Community Band Entertains Capacity Crowd

The residents of Sanatoga Court assisted living facility were treated to the sounds of Sousa and Bernstein, among others, thanks to the Pottsgrove Community Band.

The all volunteer band played to a standing room only crowd Monday night. After employees crammed in chairs and the crowd joined in singing "The Star Spangled Banner," listeners settled in for a nearly hour-long performance.

Included in the show was "Seventeen Come Sunday," a selection from "English Folk Song Suite" by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and the exotic and entertaining "Latin Holiday."

Director Rod Boyer stepped aside to let band member Mike Smith conduct "The National Guard March," his own composition.

Other patriotic tunes included a medley of Armed Forces songs used as an opportunity to salute veterans who stood or waved during their branch's theme. 

A selection of music from Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" added a taste of the Great White Way to the proceedings. The indomitable Sousa march "Stars and Stripes Forever" closed the show, spawning an impromptu standing ovation.

Founded in 1959 by Tom Roberts, who was in the crowd, the Pottsgrove Community Band plays concerts in and around Pottstown.

"The band is sponsored by the Pottsgrove Recreation Board and we play at parks ... assisted living facilities like this and nursing homes," Boyer said. "We play during the summer in all three Pottsgrove townships."

The band plays eight shows during the summer season and four over the winter holidays including another show at Sanatoga Court.

Band members range in age from high schoolers to 80-somethings.

"Some of our players are very experienced," Boyer said. "We have some retired music teachers in here who are very good players and we have some other people who are still pretty new to their instruments who haven't played in a long time."

Band members practice in the Pottsgrove High School band room at 7 p.m. Mondays during the school year.

The band is a standard concert band featuring full brass, woodwind and percussion sections.

"We play traditional concert band music," Boyer said. "Marches, light classics, some jazz, some soul, novelty tunes occasionally. We like to play some patriotic tunes, which we did tonight."

The overflow hallway crowd and expressions of gratitude from the residents provided evidence that the show was a hit.

"I think it means a lot to them," said Theresa Bauder, Sanatoga Court's recreation director. "We always enjoy Pottsgrove Community Band. They're one of our favorites."

How can area musicians participate in such a worthwhile endeavor? Send an email to Boyer, who's address can be found here, and show up.

"There are no auditions," Boyer said. "Nobody gets yelled at for playing the wrong notes, we just play for fun."

The band's summer schedule:

7/11: Sanatoga Ridge at Berean Church, 7 p.m.

7/18: First UCC, Royersford, 7 p.m.

8/7: Sanatoga Park, 6 p.m. (rain date 8/8 at 7 p.m.)

9/25: West Pottsgrove Township festival