The Webster Village Band at their 2016 Webster Schroeder Christmas Concert
Fifty years ago this summer, Webster Village Council member Gerry Barrett proposed that the village create a band that would provide free summer concerts to village residents. The Village Board agreed, and asked Stan Maruszak to lead the new musical group.
A half century later, the Webster Village Band is still going strong, and still providing beautiful music every summer.
Several years after the band started, Sue Siegmund began assisting Stan as Associate Director and Marcia Naukum helped out with band administration. When Stan passed away in late 2004, a group of band members worked together to continue band operations, and establish a solid relationship with the Webster Village Board.
Since then, a music scholarship was created by Stan’s widow, Frances, who has since passed in 2010 at the age 83. This scholarship has been awarded annually to students in the Webster Central School District.
Currently, the Webster Village Band is under the direction of Tom Indiano, Musical Director, and Associate Director Sue Siegmund.
Indiano, now in his 13th year with the band, is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and Nazareth College, with a concentration in saxophone. Sue Siegmund, a graduate of Fredonia majoring in the French horn, brings a variety of musical experiences to the band, having worked with the Webster musical co-op, Webster Central School District, and as organist for many years at Durand United Church of Christ.
Original members and long-time members with 40+ years with the band, who are still playing, include Mary Crockett, Skip Mayo, Marcia Naukam, Bobbi Przybylowicz, and Sue Siegmund.
The Webster Village Band plays a variety of musical genres, including marches, classical band selections, swing, show tunes and pops.
The band performs outdoors most Thursday evenings at 7 pm from mid June through August at the Harmony Station Band Shell, located off Phillips Road and Foster Drive, just south of Ridge Road. In case of inclement weather, the concerts are moved to Cherry Ridge at St. Ann’s Community, 900 Ridge Road, across from Webster Schroeder High School.
Concerts are always free and there’s plenty of lawn space. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, a picnic basket of munchies and relax and enjoy the music. The large lawn area is family friendly and perfect for youngsters who may find it difficult to sit still. Young audience members have been known to dance, run, play and even conduct the band on an occasion or two.
Other venues the band has played in years past include the Webster Arboretum and Genesee Country Museum.
The 50th anniversary season will kick off with a special event on Tuesday May 16 at 7:30 pm with, a “Side-by-Side” performance with students at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Road.
The summer season begins on Thursday, June 15, with additional concerts scheduled every Thursday night through August 31, except for June 29, July 13 and August 17. Weather permitting, they’ll also play their annual Christmas in July concert at the Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market on Saturday July 22 at 10 am. Stay tuned for more information about that.
New members are always welcome. Until the performance season begins, rehearsals are held Thursday evenings from 7-9 pm at various Webster schools. New members are encouraged to dust off those instruments and join this vibrant ensemble.
For more information, check out the Webster Village Band website. You can also follow the band on Facebook. Pocket calendars of the upcoming season are available at the Village Hall at 28 West Main Street.
Here’s a slideshow highlighting the great people and directors of our Webster Village Band:
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I tell ya. Go away on a cruise for a week, you think you’ve got everything tucked away for a while, and you come back to an overstuffed email box.
Jeanne Coonan holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Ithaca College, and has taught Instrumental Music for 35 years (24 years in Webster Central School District). Her experience includes teaching elementary, middle, and high school bands. Her elementary bands received Superior ratings at the Annapolis, MD Music Festival in 1996, 1998, and 2007, performing original commissioned compositions each time.
Al Heary has been teaching vocal/general music for 30 years, and currently teaches K-5 music at DeWitt Road Elementary School. He received a B.S. in Music Education/ Performance from Ithaca College and a M.M. in Music Education from SUNY Fredonia. He has completed three levels of Orff-Schulwerk teacher training at Eastman School of Music, three levels of Kodály teacher training at Nazareth College, and studied at the Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria.
Kowalski, a seventh grade science teacher at Willink Middle School.
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