Imagine This

Journey to the depths of your imagination with music that will speak to you in new and creative ways. The band says “Welcome to The Imagination World” while we also “Tiptoe Through the Tubas”. Can you imagine a John Philip Sousa march that features a harmonica soloist?

Sunday, April 2, 2023

3:00 & 7:00 pm

Fresno City College Theatre

Featuring guest artists

Edison Computech Middle School

Wind Ensemble, Directed by Chuck Salanitro

Fresno Community Concert Band

Come Be Inspired!

Founded in October 1993, the band was conceived as an organization that would provide an outlet for the many amateur and retired professional musicians in the Fresno area. The band now boasts 70 players representing a wide range of age and occupation, and all are former high school or college band members. Besides this performance opportunity, the band’s mission is to provide a musical, educational and recreational advantage to the people of Fresno and surrounding area by sustaining the American tradition of the concert band, performing the best in classical and pops band literature. The Fresno Community Concert Band is unique in its mission. No other band like it exists in the area, and because of its professionalism and the dedication of its leaders and members, it will continue to present exciting concerts in the concert band tradition.

Robert Nielsen and Larry Huck served as Co-Conductors of the band from its inception until 2003 when Mr. Huck retired. Robert Nielsen remained as sole conductor, and upon announcing his retirement in May 2018, he was joined by newly appointed Associate Conductors, Sandy Headrick and Bruce Weinberger. Upon his retirement at the end of the season, they became Co-Conductors. Both Sandy and Bruce had been longtime FCCB members and very successful public school music teachers. In October 2019, Bruce Weinberger took the baton as sole conductor.

The band’s first performance on February 3, 1994 was in the Fresno City College Theatre. It has since expanded its performances to six pairs of concerts each season in both the FCC Theatre and Shaghoian Concert Hall and has also performed in the Tower Theatre for the Performing Arts, at the California Music Educators Convention, Civil War Reenactment, CSU, Fresno Wind Festival, Sacramento Band Festival and for broadcasts by MediaOne. The band has also played outreach concerts in Merced, Kingsburg, Selma and Caruthers and special concerts in the Rotary Amphitheatre in Woodward Park.

The band is governed by a sixteen-member Board of Directors. The first President was Paul W. Heath, Vice-President of Murphy Bank, who now serves as the band’s Treasurer. Jan Goyette is now in her fourth year as President. All administrative duties are performed by newly hired Band Manager, Julie Garcia, as well as board and band members and other volunteers.

The Fresno Community Concert Band is generously sponsored by Murphy Bank and Fresno City College, both of which have supported the band since its inception. Joining them is new sponsor Patrick’s Music. Additional support comes from individuals, businesses and band members themselves. Thank you!

Bruce Weinberger, Conductor

Bruce Weinberger is now retired after 35 years of teaching at Sierra High School, Tollhouse, CA, where he taught concert band, marching band, jazz band, orchestra and three choirs, as well as band and choir at the junior high. Sierra High School’s band and concert choir had the privilege of performing at a CMEA Convention in Pasadena.

Mr. Weinberger received his Bachelor of Music degree from CSU, Long Beach (during which time he became the first undergrad student conductor of the Wind Symphony) and a Masters in Music Education from CSU, Fresno. He has studied conducting with Larry Curtis, Gary Unruh, John Larry Granger, Jon Robertson and Herbert Blomstedt and studied flute with John Barcellona at CSULB. He played percussion in the FCCB and was appointed Associate Conductor of the band in 2017. He became Co-Conductor in 2018 and sole Conductor in 2019.

Mr. Weinberger was chosen “Teacher of The Year” for the Sierra Unified School District in 2000 and 2006 and was “Educator of the Year” for Sierra High School in 2015. He was also chosen to conduct Honor Bands for Tulare-Kings County. A high point of Mr. Weinberger’s career occurred in November 2014 when Mariano Rivera, former relief pitcher of the New York Yankees, personally delivered 85 new uniforms and Yamaha instruments for the entire marching band on behalf of his Foundation. In December of the same year, the Sierra High School Music Department was featured in Central California Life Magazine.

Mr. Weinberger and wife D’Arcy (retired music teacher) reside in Clovis and have two adult children. Mr. Weinberger loves to cook, travel, and all things Disney.

Julie Garcia, Band Manager

Julie Garcia is a freelance graphic and web designer who was born and raised in Fresno. In high school she played the clarinet in the Clovis East Marching Band and graduated in 2009. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Advertising from Fresno State in 2013. Julie has a passion for the Fresno community working with the Fresno Bee, Jeffrey Scott Advertising, and the River Park Farmers Market. She often works with small local businesses on branding and marketing materials.

Julie has been a long-time fan of the Fresno Community Concert Band. She was introduced to the band by her great-grandmother over 5 years ago. Julie has regularly attended concerts with her husband and two young sons, who especially love a good Sousa march or a Christmas carol! Julie recently had the pleasure of redesigning and maintaining the band website (fresnocommunityband.org )

When she is not baking delicious breads and pastries, Julie is a voracious reader and cross stitcher. Julie is looking forward to working closely with the band and growing the FCCB audience in the coming months.

Thank you to Fresno City College for their continued support!

We thank all of you for a great season and for supporting the Fresno Community Concert Band!

FCC Music Department Upcoming Events

APRIL

11 – Symphony Orchestra, 7:00pm, Shaghoian Concert Hall

13 – Student Recital, 7:30pm, OAB Auditorium

14 – Central Valley Guitar Summit, All Day, OAB Auditorium

20 – Brass Bash, 7:30pm, OAB Auditorium

26 – Jazz Concert, 7:30pm, Theatre

28 – Student Recital, 12:00pm, Recital Hall

30 – Concert Band w/ Wind Sympony of Clovis, 3:00pm, Shaghoian Concert Hall

MAY

JUNE

The Fresno Community Concert Band is deeply grateful for the support of Charles “Mike” and Dolores Murphy and