Arts & Entertainment
Main Street Community Band to Play Fort Hunt Park
A band with members of all ages will play a mix of show tunes, marches and pop music at a free concert Sunday night.
The Main Street Community Band, part of the City of Fairfax Band Association, is gearing up for a toe-tapping performance atSunday night.
The group is the newest active ensemble with the band association; it formed in February of 2009.
The Main Street Community Band is a “come and play” organization, which means everyone is welcome without an audition. Most band members are in their 20s, 30s and 40s, but there are members in their mid 70s.
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“It really is just wonderful group of people,” said Director Jeff Seffens.
During the winter season, the band plays with 62 and during the summer with people traveling, the band plays with about 50.
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Seffens said the community band is a great outlet for people who take their instruments seriously, but don’t play for a living.
“It fills a lot of needs. It seems like once you get out of college you think unless I’m a professional this is the end of my music and it doesn’t have to be,” Seffens said. “It provides a source of relaxation and it’s social. It’s an opportunity to relive the joy of playing a musical instrument.”
Seffens is a retired schoolteacher and said in an era of so much technology and individual activity, it’s refreshing to be part of a real group.
“Today when you’re attached to you cell and computer to have an activity that involves other people with a common goal, I think these are very important aspects of being part of an ensemble,” Seffens said.
The community band rehearses every Wednesday night at Fairfax High School from September to July. They perform eight times a year. They also play for honor flights coming into National Airport. Those flights are charted for WWII veterans who are flown into National Airport to tour the monuments and Arlington National Cemetery.
Sunday night’s show at Fort Hunt Park will be the first time they’ve played at that venue. A storm actually cancelled their planned performance at the park last year. Expect to hear Porgy and Bess, West Side Story, Blue Moon and the Civil War piece American Salute at Sunday night’s performance. The show is free and runs from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
