(Logo by Martin Krebs of York, PA)
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"Tuning up for a big anniversary"
EYANA ADAH MCMILLAN, The York Dispatch
The Spring Garden Band celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Kate Olsen, a senior at Red Lion High School plays oboe with the band which practices weekly at DremWrights Youth & Family Theatre. Though he's been with the band for more than a decade, Jeff Shaull has a good idea of what's keeping the Spring Garden Band going after 150 years."We have such good players presenting quality music," said Shaull, who directs the band. "We have high-caliber musicians in this group." The 72-member band is now preparing for its 150th Anniversary Concert April 10 at the Strand-Capital Performing Arts Center in downtown York. The band was organized in 1855 as the Spring Garden Silver Cornet Band, which became the official musical organization of the 87th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, during the Civil War. The music unit also was attached to the Union Army that guarded the Northern Central Railroad near Cockeysville and transferred to sites near Baltimore and in West Virginia. The band's name was changed to its present name in the early 1890s, after band members disbanded and gave their instruments to the Spring Garden Junior Band, which had formed in 1891. The junior musicians had developed under the training of the Spring Garden Silver Cornet Band. Today, Spring Garden Band -- one of the oldest continuously active bands in the United States -- performs several times a year, presenting an annual series of summer park concerts and winter and spring concerts. Duet a high point: Band member Alice-Marie Boustead of Spring Garden Township said she experienced one of the best moments of her life during the winter concert last month. She shared the stage with her 81-year-old father, Richard Shue, as they played a bassoon duet, "Here I Sit in the Deep Cellar," a tribute to the instrument's deep, low sound. Shue, a band member since 1953, taught her how to play the instrument. Then he encouraged her to join the band, which she did in 1966 at age 15. "It's been good for the relationship," Boustead said. "It's been one of the greatest treasures of my life for us to do the duet together. I was so proud of him, to see him on stage playing in front of people. And he did so well." Shue responded to his daughter's comments by saying "Double for me. I'm proud of her, too." He said he's stayed with the band over the years because he enjoys playing with his fellow musicians, some of whom have been with the band for close to 60 years. Also, the band gave him an opportunity to take his bassoon skills to another level. "I had taken bassoon lessons, and I was looking for a new musical horizon and I found it with the band," said Shue. "I want to see the band keep going so that the younger players can have the enjoyment that I've had all these years." High school member im pressed: Having played only two years with Spring Garden Band, 18-year-old Kate Olsen, who plays oboe, said she is impressed by the skills, dedication and discipline of the older band members. Olsen is a senior at Red Lion Area Senior High School and plays oboe in its band. She said she her school's band leader brought her to Spring Garden Band, which needed an oboe player. "It's been a lot of fun," she said. "It's nice to play with the others and perform challenge music. When we do the concerts, people seem to enjoy it." With more than 40 years of Spring Garden Band experience, tuba player Dennis Smith, 68, said he enjoys his fellow members' company and their shared love of various music genres, which has helped the band keep an audience over the years. Change with the audience: "The audience interests have changed, and we have the challenge to keep pace with their interests and still maintain playing some of the old band music, which is still very popular," said Smith of East Manchester Township. "I hope the band continues to grow and expand and develop a larger audience." Shaull said the band is working to develop a greater connection with the audience and hopes to play before a full house in April. Only a few hundred people showed up for last month's winter concert, compared to close to 900 listeners who attended concerts in the past, he said. While the band plays all styles of music -- including big band, Dixieland, orchestral and Broadway tunes -- people always ask the band to play more march selections, which band members also enjoy performing, Shaull said. "We want to get our audience back," he said. "This is still the same band, even though some of the faces have changed. We have the same high quality of sound that has always been a part of this band's history. "And the people who love to hear us are true music lovers." -- Reach Eyana Adah McMillan at 854-1575 or emcmillan@yorkdispatch.com . |