The Melbourne Municipal Band, a community band, was established with sixteen members in 1965. It now consists of more than one-hundred musicians and plays free concerts in Melbourne about once a month. You may have also caught the Band playing in local parades and ceremonies. They are offering a number of great shows and workshops throughout the year for the whole family and this summer is no exception.
The June Moon Ball, presented by the Melbourne Municipal Band Association, combines dance and music. The Swingtime Jazz Band, an offshoot group of the Municipal Band, will be playing “Big Band” music while guests dance the night away. The Jazz Band was formed in 1988 and is responsible for most of the fundraising for the Municipal Band. It is an eighteen piece band directed by Art Martin. The Ball begins at 7pm and tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. The event is being held at the Melbourne Auditorium on East Hibiscus Boulevard. Patrons can also catch a dance lesson beforehand from 6pm to 7pm from Laura Beers (from A Dancer’s Voice) for $5.
On July 17th and 18th, the Swingtime Jazz Band will be playing free shows at the Melbourne Auditorium in a concert called Travel the World. Doors open at 5:30pm and the performances begin at 6:30pm and run until 9pm each evening. Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy during the show.
The Concert Band will be playing on August 7th and 8th, again at the Melbourne Auditorium. This is the largest band of the Melbourne Municipal Band with more than eighty members. Details about the show are to be announced but showtime will be at 6:30pm.
In addition to these shows, the offshoot bands that fall under the Melbourne Municipal Band, including The Swingtime Jazz Band and Concert Band mentioned above as well as the Sunshine Brass Quintet and The Oh Golly Dixieland Jazz Band are available for hire for private events. Custom ensembles can also be put together to meet the needs of the particular event.
With over 69,000 people attending their concerts each year, the Melbourne Municipal Band has enjoyed great success in and around the Melbourne community. The musicians in the Band also contribute over 27,000 hours of community service each year between rehearsals and performances. Members of the band come from all different backgrounds, including engineers, teachers, and accountants to name a few. Melbourne is lucky to have such a great local resource providing beautiful music to the community!
Leave a Reply