Mark your calendar for the Oak Ridge Community Band Spring Concert April 13

It’s official – spring is finally here, and the Oak Ridge Community Band has been rehearsing for its celebration of spring on Sunday afternoon, April 13, at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center.

As with all Community Band concerts, there is no admission fee.

The performance will begin at 3 p.m. with the Community Band playing a variety of entertaining numbers that will appeal to all age groups. If you like Henry Mancini tunes, you will certainly enjoy hearing Jack Bullock’s arrangement of “Henry Mancini at the Oscars,” featuring “The Pink Panther,” “Charade,” “Dear Heart,” and “The Days of Wine and Roses.” The audience will also love hearing “Man of La Mancha” with “The Impossible Dream,” “Dulcinea,” and “Little Bird.” If you like hearing American folk tunes, then Clare Grundman’s “Second American Folk Rhapsody,” featuring “Billy Boy,” “Skip to My Lou,” and the beautiful “Shenandoah” is for you. And of course some Sousa is on the April 13 program with the band’s performance of “The Liberty Bell.” This is just a few of the exciting selections planned for the band’s Spring Concert.

The Community Band will be directed by three band members who are also either current or retired band conductors. Jim Hix, Community Band trumpet player, is a former band director of Alcoa High School, Harriman High School, and Midway Middle School. Arthur Acres, trumpet section leader, worked in the Hamblen County school system in Morristown, assisted at West High School, and was assistant director at Oneida High School. Ezekiel Schloss is also in the band’s trumpet section and is currently assistant band director at Clinton High School, as well as directing bands at Norwood and Clinton middle schools.

The band’s Spring Concert on April 13 is the last indoor performance before our summer season begins with the annual Memorial Day concert which this year will be held on May 25. As with all our year-round concerts, there is no admission fee, but donations are gratefully appreciated to help with band expenses.

Band members practice every Thursday evening at the First Baptist Church, and there are no auditions for any person interested in joining the band. For more information, the public is encouraged to visit the band’s website at www.orcb.org and to check the band’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/OakRidgeCommunityBand.

Barbara Gritzner is a publicist and longtime member of the Oak Ridge Community Band.