[Music] In the heart of York County, Pennsylvania, just 3 miles north of the city of York, stands a musical legacy tracing its roots to the late 1800s. The village of Emigsville, located in Manchester Township, is less than 1.5 square miles in total area. But despite
Its small size, an eponymous community band has continued to call this village its home for over 150 years… The Emigsville Band is a community concert band that has been providing musical entertainment to the region since its founding in 1872. In this documentary,
We’ll explore the history of the band, meet the members both past and present, and state what has contributed to the ensemble’s longevity as one of the oldest town bands in the United States — and one of the few remaining in York County. Let’s begin by understanding the band’s origins from
The perspective of some of its current members. My name is Dick Wills, I’m a trombonist my name is Jim Rowlands presently the director my natural instrument is trumpet I’m Don Ryan 70 years I’ve
Been in in the band I’ve been with the band 22 years August of 1976 since I was 10 years old now our official name is the Acme cornet band the band was formed and called the Acme cornet band
The acne cornet band is the real name of the band and that’s because we started as employees of the Acme wagon company and in those days it was not unusual for big employers to have a company Bann
The nice thing about this we own our own band hall they bought a plot of land in Anville and this band bought the band hall and actually had the building transported here there was a company in
York as I’m think went on a business and they had a wooden building which would have been suitable for the band hall so the band members took the old building apart section by section they brought the
Lumber up here on horse and wagon loaded it on a big horse driven trailer and built the band hole with this leftover wood from the black car company and re-erected the band in its current location every Community had their own band that was their form of entertainment a number of these
Bands went out of existence cuz they had no place to play or to practice and a lot of places have come to me wishing they had their own band hall we have our home we have the band hall as far
As I know we’re one of the only ones in central Pennsylvania that owns their own band hall so the band hall has become kind of like our fraternity house it gives you something to work for a lot
Of good films and Wars around the B it’s a roote in edingsville that is the home and it has been the home one of the things that I like is we’re the edingsville band and if you look in the town
Of edingsville there isn’t anything else that really says enville like the amville band does we control our own destiny the idea that you have a place that you can come to have relationships with people that you know people that you like doing what you love to do playing the music and
It’s in your home case closed community banss were a staple of American society in the late 19th century at one point nearly every Township burrow and community in York County had its own town band em mixville was no exception but what distinguishes this town’s band from many of the
Others in addition to the tenacity and commitment of its membership is that it has a place to call its home now let’s meet some of the members of the band to hear about their connection to the
Organization and how they would Define what the Emigsville band is my name is Barry berer and I play clarinet my name is Dana Grove I play trao my name is Paula Nelson I play the Julie Hind I play
The berry Sachs I Am Bruce Wallace I play trumpet my name is Ryan I play trone my name is nle and I play the glov Feld Susan Peterson I’m Sam CA but I’m I’m her daughter we both play clarinette Chris
Rat I play the B flat trumpet my name is Jane Lynn and I play bassoon my name is Kirk Crane and I play the eonia My name is Linda Wright and I play the flute at M horn I play the alter sa
My name is Robert horn I play Third trombone my name is Julet I’m Chris Morning Star I’m Anthony nof I play the tenor Sachs my name is Zachary I play bariton my name is James Rous I play uh
Various instruments all on the saxophone my name is Doug Kirk Christine Kirk Michael Kirk I play the trumpet alto sax flute and the piccolo I’m Joanne owski and my husband Ed olowski was a band
Member play the John bone been with the band since about 2003 I think it’s been 33 maybe 34 years I’m thinking it was like 1998 I think it was around the late 2000s 2004 2005 September of this past
Year so it’s approaching one year about a year now about a year and a half now and I started with the band at the Christmas season of 2019 18 years I think I’ve been in the band about 10 years when
Did we start I’ve been in since I was a junior in high school I’ve been in 18 years I’ve actually been play in the band longer than I haven’t this coming fall will be my third year this is my sixth
Year about half my life 12 years 13 years 21 years the band is a fun relaxed group of local musicians of varying abilities making music for all sorts of events throughout your county the mixville
Band is a community concert band based in amville I think of the amville band as the epitome of a community B band we I think are the epitome of a community band Z band is definitely a community
Band definitely a community band a true community band it is the community band that has been around was it 1878 around 1878 which makes us one of the oldest BS in America so long time we’re just guys
Like myself that played for a while set it aside for a little bit and decided you know I had fun playing I want to have fun again it’s a fun band music is fun it’s a very welcoming organization
There is no tryy outs anybody can join that can play an instrument we play for fun especially now we have a good group of people good people great people talented people everybody’s just really friendly there’s no well you’re not good enough or you screwed that up there’s none of that it’s all
Fun this is family all ages all ages it doesn’t matter how old you are we have fun together friendly outgoing they have a lot of fun together other kid and carrying on very dedicated amateur musicians they laid back have a good time through music the emphasis isn’t on making everything
Perfect it doesn’t matter how well you play the emphasis is on sounding good but also enjoying ourselves when we do it it’s all about the people you know the friendships you build within the band it’s just a matter of community when you’re here it’s a place to improve my instrument encounter
Music that I wouldn’t encounter if I just stay in the basement and play a great place to encounter people that I would never encounter have a few laughs that I wouldn’t have had otherwise I think that all Americans in you know that’s the way I think the mixville band is an historical music
Organization that stood the test of time because of its welcoming nature where musicians continue to learn and home their skills its familial environment and sense of fostering community and the commitment to being good stewards of their band hall let’s hear more about what kind
Of music the band plays the music that we play is everything under the sun we play a variety of Music a lot of diverse music it is a wide variety of music I think a wide variety a wide
Range variety we’re in everything band a little bit of everything we do everything it’s a mix of everything elel band plays many different genres of music the thing about this community band is it plays all styles of music marches poas popular music HS we play medley March is jazz compilation
Pieces classic stuff all the way up to more modern music and marches poas Jazz a lot of marches we play marches we play theme songs we play religious songs we’ve been getting a little bit more modern
Stuff here late we’ve added a lot of’ 7s 80s up to 2000s music sacred patriotic marches popular waltzes Pocus swing show Tunes Christmas Irish and Dixie Land marches swing jazz pop music from the’ 60s 7s 80s there are musicals it’s not one style of music it’s the variety pop to rock to Classic
Marches yes we play poers wses show tunes it’s everything it’s a pretty diverse set list and that’s one of the reasons why community band if you’re trying to build your experience is so great because you are never going to encounter this diversity of material anywhere else really our
Repertoire extends back multiple centuries and everyone has something that they can appreciate all of it together makes a really nice sound I really don’t have a favorite genre of music which I guess is reflected in in sort of what ending spille does and we we play big band music
We always keep a couple Pocas handy just in case still don’t remember ever seeing anyone get up in poco during one of our concerts but we’re ready as a trumbone player I favor the marches I love the
Play marches I like marches Susa marches I love marches John Susa Marchers oh yeah anything sua I can listen to them all the time I’ve always told everybody that my funeral I want Stars and Stripes
Forever so I’m a March guy I love John Philip sua I’m a fan of the pop pieces but most of the stuff that I like is the the bread and butter marches that just makes your heartbeat fast the ones I
Enjoy the most are also the most challenging and I would say those are the swing songs I like to play The Big Bang music I love jazz I also like the Jazz I like it all but I like the Jazz some
Of the pieces are challenging which is wonderful personally I really like the 40s I think I like I enjoy the variety I enjoy individual songs it’s fun to play some of the medley the big medley
