Directing a Community Band
By Jim Seidel

As a band director of both a Jr. and Sr. Band program for many years I have often been asked why do you choose to conduct the historic Ringgold Band.   Any public school director of bands, who takes great pride in their program, knows it is a draining yet fulfilling experience.   Why add a weekly rehearsal combined with additional score study to an already exhausting time commitment and take more time away from the family?   The answer is a very simple one for me.  

My mentor and private trumpet instructor for many years was Walter J. Gier, who from 1960-1980, was the musical director of the Ringgold Band.   He gave me a piece of advice I have passed on to countless students and young teachers over the past 34 years.   He simply encouraged me to take time for myself, to fulfill all those years of practicing.   Give of yourself as a teacher, but set an example for your students by showing them music truly is a life-long experience.   Enjoy making music from the performer’s side.   Monday evenings since 1973 have been reserved for the Ringgold Band.

I was voted to the podium in 1980 and have had the distinct pleasure ever since.   I have shared the joy of band music with professional, semi-professional and amateurs all who have a passion for band music. As educators we use band to enrich student’s lives culturally, and as a discipline for a lifetime experience. With the community band the passion is making the band music come alive with people who truly enjoy band music and want to make it come alive as well.   You have an opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life bringing a sense of reality to education of one’s students.   As an organization the Ringgold Band over its 155 year history has had its ups and downs as any organization does, but it is the fraternal spirit and bond of band music that keeps people returning to rehearsals and performances.  

Ringgold is different than many community bands for it is in reality a professional band performing an average of 22 times per year.   Most performances are paid thus the expectation of the band is high.   Members are encouraged to be prepared with their music and rehearsals are intense to cover as much music as possible in a two hour rehearsal.   The decorum at rehearsals is excellent, very intense, but not over the edge, there is always someone ready to make that ice breaking comment that brings levity to the whole evening.   While this writer totally enjoys his position it is not without the down side.   On occasion one prepares for a very structured rehearsal only to find the clarinet section will be light tonight and that was where a great focus was planned.   Finding personnel to fill out a roster sometimes is challenging simply because of the level of music the band plays, there is always that one job where everyone seems to vacation at the same time.   Speaking of vacation, as a high school director the weekends in the fall really don’t exist and with Ringgold we perform almost every weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day with a few concerts on either side of those holidays.   One must work very hard to balance the musical life with the love and support of the family.

Band music has been grass roots Americana, all of our schools have bands and we encourage kids to participate in this life long activity, therefore we as music educators must make time for the community band movement to keep this genre alive and well.   I have yet to find an audience who doesn’t like a solid Sousa March, or one of the classics like the William Tell Overture, but to play them correctly is work.   Working with the passion and love of band music, with people who share your joys has been one of the most life fulfilling experiences during my career.   Make the most of your years of study and be an active participant in a community band or orchestra, you will be a role model for students, but more importantly you will find the joy in yourself.

Jim Seidel has been the director of the Ringgold Band of Reading, PA since 1980.   He is the chair of the music department of Exeter Township School District outside of Reading, PA and is on the summer music faculty of Allegheny College.

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