Community band, infantry band to perform here Sunday

This Sunday, the Jackson County Community Band will give its first performance of the summer — a patriotic show with the 35th Infantry Division Band in honor of Flag Day.

Jackson Heights band teacher Laura Holliday, who is organizing the band with Holton music teachers Sheri Bartel and Jayme Malsom, said this year’s band, consisting of nearly 40 members, is ready for the concert, set for 2 p.m. Sunday on the Jackson County Courtyard.

“Rehearsals have been great,” Holliday said. “We have a varied range of experience and abilities, but everyone is working together to have a super band.”

Sunday’s patriotic concert with the 35th Infantry Division Band, hailing from the Kansas Army National Guard unit in Olathe, will feature a cornet solo, “The American Boy,” that Holliday said pairs the community band with the National Guard band’s director, Steve Patterson. Malsom also noted that the National Guard band includes a former Holton band director, David Carlson.

“As we do with each concert, we will have a children’s march,” said Holliday, who noted that for Sunday’s concert, that piece of music will be “The National Emblem.” The community band will also perform “Captain America March,” “Heartland” and “A Patriotic Festival,” she said.

The community band is now in its third year, and Holliday noted this year’s band features “quite a few of the original members and many new faces.” But there is still room for anyone who can play a musical instrument and would like to join.

“We are very excited to have new members join,” she said.

Rehearsals are held mainly at 7 p.m. on Sundays in the Holton High School band room with a pair of Monday rehearsals. Anyone wishing to sit in and play with the band is invited to the next rehearsal, set for 7 p.m. Monday, June 22 in the HHS band room.

Sunday’s concert is the first of five the band will play this year, it was noted. This year’s schedule also includes a concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 27 on the Courtyard; a special Independence Day concert at 8 p.m. Friday, July 3 at Banner Creek Reservoir; and two more concerts on the Courtyard, first at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 11, then at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 19.

For more information about the band, e-mail the organizers at j.malsom@holton.ks.net, s.bartel@holton.ks.net and laura.holliday@jhcobras.net