Press release:
The Batavia Concert Band will be returning for their 93rd season of public concerts in Batavia’s Centennial Park (rain venue is the Stuart Steiner Theater at Genesee Community College).
Concerts will be held at 7 p.m. on June 27, July 11, July 18, July 25, Aug. 1, and Aug. 8, as well as the ever-popular July 4th Picnic in the Park sponsored by GO ART!
The July 25th concert will feature percussionist Christopher Taylor, Alexander Central School District Music teacher, as part of the Pam Frisby Memorial Concert Series.
The band will also perform a special tribute concert on Aug. 1st in memory of Neil Hartwick, made fully possible with memorial donations. Hartwick was a longtime and beloved music teacher at Batavia and Brockport whose former students have and continue to play in the Batavia Concert Band. In addition, he was a good friend of the Batavia Concert Band, and his former students have been invited to join the band for this tribute concert.
The Batavia Concert Band’s repertoire has something for everyone: marches; Big Band and swing numbers; popular songs from musicals and movies; rock favorites; classical adaptations, and everything in-between.
The Band consists of 45-55 brass, woodwind and percussion players ranging from talented high school students to 60-year veterans. Many have professional experience, others are advanced amateur musicians, but one thing is for sure -- all love to play!
Returning for his sixth season as conductor is John Bailey, Instrumental Music teacher at Lyndonville Central School.
The July 4th Picnic in the Park concert will be conducted by Joshua Pacino.
Founded in the early 1920s, the Batavia Concert Band has brought musical pleasure to the region every year except World War II.
Concerts are currently supported and funded in part by GO ART!, local businesses, program advertisers, and individual patrons. The City of Batavia graciously supplies chairs for musicians, while Genesee Community College generously donates rehearsal space and a rain venue.
The Band also sponsors 50-50 raffles at every concert, bake sales, and other fundraisers. Individuals or businesses interested in supporting the Band should contact a Board member at any concert.
The Batavia Concert Band is also excited to announce WBTA 1490 as the Official Media Sponsor for our 2018 summer concert series! Be on the lookout for appearance by band members on WBTA’s “Main & Center” program, where we will go into some depth about the band’s makeup and its history. Also be listening for weekly radio ads promoting the musical selections for the upcoming concerts, and announcing our weekly sponsors.
Downbeat for regular season concerts is 7 p.m., Wednesday evenings, in Centennial Park, Batavia. (* In the event of rain, concerts will move to Genesee Community College’s Stuart Steiner Theatre. Notices will be posted at the NW corner of Centennial Park, announced on WBTA radio AM1490, posted on http://TheBatavian.com, and on the Batavia Concert Band’s website http://bataviaconcertband.net.
All concerts are fully funded by local businesses and sponsors and are open to music lovers of all ages. Light refreshments are available. Bring your family and friends, lawn chairs or a blanket, and enjoy. We’ll meet you in the park!
This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by GO ART!
For more information on the Band, how to sponsor, etc. see http://bataviaconcertband.net
