrection Parish as treasurer of Sodality, a sacristan, and choir member. She and husband John live in Batavia and have two daughters. In her spare time Ann loves to cross-stitch.
Pam Frisby has served as Chair of the Board of Directors for five years. She is Payroll Supervisor for Keeler Construction in Albion, a lifelong Batavia resident, mother of two and proud grandmother of one. Pam was a member of the Elba Elegants, Quota International of Batavia, and is a tour guide at Genesee Country Village and Museum for Civil War, Halloween and Yuletide. Her hobbies include dog grooming, scrapbooking, gardening and banjo lessons.
The Batavia Concert Band would like to thank our 2009 patrons. Their support was vital to making the 2009 season happen!
Tuba Over $150
Josh Pacino
The Pacino Family
Bob Knipe
Harold & Nan Nesbitt
Charlotte Greening
Euphonium $100-$149.99
Rick Partise
Dave Scherff
Loy Ellen Gross
John & Mary Hodgins
Saxophone $50-$99.99
Rose Squires
Jeannette Morley
Fran Woodworth
Dan MacIsaac
Mr. & Mrs. Ralph D. Worthington, Sr.
Trumpet $35-$49.99
Dean Arnold
Sarah Hulme
Rick Dunn
Trombone $20-$34.99
Jill Arent
John & Ann Arent
Catherine K. Roth
Marilyn Pastecki
Norma Sawdey
Fran & Carol Guppenberger
Diana Martino
Patricia Phillips
Clarinet $10-$19.99
Harold L. Milward
Eleanor V. Eldridge
Bob & Anya Pastecki
Sara Jones
Piccolo Up to $10
Pete Mark
The Batavia Concert Band will play on the main stage in the Batavia City Centre, as the kickoff act for this year’s Christmas In The City event.
The Batavia Concert Band is announcing the winners of their “Taste of Western New York” restaurant gift certificate raffle. The winners pick from a grab bag of mostly donated gift certificates from restaurants in the Western New York area.
First Place: Jim Griggs won 12 gift certificates.
Second Place: Ronald Vanderlaan won 10 gift certificates.
Third Place: Sue Fay Allen won 8 certificates.
Fourth place: Crystal Crossett won 4 certificates.
Finance Director Bob Pastecki presented the winners with their gift certificates.
This raffle is the main fundraiser the Batavia Concert Band does each year. The band performs free concerts over the summer on Wednesday nights at 7pm in Centennial Park. The funds raised by the raffle go towards offsetting the cost of the concerts.
Dizzy plays Centennial Park at the final Concert in the Park on August 13, 2008. Dizzy is:
- Derek Reiss (trumpet/flugelhorn)
- Dan DeLuca (guitar)
- Pete Mark (bass)
- Bob Chaplin (drums)
The Batavia Concert Band congratulates Albion graduate David Hollenbeck, the winner of this year's Batavia Concert Band Scholarship. This $250 scholarship is awarded yearly to graduating students preparing to pursue a college degree in a music-related field. The scholarship is funded by snack sales at Batavia Concert Band performances, and is awarded based on applications submitted by students.
Mr. Hollenbeck, who has played with the Batavia Concert Band since the 2007 season, is an accomplished tuba, bass trombone, baritone and trumpet player. He has played in the 2007 NYSSMA Conference All State Symphonic Band, 2007 Zone 2 Area All State Orchestra, and was named co-best jazz soloist at the 2008 Batavia Pageant of Bands. He is currently pursuing a Music Education degree at SUNY Fredonia.
New players are always welcome! The Batavia Concert Band provides a challenging performance opportunity for individuals who wish to preserve their technical musicianship, and participate in a quality musical group. Members are expected to purchase an official band shirt and participate in fundraising efforts as well as rehearsals and performances.
Player Participation Agreements are mailed in April/May for the summer concert season and must be returned by the date stipulated in order to be scheduled as an official band member. Anyone wishing to play after the deadline has passed may be allowed to volunteer if all other guidelines have been met.
The band incurs many costs throughout the concert season, including purchase of new music, maintenance costs on the existing music library, setup for concert sites, printing programs and posters, liability insurance (yes, we need it) and more!
If you enjoy Batavia Concert Band's performances, consider spreading your enjoyment to others by becoming a Batavia Concert Band patron.
PATRONS are individuals, families or other groups who contribute unrestricted financial gifts toward the operating costs of the Band.
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