Pieces are nice beetles medley oh man I like the theme songs like under the sea and Star Wars I love the religious folder well I really enjoyed the Christmas stuff jumping in during the holiday season it was a great way to start I just love Christmas music in general my favorite songs to
Play in the band are the ones that not only the audience enjoys listening to but the band also likes to play and you can definitely tell when there’s a song or two that the band can really
Get behind you can feel the energy we enjoyed the Patriotic music I think we’re both real patriotic I’m a veteran so anything patriotic we like anything romantic we like it’s nice and verse you know I mean like there were uh disco songs from the’ 70s and you know kind of a really nice
Stand of of All American the M BAND is the All American kind of music you know we want to appeal to the young the old and just a fun atmosphere it’s quite a repertoire I I never got tired of it
And it didn’t seem ever repetitious when I would come to performance after performance you do it well all of it the music that I picked for when we’re playing I try to be diverse because we play
A lot of different types of venues we usually customize that for the type of venue and event that we’re playing having that wide variety is the main reason in my opinion that we have some
Of the customers that we do today so when we were playing at a nursing home if you play all the old songs that they remember they were they really get into the music then retirement homes so their
Music if you were is music of the 40s and 50s we play some community events where there might be 20 or 30y olds there with little kids so we have to play something a little bit more modern when if
You stop and think about it we can play anything a symphony orchestra can play we can play anything a drum and bule Court can play we can play anything that a winded sble can play concert band music
Marching band music the scope is is tremendous so if you want to get into an organization where you can get exposure to classical music semi classical music marches whatever were the group to join they really can play at all it’s interesting to discover the variety and how the
Musicians in the band first joined let’s see if you can identify any Trends I got hooked up with my trumpet teacher from 35 years ago and I said what do I do he said the same thing he told
Me 35 years ago go join a community band I heard about the edingsville band because I live a few miles away and every time I drive up and down the street I see the trailer yeah about 6 seven years
Ago my wife and I started looking for some kind of venue or community band something to play in just to play a little more mville band happens to be just a couple miles down the road from
Where we live so it was kind of a win-win my wife played clarinet and she wanted to play so she did all the research and EMV was the closest and she said let’s go try this so off we went and we tried
It well I was doing a search cuz I was feeling really a void I I moved from Chambersburg to the York area and something popped up on Facebook and I ended up come into practice and did the rest is
History well I love to play and at some point in time I became aware there was a whole community of Ved at that that time I was looking around for places to play and my aunt daa she told me
You know the a go B you should go there actually her husband my Uncle Wayne his brother Charlie jacobe he played in the band until he passed away sat in the second row flutes and I beside Linda
Right after the southern YK County band folded my dad Earl Layman played in a couple local bands he said the EM mixville band was the most like Southern YK County band because the people
Were friendly and it was like a family how did I hear about the band well it kind of started with internet dating I actually live 100 miles away from here but through the magic of the internet
I met somebody that lived here in New York and we got along fantastically then when I retired in the spring of 2019 I started spending six days down here and one day and week I’d go home play with
The band up there and come back down since I was s down here so much I thought well what can I play somebody down here too so he suggested this band and on the oldfashioned Carnival I come up and
Introduce myself to Jim the director and I said would you like a bassoon player and he said sure So he said the first rehearsal is the first Monday in November so I showed up with soon in hand only
To find out that it was actually the banquet so they fed me and like a stray dog I just kept coming back I was taking lessons from Marlon Ryan he was the director at one time of the band and I
Was in my late 20s and he suggested I come up and sit in on the band sometime and I mentioned that I would like to start up again as as an adult after my wife bought me a trone for Christmas
I I found the amville band and started playing with uh amville and about 2007 but I worked at the New York wirecloth company and I ran the boiler uh for the Christmas concert and Don Ryan who was the director of band at that time was the whistle Master he played the Christmas
Cars on the whistle I know I spoke to him about it and shortly after that I joined the band actually heard about the band through Don Ryan I gotten my Al saxs through him and talked me into joining
A senior year of high school in 2005 I realized that I really enjoyed playing in a band and the high school band and marching band was coming to an end and really want to continue playing my out
The set figured i’ give a band to try and been in ever since when I joined I joined because I was taking trumpet lessons from Donald Brian who was then director of the band he talked me into
It said it would be good experience and I joined the same time with my dad I played in early 80s and when I was in high school for about a year or two with my flute and then I saw an article in the
Late 2000s for am eating members and so I rejoined with my alto sacks and then later talking with Don Ryan found out there was a berry saxs that wasn’t being used so they refurbished it and that’s what
I’ve been playing ever since it’s really been a family affair for the last 20 years it was my husband who was looking for a band to be in he had played the trumpet for high school as well
In fact we went to high school together and played in the band together and I was trying to help him find a place to play and he kept saying we got to find somewhere my daughter was taking uh singing
Lessons as a kid and her singing teacher knew Don Ryan and had heard of the mxo band that was my first indication that that could be somewhere that my husband could play teach checked it out and he
Came here for the first time when my oldest son Doug was 14 my dad who had always wanted to join a community band I was looking for somewhere to play and uh he and I both joined at the same time
We came here uh the beginning of uh Practice season in 2002 that’s how we started playing with the band my other son was only a little kid he was like a toddler so Michael and I would go
Watch the edville band well my oldest son and my husband were in it we went all over the town got to learn the town cuz we were new to York had only been here like two or 3 years it was always on my
Mind like when Michael grows up when he’s old enough to play with the band I’m going to join with him we’re going to join just like my son and my husband did and sure enough that happened you
Know 10 years ago when Mike was um like in Middle School we joined together and uh and and the four of us were all playing in the M BAND for few years for me my favorite part of the band is the fact I
Get to do it with my whole family my brother who’s the president of the band uh instigated that I joined back when I was in Middle School when I was 12 years old and at first I was really reluctant
But with a little bit of encouragement as well as my mom joining at the same time as I did it it was seamless and from then on it’s been a part of my yearly routine I’m a part of a big musical
Family so the fact I get to share that experience with the rest of my family is something I always cherish we first heard about the band with a member from our church who was in the band at the
Time and he talked to us about joining the band and we’ve got people in here who can’t drive yet because they’re not old enough well I didn’t drive I was too young exactly I drive I didn’t drive so
I needed a ride and I thought it would be nice to have her start back up when I was going into seventh grade I was learning the AL of saxophone and Michael Kirk was my teacher one day I think
He just brought up the fact that the edingsville band existed and said I should join I heard it from Michael Kirk who helped out with uh the York Suburban marching band and then after he was done
With the season sent an email about the band story and I was looking for some band to do over the summer um same thing I wanted something to do Chris SRO who’s another fellow trumpet player
Told me about the band and said hey we could use some trumpet players so I said okay I’ll come and check it out after that I thought hey my daughter just happens to be a trumpet player so I asked
If uh she could come and check it out too and and the rest is kind of history and I found the ad in the paper that said all individuals are musically inclined or invited to come to the enville band of
Course being the nagging I mean the uh the wife that suggests things to a husband I said this sounds like it has your name on it so he thought about it but he had hadn’t played for so long
