Brazil Concert Band appreciates interest, support

To the Editor:

The Brazil Concert Band has completed its 15 summer concerts as it has done for well over 150 years.

Thank you to each and every one of my terrific editors for the fine publicity each week in The Brazil Times, Terre Haute Tribune Star, The Bash and the Greencastle Banner Graphic.

Here I am completing my 30th year as director of the Brazil Concert Band and while not all of you have been on staff that many years, I am always so grateful for the write-ups which have appeared about our band for nearly a third of a century.

The Brazil Concert Band has a very large and enduring audience, which comes from at least five western Indiana counties and at least two eastern Illinois counties each week to hear us. They read about us in the newspapers, come hear us and, yes, come back for weeks all summer long.

We are so grateful to our band fans! We are so pleased that our efforts are rewarded by your many return visits.

The 75 musicians of the Brazil Concert Band rehearse seriously each and every Tuesday to put forward a highly musically and entertaining Sunday evening of traditional band music, European classic transcriptions, Broadway favorites both old and new and familiar pop tunes.

We have many musicians who travel a great distance twice a week to perform with us. Our "flying doctor" Martin Dixon flies the skies from French Lick, Ind., and never misses a practice or concert. Others, such as Ralph Stewart, Jason Alsip and Joyce Stone, drive huge distances to grace our stage. What dedication and what a compliment to the quality of the ensemble.

We like to think John Philip Sousa and his march composing brethren such as Fred Jewell, Henry Fillmore and Karl King are pleased and proud that we strive to keep their names and melodies alive and remembered in order for current and future musicians to keep the traditions flowing.

I offer a big bow and tip of my director's cap to all the wonderful musicians who perform and help out in our 154--year-old Sudler Award winning BCB, my fine librarians, Darlene Shepard and B. J. Reisinger (who work tirelessly keeping 60+ music folders in order each week), our great Brazil City Park Board, those who readily advertise in our printed programs and to our wonderful friends who come from throughout the Wabash Valley to cheer us on and fill those fantastic new Forest Park benches each and every Sunday evening.

We look forward to making music for at least another 154 years and invite you all to come hear our fall concert at the Terre Haute Scottish Rite Sunday, Nov. 20 at 3 p.m.

Musically yours,

Matthew S. Huber

Director of Bands

The Brazil Concert Band