Findlay Civic Concert Band celebrates 75th anniversary

FINDLAY — In 1951, a band was formed in Findlay to perform for a Scout-O-Rama at Donnell Stadium. That group — now known as the Findlay Civic Concert Band — is still performing and this year celebrates its 75th anniversary. A special concert will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Allen Dudley Bandshell at Riverside Park, 231 McManness Ave. The event will feature many of the selections that were performed for the very first program. This is a free event. Current Director Wes King and Jack Taylor, director emeritus, selected pieces from the original concert and also a small number of pieces that reflect the Findlay community now, 75 years later. "Most of the music from the original concert are marches, and then the very popular "Malagana," which Jack will do," said King. It was also one of the pieces played for the first Civic Band concert that Taylor directed. Another of the selections will be highlights from "The Sound of Music." This was chosen because Findlay has a strong connection to the musical that people might not be aware of, said King. Russel Crouse was a Findlay native and writer known for "The Sound of Music." The band was founded and first directed by Ralph E. Shell, who had been an orchestra director in the Findlay City Schools. "Ralph started the band with a concert for a Boy Scout Jamboree, and everybody had such a good time with it they said, let's keep doing it. It ended up becoming an annual thing at Riverside Park," said Taylor. On June 25, 1952, Shell brought together 75 musicians to kick off a series of three concerts the band would perform in the bandshell at Riverside Park. Allen Dudley, an employee of WFIN radio and later a vice president at The Courier, offered a helping hand to the group. WFIN Radio was the sponsor. "Allen was one of the original coordinators so he's the name on the bandshell," said Taylor. "Dick Daugherty worked at WFIN radio, and he was the announcer for many years." The band was featured during some special celebrations, including a 1960 concert with the Ohio Oil Co. Chorus, a Sesquicentennial event at Donnell Stadium in 1962, and a fireworks show in 1976 at Riverside Park. Shell directed the band from 1952-76, except for occasional interim directors. Cliff Hite Sr., director of music in the Findlay City Schools, took over as director from 1977-87, when the baton passed to Taylor, director of music at the University of Findlay. "Going back to the earliest years, Findlay High School supported us with providing large instruments," said Taylor. "Not a lot of people own a tuba, bass drums or timpani." He said there also has to be a sponsoring organization to provide a library of music that the group can play in the summertime. "We've been fortunate that shifted from Findlay Public Schools to Findlay College and then the University of Findlay which most recently has been providing those services for the band," Taylor said. Taylor said Shell taught him a respect for history when he took over as director. "He said, you're going to do 'Down by the Old Mill Stream,' and you're going to do a 'Fanfare,' and you're going to do the National Anthem at every concert," he recalled. The band had an open door policy — auditions were not required for membership — which brought musicians in from high school age to those in their 80s and 90s, said Taylor. By bringing in the younger students, it helps perpetuate the group and keeps things rolling, he noted. There is also no membership fee, and players have traveled from Putnam County, the Toledo area, Bucyrus, southern Michigan, Lima and Wapakoneta to play. Taylor retired in 2020 after 40 years of directing community bands and teaching music at the university. Unfortunately, COVID-19 took its toll and his swan song concert was canceled. King, who became the director of bands at UF, moved with his family to Findlay in May 2020. "We didn't have a season in summer 2020 because there was everything being shut down, but we continued to make music," he said. Taylor helped the band find spaces on campus where they could continue to rehearse and perform during the pandemic. "We were, if not the only one, one of the only college band programs in the entire region that continued to play," King said. "So in terms of our community members, our student members, we actually grew during COVID." About the same time as Taylor's retirement, it was decided that the Civic Band needed to form a board of trustees. "I do know there were three directors and I was the third. And there was no board of trustees. There was no organizational structure to select directors," he said. Dr. Katie Frederick Whitta has been president of band since 2020 and a member of the French horn section since 2000. "We took a vote. We had people who wanted to be on the board, and they picked me. And we've just kind of been running this behind the scenes since then," she explained. A veterinarian, Whitta graduated from the University of Findlay in 2002. She said the directors still pick the music, but it's the board's job to make sure the band has everything it needs — including the ice cream they "pay" the band members with after rehearsals. "We have transportation to move all the equipment back and forth. We also, now that we're playing in different places, insurance costs and all those things. So that's what the board takes care of, all those behind the scenes we don't see," she said. "And we're just trying to keep these three little concerts that we do because they're so much fun for the community, to keep those going year after year," she added. In summer 2021 with the university still closed, St. Michael the Archangel Parish allowed the band to use their campus on Bright Road. "And I think without them we wouldn't have summer band anymore because if we didn't keep going, I think a lot of people would have dropped out," Whitta said. They had plenty of space inside the auditorium for rehearsals and planned two outdoor concerts that summer, she said. "Then the first concert there was rain threatening and we moved inside," she said. "And we had way more people than probably should have ever been in that building, but it was a blast." Half of the band was on the stage and other half was down on the floor, King remembered. "It was crazy and it was so much fun, and I think it was just because that was our first concert since the world shut down," Whitta said. The next concert was held outside in front of the church which the band has continued to do. "St. Mike's has been so generous in letting us do that and giving us the space. It's a lovely space," she said. Summer membership fluctuates as people are busy and taking vacations, said King. But the numbers still average between 80 and 100 players. "Our band, and I put this in the boilerplate for every concert announcement, but it does represent every career path, every life path in our area. And while we do have some professional musicians and some music teachers in the group, it's almost entirely amateur musicians," he said. The band has become like an extended family. Whitta's daughter started last year as an incoming freshman. Mother and daughter both play French horn. She said her son will play trombone when he's old enough to join. And King's oldest daughter, who is going into Findlay High School, just played her first concert with the band. "We always advertise that it's family-friendly and it's free. And I always mention to the parents that their children are welcome. We're not going to be hoity-toity or elitist about it if a kid's crying. We want your kids to come out and get to experience live music," he said. Taylor said concerts average about 1,000 people who come out on Wednesday nights to hear music in the park. "There's a long trail of history and support and love between the community and this band so we're excited about celebrating that," he said. The third concert of the season will be July 8 at 7 p.m. at Riverside Park. This performance pays tribute to America 250 and will feature staples like the "Armed Forces Medley" and "America the Beautiful."