Hadn’t even picked up the instrument for years so he was hesitant I said go once and try see what you think thankfully he did he found that all levels of ability were accepted and uh he never
Looked back he found a whole brotherhood here a real family as did I I came to every performance and often brought him to practices so I got to know a lot of people too and we even socialized with some of the band members outside of the performances from Word of Mouth to newspapers
The band continues to prosper as a place for all amateur musicians in York County to call their home and a group of people to call their second family you may have noticed a surname that was repeated several times in that last segment it’s a name that York cians may be familiar with from
Another local musical Venture and that surname is the Ryan family who is the Ryan family you may ask to answer for this question we need to discuss the world record- winning Factory steam whistle Christmas concerts that occur each Christmas in York well Christmas is coming which
Means the York Factory whistle is getting ready for its annual Christmas concert in York County Pennsylvania Christmas day is heralded at 134 DB I’m Don Ryan the whistle Master here in New York Pennsylvania in the United States of America at 12:15 every Christmas for the last 60 years Don
Ryan the whistle master and his father before him takes his place at the controls the boiler is hot the pressure is up and the men of the Ryan family are ready to go carolling Don and his whistle earned a distinguished place in the Guinness Book of World Records Marlon Ryan the senior
Steam whistle Master his son Don Ryan and his son Mark playing the old factory whistle a top the New York wire company in York Pennsylvania okay we all is everybody ready then every Christmas at midnight people in downtown York and for miles in each Direction can hear the sound of the factory
Steam whistle an unusual but historical tradition that’s been a York County staple since 1925 the tradition of Performing carols with a steam whistle at the New York wire cloth company has been a part of the Ryan family since the 1950s when Marlon Ryan became the factory whistle
Master this quickly became a family Endeavor with Marlon ultimately passing the Baton to his son Donald Ryan the current factory whistle Master at separate points in the EM mixville band’s history both Donald Ryan and his late father Marlon directed The Band their tenures as director
Spanned many decades and their commitment to music in York County remains unparalleled in 1974 under the direction of Marlon Ryan the band had the privilege of performing at the William Penn Memorial Museum in Harrisburg today known as the State Museum of Pennsylvania good afternoon we
Are broadcasting live from the William Pen Museum in downtown Harris B inside Memorial Hall and this afternoon’s concert with the Acme cornet band of em mixville Pennsylvania the performance was broadcast by wmsp a local radio station the Marlon Ryan era of directorship marked a significant
Period of growth for the band not only as a York County band but as a state recognized Ensemble it helped put a village with a population of only a few th000 people on the map for the rest of the
County and the Commonwealth ladies and gentlemen the mixville band under the direction of Mr Marlon Ryan now when I was director I kind of like put a show on there’s a lot of talented people in
This organization and I like to show it off I had at least 8 to 10 special musicians in the band because we have a lot of good musicians not just playing but they’re very talented people in
This band and I want to get them up front play solo Duets um the trombone special like glasses trombone we got them up front and and showed that all we had the tubas them bases for an example we
Got the lower percussion all out front for them bases it adds that extra show I learned this from the Lae wel show they put on special numbers all the time and I like to see special numbers my dad
Did this the time he was directing he he followed like March we the special numbers we had vocalists in the band uh even outside the band we invited people in to sing we put on all these different
Shows and people followed us all over the place like I said he took after launch 12 putting a show on and when I took over I did the same and my dad had a lot of connections too with a lot
Of the teachers that got people into the band we just had a lot of fun everybody got along well together thank you very much gentlemen and thank you ladies and gentlemen for the past Century a feeling of Community Pride and accomplishment has been prevalent in the small village of Emigsville
York County Pennsylvania Emigsville is located approximately 5 miles north of the city of York The Prestige of a small community is often judged by the quality and size of its community band it provides entertainment for church picnics Park Gathering ings parades political campaigns and
Celebrations of various sorts the community band was and is one of the most important facets of community life and brings about the togetherness of a small community the Acme cornette band of Emigsville was organized on November 8th 1872 with a membership of 16 men and was in existence
For 20 years a period of 14 years passed with no band activities in this community the Acme cornette band was reorganized on September 6th 1906 the first meeting was held in the engine room of the Acme Wagon Works the records show that there were 18 charter members it’s important to
Understand the significant dates related to the Emigsville band’s history November 8th 1872 is the day that the Acme cornet band of Emigsville was organized however it wasn’t until June 24th 1878 that the band officially became Incorporated in local records and court filings a brief Hiatus
Ensued in the early 1890s until ultimately the band reorganized on September 6th 1906 finally on Thanksgiving Day in 1918 the band acquired its band hall located in EMV and moved in and ever since then that’s where they’ve called their home if they go back into the old records you’re
Going to see Acy cornet band there used to be a Manufacturing Company in englesville called the Acy Manufacturing it was begun as the acne cornet band because the American American acne company of the street the band started in the acne building up here north of amville in the
Boiler room they practiced there daver down the street here told me about they tore the black car company down and brought the lumber up on hor and buggy cuz he remembers riding on it to build this band hall made from the leftover lumber at the black car company and then it morphed
In into the Ang will band and that’s how things got started over the years and as the announcer had mentioned with every Community having its own band it was certainly a sense of Pride for emv’s residents to have the band continuing its Legacy even after the acne wagon company sees to exist
Fans of the band also have their own stories of what the organization means to them well my name is pH bers I would say I’ve known about the amville band since 1946 when I was a little
Gr and grew up in this town my name is May Duncan I’ve known about the band probably since the day I was born grew up right here across the street from the band hall my dad played for his entire
Life until he died my father was Ellis momall he played alah horn summer times were picnic times every Saturday we went to a picnic or a carnival or something and we are Sharon and Derry Blau we live in stewartown first encounter with uh the band was it the Powder Mill Senior Center and
Saw the band then and we kind of became groupies after that and just followed you all from concert to concert I love this how I spent many years growing up in amville I just remember the music
In the summertimes when the band was practicing as kids on Monday evenings in the summertime we would all run outside and listen to the band playing because all the doors were open windows were open it was hot nobody was air conditioned something I remember is when it was a warm
Out sign we have the doors open I remember people actually listening and saying hey see you play it was just practice and we would March up and down and do cartwheels and pretend we were in parades
They enjoyed it and they they came to thank us when I was a young kid and I mean like seven and younger we lived directly across the street from the Amo band hall in the black house that’s
There to this day I remember when the band would sit in here in springtime when the windows are open and you could hear band practice outside it was just something that got my attention way back
Then before I could even play one it’s memories for me is what it is and you know I had I had had great memories growing up this great great great members the Ladies Auxiliary of the EM mixville band plays an important part in this organization in that they cooperate with untiring efforts to
Sponsor two public turkey suppers a year as as well as catering to Banquets and wedding receptions profits are used to maintain the band’s owned band hall during the winter months now years ago there was a very active Ladies Auxiliary we had an auxiliary group here the ladies auxilary
Which was active in’ 76 when I joined and at that point the band was focused on having concerts here having dinners here we had suppers here used to be a lot of dinners growing up it was the place place to have Community dinners we had a functioning kitchen we had a Thanksgiving dinner
