The Corvallis Community Band (the “Band”) is a musical organization, open to anyone who plays a band instrument with at least high school level ability. The Band has three primary purposes: (1) to provide concerts for the enjoyment of the community, (2) to provide a friendly, high-quality musical organization for people who want to continue playing music with other like-minded people, and (3) to participate in outreach activities for the educational enrichment of music students. Band members’ ages range from 13 to over 80.
The Band, a town fixture in the 1920’s, was reformed in 1976 for local celebrations of the Unites States Bicentennial. The group has continued to meet ever since. During the school year, the band rehearses weekly, and presents several public concerts. In 1980, the Band established the weekly summer concert series. Every Tuesday evening from mid-June to the end of August, the band plays an hour-long concert in Central Park. The concert is free, and often as many as 500 people attend.
The Band now has a core group of more than sixty. In the summer, the band consistently numbers seventy-five. In the summer months, the Band becomes a friendly place for students to continue playing in a band when few such options are available to them. They gain experience in sight-reading and technique. They play a wider variety of music than is possible in their school bands. In addition, the Band is one of the only options available to children who are home schooled. Most importantly, students play alongside adults who enjoy music as a lifelong activity and who demonstrate positive role models for them.
During the school year, the Band rehearses at a Linus Pauling Middle School. They perform a Holiday Concert in December, and a more formal Winter Concert at the LaSells Stewart Center on the OSU campus. In 2014 the Band began offering a concert specifically for fourth graders in the area. The program is designed to enhance several of the fourth grade curriculum standards. The Band has partnered with the Willamette Apprentice Ballet to present music and dance that will appeal to the children, who are bused to the LaSells Stewart Center for the concert.
The Band also provide smaller groups to play for community events, retirement homes, service clubs, etc. The current active ensembles are Flute Cocktail (a flute choir including bass and alto flutes), Sax Trax (a saxophone quartet), and The Spiritoso Wind Quintet. A group of variable size, The Beaver Country Hot Air Band, features both Dixieland and German Band music. For many years the Hot Air Band and friends has provided music for the Lions Club’s Holiday Parade in Downtown Corvallis to help launch the holiday season. During the Christmas shopping season, this group plays for shoppers in Downtown Corvallis.
The Hilltop Big Band is an associate of the Band. Many musicians play in both bands. The Hilltop Big Band has been performing in and around Corvallis since 1988. Their concerts feature a wide variety of big band arrangements. They perform in Central Park every other Wednesday during the summer.
The Band (including the Hilltop Big Band) has a co-sponsorship agreement with Corvallis Parks and Recreation that includes the use of Central Park free of charge for our summer concerts. Parks and Recreation also arranges for rehearsal space in the schools during the school year.