Local News
Band’s first to kick off 4th
It will be a first this weekend when members of a community band formed only a few weeks ago will perform for the public during Pauls Valley’s holiday festivities.
The local Independence Day celebration in PV’s Wacker Park will include the sounds of the Washita Valley Community Band.
The band will take the stage for the very first time when at around 5 p.m. Saturday it kicks off the local July 4th event with a performance from the park’s band shell.
Rehearsals for the band’s performance has been conducted weekly since it was formed in April.
Instrumental in forming the band is Jon Neal of PV, who has 19 years experience as a band director at Oklahoma schools.
Neal is among the many directors who will step up and lead the group, including area school band directors Drew Ethredge of PV, Jim Winkle of Elmore City-Pernell and Keith Huitt of Wynnewood.
Even though the band has seen some solid early growth, Neal is hoping even more can join the effort during weekly rehearsals held at 7 p.m. Thursdays in the Pauls Valley High School band room.
However, the final rehearsal for this weekend’s performance will take place at the school’s auditorium.
“We have grown to over 50 members, which is great - the more the better,” Neal said.
“We’ve got about eight band directors in the group.”
Yet another hope is to remind the public about the July 4th performances this Saturday.
“We’ve got marches, a lot of patriotic stuff,” Neal said.
“We’ll have a medley from the group Chicago, the Rolling Stones. We’ll have a variety of music,” he said.
The band will take the band shell stage at about 5 p.m. followed by a second performance scheduled to begin around 9 p.m. inside the local football stadium just before the annual fireworks show.
Although the band consisting of area musicians has seen a good initial response since forming, Neal said more members are always needed as some are forced to drop out because of other activities.
“I need more clarinets and more saxophones. I could also use more percussionists and drummers,” he said.
The members there now come from all over the region, including a couple who drive down from Norman for rehearsals.
Neal, who also plays a number of instruments with trumpet being the main one, said he worked to form this band because of his love of playing music.
“The reason I wanted to start the group was to play and be able to perform in a group.”
The concert band consists of woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments with a repertoire that includes original wind compositions, arranged classical items, light music, jazz music and popular tunes.
More about the band can be found online at www.washitavalleyband.com.
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