Every Thanksgiving Thanksgiving dinners we serve for the neighbor well for whomever it was mostly focused in edingsville was for the residents of edingsville they would put on a band banquet that was those were fundraisers they would have a dance they would have a concert for a number of
Years they served Lion’s Club meals we furnished meals for them on a monthly basis we had an annual ox roast and carnival on the grounds and it just brings back a flood of memories I I am so in love
With this town I love the memories I have here and the band was a very instrumental part of the community very very the EM mixville band was and is an essential part of the community not just in the village of edingsville but across York County with performances each year from church picnics to
Parades and from festivals to retirement homes the band has created plenty of memories well I think the biggest thing I remember with the band was when I first started with the band every weekend June July and August we went to church picnics summer was spent at a different Church picnic
Every weekend we had something almost every week the church picnics were a big thing and it was always always a band there always that was a highlight of the evening eating ice cream and listen to the band as Mobility increased through the 50s and’ 60s edingsville sort of transitioned
Into what was known as the chicken corn soup circuit we call it the corn soup circuit corn soup chicken corn soup circuit oh yeah chicken corn soup chicken corn soup is a big part of church picnics every picnic that we went to they had their good corn soup made a little different
But it was all good well everybody has their own way of making chicken corn soup some leave something to be desired but anyway the most of the picnics that we played at had chicken corn soup on their menu That’s about when I joined the band the chicken corn soup circuit was in
Full swing boy did we get some good food at the oh my goodness did we get good food at those picnics chicken corn soup cakewalks watermelon ice greine you know Carnival atmosphere lollipop tosses one of which broke my front tooth one year some Saturdays or Sundays we’d have two different
Concerts we’d play at one Church picnic from 1 to 3 we’d have from 3:00 to 5: the drive to the next one and we’d play at that church uh from 5 to 5 to 8 maybe the locals would follow the church picnics
From location to location location but every weekend from the end of June into the middle of August was a church picnic somewhere that’s what the band was I really like playing uh at the church picnics back when we started uh we had we played a few and probably did half of them were
Church picnics as Church picnic started to fade out that’s when nursing homes started coming more online where they were looking for entertainment for their residence they wanted their residence not only to be a place for them to live but for them to enjoy their life so we’ play probably in
Every nursing home that I can think of at least in the northern part of York County some of the performances we do at the nursing homes is very nice is very much appreciated those retirement homes where we’re playing especially when we get to the end um we we’re playing God Bless America
You know when they stand up and they’re singing along that’s kind nice they really app appreciate what we’re doing and that’s been a staple what’s been fixed in along with that are the community events you know Community wants to have an event they need something as a focus they need something
In the background so they they can they can hire a community band they can hire edville for 2 hours or 3 hours while the community is gathering and you know for whatever their their occasion is I
Directed The Band for two years we used to play fireman carnivals and there were four or five of them in the course of the summer we used to play for a lot of Sunday school picnics which used to be held early Saturday evening and we did some Park concerts sitting on the blanket
In the summertime when it’s hot getting an ice cream getting a pop and listening to the music kids running around and just having a good time it brings the community together and it gives the opportunity to get an entertainment that you really can’t find many plac places today
Uh that the whole Community can gather from the youngest to the oldest well considering I’ve lived in amville from the time I was born up to I uh graduated high school I certainly have a
Special memory of AMV B visiting all the different areas that we go to to perform is the biggest part it’s great when you play for a real receptive audience you can usually feel that energy from the audience as well as the band around you it’s amazing how many customers I visit as a
Band person who come up to me either before or after or both and have wonderful things to say we always get a positive response it sounded great you folks have been performing hard and it’s just
A great feeling to know that everybody’s in it with you and enjoying it it’s in the faces and the Applause of every place we play all this kind of stuff that they turn back to me is wonderful
You would think the Applause is obligatory but you feel like after you play you really feel the Applause is for you and it’s really meant for you it’s just a real sense of satisfaction whenever we conclude one of those concerts whenever the concert was over just feeling like we did a real
Good job it’s really amazing how they come and talk to us after the fact I mean there’s some that walk away I’m amazed how many stop and talk to us I’m kind of animated but they enjoy watching
Me play many times people have come up after the concert and talk to me and so forth and so on and and I always have a schedule to hand to and we had over the years there’s been several people uh that
They thought they come to all the bands concerts I feel that my talents are appreciated let me put it that way my favorite memories are probably just us here in the room having a good time I think one of
My favorite memories or Favorite Things is just um the euphonium section um the the group of us we’ve become good friends and we have a lot of fun we kid around but we we work hard uh together you
Know we all we all got hats to where and I guess or the Troublemaker section maybe but uh it’s just the camaraderie I think and and and all of uh friendships and you know that developed through
That I think has been a lot of fun jobs are fun practices are fun I think it really comes down to the the people the band fellow band members so when I started at 10: the fellas all pitched in
And helped me along with playing the trumpet and getting familiar and that and they helped bring me around I played trumpet I played Mima Vibes I played Vibe solos here that’s what I like to do
When I was directing it was really a lot of fun I had my children playing the funniest memory I have with the band is early on when I was started and Don Ryan was the director and we were at I believe
It’s St Peter’s Church here in North George Street we were in the basement and he went to start a song and as he raised his hands he stuck his baton into the ceiling towel and it’s stuck and
He’s pulling on and the ceiling towels going like this it was hilarious uh but he finally managed to yank it out and then start the song so that that’s my my favorite funny memory this happens in uh practices but it also happens in concerts but our director sometimes loses his baton and a
Lot of times it goes flying into the flute section because we’re right in front of him so my favorite part of being in the band was making fun of the director Jim would crack jokes and we would
Just laugh at him and US little clarinet section would crack jokes back at him and we just kind of it still happens okay it was just our own little private thing up there going on a favorite memory
So far might just happen to be when the entire Emigsville band maybe said hello to someone who was standing around in the midst of another band getting ready to play that was terrible we were
About to I think it was it was a parade Memorial Day parade and my marching band was going to be in it I knew he was going to be in it but I didn’t know like where they were and we were like one
Of the first people going on I thought everybody would just be like nah we’ll just roll on by and everyone’s like Hey Juliet I’m like yes my face was so St Paul’s Lutheran Church was definitely
My favorite St Paul’s uh when we got ice cream was definitely fun my favorite was probably at the elders home right after Memorial Day playing at uh St Paul’s was fun cuz the stage was so small so we
All got pushed off and the low brass got separated to two groups one of my favorite memories from that concert is the uh when a bunch of people got up and started dancing along with our music I I
Feel like when we go and play at places it really helps people who may be feeling like lonely feel happy and like excited about today’s modern culture especially when we play the military oh music and we recognize all the veterans that’s definitely a highlight of what we perform when my
Daughter was in elementary school she started to learn the trumpet and I remember she sat in on a Special Olympics job and the trumpet player just were great they took her under their wings and
She sat in she God love her she probably could only play five notes at the time but I mean they just made her feel welcome and special so that I really appreciated it when she was in high school
She would come and sit in on the practices with me and she would do her homework while we practiced and at break time there were several members that would go over her homework with her and I just
