COMMUNITY BAND PROMOTES MUSIC APPRECIATION SUMMER CONCERTS coming to Lake Park By Heather Young
T
he Atascadero Community Band has been presenting Tuesday concerts next to Atascadero Lake in conjunction with the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce for more than two decades. W ith Atascadero’s mild evenings and the tree coverage at the Lake Park, Tuesday evenings are a community tradition. The evening begins with a barbecue from 5 to 7 p.m., cooked by the Atascadero Elks Lodge and served by local nonprofits. After dinner, attendees migrate from the picnic area to the bandstand alongside the lake for a concert by the Atascadero Community Band. “[The community band] plans to play a variety of upbeat, toe-tapping, good old-fashion concert/ community band arrangements,” Atascadero Community Band President M.J. Basti said. "There will be music for all ages.” On July 2, the band will perform patriotic music, with Lon Allan’s vintage military Jeep on display and color guard for the start of the concert. For that evening’s concert, the guest conductor will be retired military musician Carlos Gama. “[The community band] cur-
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TUESDAYS IN THE PARK SCHEDULE
5 to 7 p.m. Barbecue, name of hosting nonprofit is listed next to the date below 7 to 8 p.m. Atascadero Community Band concert June 11 Parents for Joy June 18 St. Luke’s Episcopal Church June 25 Atascadero Historical Society and Atascadero Veterans’ Memorial Foundation July 2: El Camino Homeless Organization July 9: Rotary Club of Atascadero
July 16 Kiwanis Club of Atascadero July 23 No barbecue, concert only from 7 to 8 p.m. July 30 Philanthropic Educational Organization & Creative Alternative for Learning & Living Aug. 6 Quota International of Atascadero and Community Church of Atascadero United Church of Christ Aug. 13 No barbecue, concert only from 7 to 8 p.m. Aug. 20 No barbecue, concert only from 7 to 8 p.m.
GUEST CONDUCTORS
Randy Schwalbe (has conducted opera, theatre and drama) Cassandra Tarantino (director of North County Chorus) Keith Waibel (Cal Poly and Cuesta Music faculty, director of SLO Chamber Orchestra, director of clarinet choir) Fletcher Ferrara (drum major at AHS)
rently does not have a permanent conductor,” Basti said. “We have many volunteer guest conductors; so far we have different guest conductors lined up for summer 2019 including a 17-year-old Atascadero High School graduating senior, Cuesta faculty and retired music directors. We are very fortunate to have so many experienced conductors volunteer to rehearse and conduct [the band] for our summer concert series.”
David Landers (music director at Templeton High School) Jennifer Martin (Cuesta Faculty, director of SLO Wind Orchestra and Cuesta Wind Ensemble) Carlos Gama (retired military musician) Anthony Yi (director of Music South County) Ron McCarley (director of Jazz Studies, Cuesta Music faculty)
According to Basti, the band was formed in 1985 for the specific purpose of promoting the public appreciation of band music in the community. The group was incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 1991. As a volunteer band, its goals are to provide a place for local musicians to meet and practice concert band music, to support and promote basic music education, to service the community by performing band concerts and to assist other
local charitable and educational organizations by providing band music concerts. And it does so by rehearsing and performing yearround. While the band rehearses in the park after its Tuesday concerts in the summer, during the school year, the band practices at Atascadero High School. “Band members come from throughout the Central Coast, some making a round trip of 50 to 100 miles or more to attend weekly rehearsals,” Basti said. “The band members ages range from elementary school students to octogenarians.” Longest running band members: Jim Rabourn, Linda Preston, Irene Bishop, Beth Bean, Debi Weber and Kathy Jorgens Oldest band members: Lyle Stubson, Sally Thompson and Vicki Carlson Youngest band members: Atascadero High School students Fletcher Ferraro and Sami Hallmark who play with the band year round and three Atascadero Middle School students play with the band in the summer. For more info, visit AtascaderoBand.org or contact Basti at atascaderoband@gmail.com. SUPPORT THE BAND To donate, send a check to: Atascadero Community Band P.O. Box 134 Atascadero, CA 93423
Colony Magazine, June 2019