Thought that was great they would take time out of there break time and sit with her and do her homework with her I think learning about York PA has been mostly a lot through this band well we
Would all mingle before or after performances and I got to know a lot lot of the other groupies that were there it just always felt like family you could pick up where you left off even though you
Didn’t see someone for a month or two one thing I did want to mention is the Barry Sachs that I play [Music] I’m pretty sure I saw somewhere and it might be stamped on the sacks but I think it
Was manufactured in 1914 and is still in service and if you look at some of the old pictures I bet you’ll see it in there the heart rooming stories I hear time and again I meet people and they say
I used to play in the band and and I had such a good time there I love those stories of of the old-timers and the old days and a woman a couple years ago uh presented a gym with an old uniform
That I believe it was her father’s when he played in amville Band when they still had uniform band uniform it was a beautiful ancient uniform that was her father’s and she didn’t know what to do
With it but I could tell it was special to her that I think that was very hard I remember with the we played the one Special Olympics job and there was a participant that would stand behind
Jim and direct pretend he was directing and when we were packing away some suggested that he direct a song and so we all got our horns back out and Jim gave him the ton and we played an easy March
And he was up there directing us and he did good he could keep the beat but I mean the smile on his face was just it was beautiful I loved it that’s one of my favorite memories I remember I guess Ed
Health declining and how the band members rallied in a very subtle way around him to help with his carrying of things help with his loading of his instrument uh it was just a subtle comfortable family well there was one that was out of the ordinary a couple years ago one of our members
Had passed away Ed’s decline was over years um and he stopped coming to the band at one point when he did pass I knew how much the band had meant to him and I really wanted to somehow include that in the
The service that I had for him his wife came to us and asked us to play at his memorial I called one of the band members and I said any chance of the band coming to the memorial and playing she was
So thankful to us and we were so happy to play for for that event and I think it was touching in a lot of ways and oh my gosh I was overwhelmed I was overwhelmed that day anyhow but to see how
Many of the band members showed up on a weekend to give their day to come midday to play for an hour um to honor Ed was just icing on the cake and my feelings for this band I always remember
That I really enjoyed the fourth of J yeah I did too July 4th was just it was really relaxing it wasn’t too hot of a day although it was sunny for us in the shade it wasn’t too hot well and y’all
Go with the flow as far as wherever they set you know kind of set you if you’re outside I mean the one with the Lions Club I mean they were in the sun sun beaten down one the whole entire time I
Mean talk about Troopers and like the the guest that was there we all kind of huddled off to the side to get in the shade but y all hung in there the whole time same thing with fourth of Fourth of
July so like I said you are so dedicated and like I said wherever they sit you you know to perform you just give it your you know give it your best right there right well we like it because you’re
Local and that’s important to my wife and not and we’re so impressed with with how professional y all sound the experience and the practice really is evident uh as far as how well you all do you volunteer your time so you’re taking away your time from your family from your kids from your
Wife from fishing or hunting or doing whatever you want to do so my wife and I and others could enjoy our evening but it’s just remarkable that you sacrifice your time for something you love so
We could enjoy it I think it’s good to expose F you know like families enjoy it it’s safe it’s enjoyable and just for the children to be exposed to a concert band that they may not have
That opportunity we went to cador and we look over and there’s a little girl who’s maybe four or five years old little white dress she was there for a picnic she had a stick and she was conducting
Mimicking the conductor so sweet you know and and you could really tell she was having a blast but I mean just to expose you know families and kids to things that they normally would not hear on a regular basis and get interested you know in in the we’ve never walked away from a
Community being perform is disappointed you walk away with more knowledge than you walked in with i’ just like to say thank you to each and every member for for their contributions to your being and you do it well it’s really great for the community keep up the good work as all
I can tell you and we look forward to hearing more of you in the future one time of year is particularly special for the EM mixville band and that is the holiday season what I really remember most I think it was Christmas morning the band would walk down the street playing Christmas
Carols Christmas F of course you were Christmas carols Christmas carols through the community of of amville we used to walk around town parading through the streets amville I remember remember years ago walking through the community for Christmas and playing Carol one of my favorite
Jobs was the Christmas caroling that we used to do on Christmas morning it’s sort of hard because you have to leave your family it’s Christmas morning I remember as a kid I couldn’t open any presents until after the band played cuz my dad was out with the band I think that was probably
My favorite that was always very nice because the people that we gave up really did enjoy the music people enjoyed it and am bville that was probably I feel like one of the biggest benefits for our community they really enjoyed that people expected us it was part of Christmas it wasn’t Christmas
Without it we walk through town and when you hit that Middle Street in Emigsville it’s Rouses down both sides of the street and as we’re going up we play every 100 ft or so we play a different song
And people are out on their porches they’re seeing their neighbors you saw the kids holding a new toy in their hand outside with the pajamas on we would invite them in or we would hand cookies to
The band members and they give us food and tip us and everything and was great I can remember giving them cookies and hot chocolate the joy that was there was incredible after the covid-19 pandemic the tradition of carolling through the streets had morphed into a new holiday tradition and that was
Providing free community Christmas concerts in the comfort of the band hall this was done in part to welcome more fans and residents of Emigsville to have a a large community event under one warm roof in the last few years now we’ve added the Christmas music in December and we introduce
Christmas concerts and that’s also very fun I really enjoy that and the Christmas concerts I think are a nice way we get back to the community it’s a nice song the year be playing I love the Christmas every single Christmas concert I’d say Christmas is my favorite that’s my favorite kind
Of music to play I’ve really enjoyed the Christmas concerts uh that we’ve done past couple of years having the community come into the the band hall then it’s a it’s a little more intimate than marching through the streets and mixville band as far back as I know with the exception of Christmas
Morning caroling was a band that played from April until October and then you took the winter off you did practices you got ready for the next season we started playing Christmas music just because a lot of us like playing Christmas music and and we called up the nursing homes and we said hey
We’d like to come and play Christmas music for you we go out to do Christmas programs for the people that have hired us to do work in the summertime no charge you had us play a concert in the summer
We’d like to come and play for you and again the reception that we get at the nursing homes just seeing the Joy on the residents faces makes it all worthwhile I think we make fun of Jim at Christmas
Time when we do the Christmas programs you know at Christmas time we have some of those very U interesting stories that Jim tells he always likes to tell he calls them funny Christmas jokes they’re groaners you know groaner jokes or whatever but we make fun of them for that why do
Penguins prefer to swim in salt water because pepper makes them sneeze well they can all be good the mville band is a registered nonprofit in York County its Mission remains twofold to be an outlet for all amateur musicians in the county to have a place to call their home and to survey
Em mixville and broader York County community Through The Art of musical performances one of the Hallmarks of a community band is it is a volunteer organization we do not pick our players out you can’t make it this week or you can’t make it that week you can make this job you can’t make
That job you’re fine you’re welcomed here as much as you can come last summer I skipped one job because I went to Virginia on vacation when I came back somebody said oh welcome back it’s like dang they missed me they noticed I wasn’t here when you’re a member everybody’s invited to come
Out to play We like you to come and play as many jobs as you can I feel like that’s what makes us different it’s like some bands they want you to have an extensive musical background and been
Playing for years and and you know have played in K orchestras and all these different organizations but that’s not really us the amville band is extremely flexible with like when you can be
There I know I missed four gigs in a row but uh I don’t I don’t feel like I have to be stressed when I say I can’t make it practices themselves yeah we we play music but we also get to greet each
Other you meet people you have a conversation with people who knows you maybe have a laugh or two I think every practice we have at least two or three laughs from something that came up everybody’s teasing and laughing with each other I’ve never witnessed anyone solemn when I come
To a a performance or a practice even I purposely leave room in between songs to to get the new song up but also to encourage you to talk to the person aside you to develop relationships with other with
Other musicians in the band so that it really feels like a second fam what makes us special is inviting those people who haven’t play for a while or are just getting started or like oh I want to
Try this instrument but I haven’t been able to try it in my you know High School band let me try it here things like that I I think we’re open to that Amo band obviously as a community band is always
Helping the community well I think we do a lot for music education in the in the community you know the it’s it’s not only the the uh structure of playing the music but it’s a little bit of
The announcing and the history of a song or the composer background or what they were thinking that as we do a concert we give the community a little bit of Maybe music education that they may have missed over the years lot of the interest is from your conductor because he tells us what
We’re listening to where the music originated the year was done little side stories about about the person who wrote it and the music and that sort of thing and I’ve always found that to be interesting rather than just hearing something you don’t know anything about it conductor keeps it very
Interesting I think everybody appreciates that that you know he takes the time to dig something up and tell a story I think that that just kind of makes it an impact the one thing that I had
Learned from the band is I never knew who Carl King was and we play a lot of Carl King marches so even from a personal growth standpoint I learned a lot just from being in band the last two years you
Know from my perspective I feel like I’m coming into a long Legacy of playing for Church events and community events and nursing homes and and things like that I can use my skills and something I enjoy to make other people happy whether that’s at a retirement home or a festival or
A parade it’s always nice to be able to see people enjoying what we do there’s ways to give back to the community but there’s not many ways that you can do it while also doing a hobby that you enjoy
Like playing music you can pick up trash on the side of the road and that helps the community out but you’re probably not getting a lot of fun out of it here we have fun doing it I love playing my
Instrument that can do it share that Joy with people who also love playing their instrument and we’re giving to the community playing for an appreciative audience is also rewarding as well especially nursing homes they all come up to you and say how well they enjoy how much they enjoyed
It how they love listening people who say I used to be in that band or I I played in the military and then it brings up good memories for them MH that’s really nice too I think some of my favorite
Gigs are when we go to the retirement homes it’s an opportunity to to to give back a little bit and bring joy to people that otherwise maybe aren’t going to get out and see a a concert or a program
There’s always at least a few couples dancing having fun and it’s just great to know that while some people’s lives especially the elderly can get very monotonous we can provide some Joy it was neat because we really saw people’s eyes like when you go into a nursing home and lot of people would
Be wheeled in in a wheelchair or you you could tell they weren’t getting around a lot and just just to to see their eyes you know brighten up when you play a song that they recognize or some
Of them would sing along and and all I think that really impacted me to to want to come back and that’s why we joined you it just felt like we were bringing joy to to somebody’s life I enjoy going
To the nursing homes to see them keeping time with the music it brings those people together for that day going to events like nursing homes helps people especially like the elderly helps them feel like they still matter that they’re still a part of the Greater Community and that we’re
Willing to go out and do things for them like when we go and play at uh senior homes I feel like they enjoy it a lot to hear musicians come play them it’s a lot of fun enjoy it we’re double down on
Not only serving our community but showing respect for our veterans in the community and all all the big events you know it’s it’s it’s definitely a community in that uh when we go to the retirement homes and things like that I see the enjoyment on people’s faces and laughter at Jim’s jokes people
At the nursing homes really like it like the jokes it’s fun it’s like fun to hear their reaction to the jokes for an organization that’s been active for well over a century in York it hasn’t come without its trials and tribulations despite es and flows there have been plenty of noteworthy
Achievements in recent times when I started with the band it wasn’t unusual to have 10 people show up for a job and it really seemed like the band may be fading today we’re certainly definitely not
The case you know we at most jobs we have at least 25 sometimes 35 people it’s a full band it sounds fantastic it’s just seeing how it’s grown over the years what’s been noteworthy this past season just
Seeing that we’ve really grown that we’ve grown beyond what the band was when I started the way that we’ve increased in size in my opinion anyway with increased in quality places that we go they want us to come back year after year I think we’ve done well we’ve done really well
We’ve we’ve managed to get some good gigs and and grown as people too it’s been exciting to see high school students join uh some of my kids um have have played with us I won in high school um it’s
It’s been neat to see you know both the older the middle younger just just the breadth of of Ages that have come together to make use it when I first came to the Band 3 and A2 years ago even
Though social media was prevalent and it still is now we didn’t have as big of a presence from an Outreach standpoint and growing the band and getting more gigs I believe involving social media as far as an Outreach and and a promotional tool for the band I think has been outstanding and it
Continues to grow I think we’ve done a great job transitioning oursel into the 21st century having a website having social media accounts putting our content out there for people to enjoy as a way to to share what we do with the rest of the community has been great not only to solicit new
Members but to show people how much fun we have and hopefully hire us in the future at their next Community event recording the music and releasing the music and knowing that people are listening to it and enjoying it or potentially using it to determine whether or not we get a job or not
That’s an accomplish for sure coming from other bands I was always impressed with how organized the band is the binders that we have with all the music how organized it is that Tak a lot of stress
Off of practices and performances but the band is a drawing card I think it is for the and every time you go someplace you put amville on the map every place you go it’s the amville band people
Say who’s amville where’s amville what do they do you know it’s trying to re capture the history of this community and it’s got a great history it’s a great history a lot of bands Envy us because
We own our own band hall one thing that’s unique to the amville band is that we own our own band hall I can’t emphasize that enough well they built this building they talk about bringing it here on horses and mules I’m sure that was the horse and buy those days even though cars
Were in their infancy at that point really I am so glad we still have it I believe the band hall is an asset to this band that gives us a home a rallying point a place to call our own it gives
Us a place to rehearse a place to be proud of a place to call home this was a Gathering Place in the community well it’s I’d say an asset because you can maintain it with the funds from the church
But you probably make some money from it as well we were able to figure out a way to keep it and and keep it going we’ve proven that we can evolve at times I mean we have to change so we adapted
With the economy and and figuring out how we can keep our vanhole and we are lucky enough to find a church to rent it out even though it’s rented out now it gives them a home instead of the other way
Around us playing at a church we have a church staying in our van Hall it’s the opposite so there we go I think that makes us really unique MH that’s not something that people would necessarily
Realize when as he lived here but it was just a common Gathering Place wher every we went we went for super sandwiches the band was always playing this community really loves amville band in the
Sense that it’s a a pride for them and the am Bale was really really really popular yeah I think it’s pretty neat we’re still in amville they have their own band here in amville the band has such a rich
History I know that carrying on the Legacy and the history is important in its own Merit because it gives us something to strive towards a sense of pride a sense of community a sense of importance
In the edville area and Beyond in the York PA area I think it’s wonderful that the band has has remained in business for all of these years well I love this band we really are a fiber of
The community you may wonder what it’s like to be a member of the emvi band and just what are the benefits of membership it’s a great bunch of people we all get along very well and everybody’s
Jumpping in doing their thing comaraderie I like being around the other people it’s just a good all around experience for people I think it’s just how welcoming everyone’s been it’s a really low pressure environment you come to this band and you feel welcomed everybody’s welcome to come into the
Band here we welcome everybody there’s no tryouts you won’t feel intimidated whatever level you’re at you’re going to grow this band strikes a great balance between welcoming people of every musician level every proficiency of music but also putting on a good show and that balance is what makes us
Special you you get here and nobody knows whether you can even play or not but they’re they just sit down and you know play the music and oh by the way if you can’t can’t hit all the notes just
Play every other measure or something you know so they’re just very welcoming well I always tell people it’s it’s a place to start playing again it’s very relaxed it’s very welcoming you’re not going to be left alone you’re going to be guided and don’t worry it’s it’s low pressure there’s a
Lot of players out there who don’t know what to do do it themselves musically after they graduate from high school whether or not they go to college there’s a lot of instruments that end up sitting on shelves and collecting dust uh this is a great way for people to reconnect with their
Musical selves and and contribute in a way that is Meaningful to the community and by being part of the band just the pride of of being able to keep up with everybody else has forced me to develop
Practice routine and and that’s one of the big benefits I get from being in the in the community band it gives them playing experience well when I first joined the band I was Rusty as could be dug
My flute up out of the closet it was really fun to get better and I think I did you know I took the music home practiced it I felt like it was important to do as best as I could practicing
Regularly getting the jobs um I I’m probably playing the best I ever have my whole life you know some some of the music is Common from year to year so you you you come into a year and some of
The music’s like oh I’ve played this before and I did it better this year than I did last year so it’s as I continued to play I did get better being more confident in my playing and it really
Is one of the best things that you can do to learn your instrument and build discipline repetition get help from people I certainly have developed my skills over time where all those things come together and a band like this even not knowing who would come into the band what their talent
Level will be I can say with some certainty that there’s probably going to be someone in the band who has more talent that can influence them or less Talent where they can influence somebody in
The band even in the Trum bone section we have a young man who’s in high school and we have someone who’s much much older than I am we have a huge gap in young and old but we all play together
It’s not intimidating we all grow together we all play together I think it’s really a great family activity and one that probably many people can’t do or maybe don’t think they can do but should
Give it a try because it’s a low pressure it’s a great way to start up again uh playing your instrument and do it with your kid when they’re getting good enough you go with them I think
It’s really added a lot to our family so I would encourage other families to be this there’s not many places where you can share a family activity like music in an environment like this the sense of satisfaction you get from performing for people and seeing them smile and clap and sing along and
Dance along to what we do something about playing music when it all comes together and you’re a part of it there’s nothing like that it just gives you Goosebumps so in addition to the exposure of all
The different styles of music I’ve met people here that have helped me when I run into problems not just playing the notes better but how to think about things um how to understand and interpret
Music in a simpler way or a better way if you haven’t picked up your horn for 10 years well pick it up and as you get better and get used to playing it again build up your Ure you will get
Better and you’re welcome I mean there’s nobody going to sit here and say you played that flat but or anything like that I mean it’s like come on do your best and we will welcome you when you
Start and I’ve seen this with quite a few people they start they haven’t played for a number of years they’re going to play the third part the second part then as they get more comfortable as they get more confident in themselves as their ability increases from playing regularly pretty
Soon they’re they’re playing lead if not you know if not on all the songs on a lot of the songs everybody has been wonderful you have people who are willing to push you to Excel and then you
Kind of like relax to it cuz you know like nobody can hear you specifically like like the whole time it helps build up stamina this is a great group of people like I said earlier all ages everyone
From Every section is warm and inviting it’s about being a part of something bigger than yourself so that’s one of the great things the band is about us having fun us enjoying ourselves but in the
Process of us enjoying ourselves we are doing a service I think of the retirement homes when we do the Christmas songs the Christmas concerts that we do at retirement homes all the residents get all gussied up and they come and they sit there and they’re having the time of their life it’s just
A wonderful experience and we get as much out of it as they do and this band absolutely helps you to feel like every single person who is in it matters in some way they appreciate every one of us everybody’s important it’s a nice mix of musicians all backgrounds all ages we’re from
All over I’m from H it’s the entire York area I think we’ve played all over the place people from different walks of life people from different communities all kind of gather to enjoy the this wonderful performance so it’s a great feeling to go out and perform with a group like this because
You know everybody’s going to have your back and that we’re all going to have a lot of fun when we’re out there playing music I would just say that um our reception at our concerts I know that
Everywhere we go we’re being paid to play but when you go to gigs at whether it’s a community picnic or a senior center or a church the reception is always the same it’s always very warm warm
And welcome you a lot of times like when you’re packing up on leave and people say that was great you sounded great I’ve had people say what is that thing and I have to explain to them it’s aoon and
What it is and the band has always been one of my comfort places in life whenever things get stressful I I always look forward to uh Practice season coming once a week to do practices it just
Kind kind of letting out a lot of my stress from the day from the week possibly as soon as I get behind my horn and I get you know locked into music mode all you know my stress just melts
Away a lot of the time and uh it becomes a place of of comfort and happiness I joined the band back in middle school and there’s a handful of people that are still with the band that were uh in the
Band back in those days too and I feel like I’ve gotten to know them a lot better obviously and uh some of those people watched me essentially grow up it does become a family they they’ve watched me
Through graduating high school college uh getting married and having a child of my own band itself becomes family they’re almost like a second family to me yeah I think I would I think I would just let them know the fun that we have camaraderie that we’ve you know built between between band
Members and and the uh just the joy uh that we bring to to people you know in your account it’s just been a wonderful experience well my father I I think sumed it up it’s a friendly group and it’s
Like family middle and high school students around the county have always been able to play with the band too it provides them with a fun way to hone their skills over summer break and be part of a
Musical organization with adults from around the county I’m from York Suburban I am in the concert band The Jazz Band and the marching band and I’m also involved with the York youth Symphony and obviously the mville band I am also in York Suburban I I play concert band concert choir and
Maran band when I was drafting we had 13 students from Central High School six or seven of them need districts the I say as a result to be in in the band the students that wanted to come out they get
A lot of playing experience the more you play the better you get and their teachers even love that these student will progress much much faster two or three times as fast in their Mastery of their instrument if they’re involved with a community event they’ll be challenged to play all different
Types of music that they don’t get in junior high or high school I feel my musical ability has increased I’ve definitely gotten better and also like that feeling of getting to be a musician
Who goes to gigs is one I’ve never experienced and it’s a lot of fun and makes me want to continue with a musical career I is just getting more comfortable with being able to play on block and
Field so it’s given me much more of an opportunity to figure out music theory and what not go where it’s just a better learning experience it will make you a better player you play under your director in high school you plan in Middle School whatever but that’s their techniques and whatever
But as soon as you’re playing under somebody else that’s like oh okay I can do this better I can do that better and it it it will improve you as a musician when you get to the point where you’re
Looking at District Band a region band State band the people who had more experiences are the people who’ve got the edge it’s really great I think for students that’s how I came in you know
You learn so much more I’ve learned a lot when I came in here just being a middle schooler like I said I was playing trumpet uh started like I think third third trumpet I sat beside Bruce
Wallace so I guess it was two three years I played trumpet and then I switched to bariton and this was kind of technically the first band I played alongside other bariton players because I went to Eastern York High School small high school when I joined as a 12-year-old in middle school I felt
Very intimidated because I felt like I wasn’t good enough to be a part of the band but because of how welcoming the people are in the band I quickly got over that fear and turned that fear into becoming
A better musician through the ability to play such a wide variety of music that I know that my peers at school weren’t able to do and with that I was able to become a better musician because I was
Playing things that they were never even exposed to some of the pieces that we play have a lot of key changes a lot of tempo changes within the music itself and that alone will develop you as a
Musician if you let it like said if you want to go to competitions oh yeah it’s going to help you I I feel like one of the biggest Parts about being in this SP as the People You Meet it’s honestly just
Really amazing being able to interact and meet these people who have been playing instruments for 50 60 70 years because some of the people in this band are amazing musicians and it’s honestly really humbling to be able to play with them getting to know that just because you’re young
Doesn’t mean you can’t be in this band full of people who are older than you a lot of people have been playing for a really long time so like everyone’s really really good it’s definitely a learning experience and you definitely get better from it and being able to meet new
People and getting any music varieties it’s just a lot of fun I would definitely recommend it a lot of music opportunities provided through school are so centered on either getting a grade for a music class or auditioning for an ensemble and it’s just really nice to be able to play music
That is challenging enough to help me grow as a musician while still being able to be relaxed and have fun and as like a person of my age I’ve again never experienced playing a gig and it’s it’s like
You feel more freedom than you do with like a school concert or like a school marching event show it’s a lot more free reing and it’s just like a lot more relaxed than what would normally happen in the March Grand show where it’s like more like high stress and having to think about
Multiple components and musically speaking I joined the edingsville band to connect with the community more and I didn’t really think the music would be that much of a step up from what I had already been playing but it definitely was like a shock how different the music was and how
I had to learn how to do different styles of music and I think that’s really helped me improve as a musician which makes it a lot makes it really worth joining for anyone in York County who plays a musical instrument there’s a place in the mixville band members were asked for their
Sales pitch that they would give to prospective members if you’ve ever played an instrument think back you probably played it in high school think back to high school and think how much fun you had playing the instrument we’re having that fun in essence we’re the same camaraderie that
You had in high school with your friends that are sitting there we have now if you’re looking for an opportunity to join a community of not just musicians but people who will be your friends and welcoming to an environment where you’re not sure how you Faire against other musicians this is the
Place for you anybody can come and participate it doesn’t matter what level of musician you are from the very beginning I’ve always felt well that’s huge we will not turn you away we welcome musicians of every stripe every playing proficiency we welcome everybody doesn’t matter
Your skill level and that’s one of the reasons why I believe the band is still here there’s no tryouts you don’t have to hit any Milestones or or pay any money just come and play because you love
The play people play in this band because they enjoy playing and they enjoy being with other people who enjoy playing things are really relaxed you don’t have to like oh my goodness I’ve got to
Be super quiet or I’ve got to be super loud here or I can’t mess up because you know it’s like yeah you get it the next time it’s not about playing perfect there’s no stress we don’t tride people
If they miss a flat on a song we’ll catch it the next time it’s not a big deal it’s more about jelling as a unit what’s great about this band is that we’re super flexible we understand that our
Members all have lives outside of the band and it doesn’t matter how often you show up you’re always welcome every time you come we understand that not everybody’s going to be able to make it out to all the rehearsals and all the gigs and that’s perfectly fine we’re always happy to see
Our members out to the gigs and rehearsals that work for their schedule we hear this a lot too of people that haven’t touched their instrument in uh many many years but would like to get back into
Playing uh music to some degree I think this band is a perfect opportunity for those people because of how flexible we are we’re happy to take members from all skill sets ages uh and backgrounds and help them develop their skills uh further you know if this is a hobby that you’re interested
In picking up it’s we’re really easy people to get along with and and and enjoy you know we don’t expect you to be awesome right off the bat you can come and stink it up or you can come
And be a rock star you can come and be social and play a few notes and be social a break and play a few notes just just come here it’s free for for anybody just come out and do it it’s a
Night that you don’t have to flip around the TV set trying to find something good to watch when there isn’t anything very fun to read feel going a lot of great music it’s great way to keep up
On your uh musical abilities if you really like uh playing join a family you um you’re going to learn you’re going to uh add to your um knowledge add to your abilities and you’re going to add to
Your friend it’s a win-win just I would encourage anybody to if you’re on the fence at all just grab your in can show up and try above all else we just have fun you know don’t worry about your Technique
Or that you haven’t played in a while come and have fun it’s just such a welcoming environment everyone here is super nice all we do is just you know have a good time play music with each
Other and give back to the community it’s always a welcoming group there’s no dry outs there’s no um you know there’s no pressure just all fun if you’re looking for an opportunity to pick up your instrument again or if you’re a student looking to hone your skills in an environment
With other musicians this is the place for you to get involved this is a way for you to get involved in your community doing something fun valuable rewarding and you can do it each year I would definitely say to join it’s definitely worth it everybody’s been very welcoming and
That’s encouraging it’s a great experience and the only way to have experiences is to be to be willing to get up and give something to try we’re an inviting band it’s an inviting atmosphere and
It’s worth it the only thing is to try we’re one of the oldest bands in New York with a great and diverse history it it’s just so interesting how long this band is gone I know I’ve talked about
It before but it really is a rare thing anymore just call try it come out and have fun come out and have some fun just just get here just do it do it I’d say just give it a shot come out and sit in
With us see what you think you don’t know what’s good here until you try it all you have to do is show up and try join the band the mical band is not just a community band it’s a musical family
A cultural staple and an historic York County Legacy from small V Village Origins is a company band for the acne wagon company to the oldest community band in the county with its own band hall the mixville band stands as a testament to the enduring power of music and [Music] community [Music] oh
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