Memorial Day at the Russell Tripp Performing Arts Center at LBCC was a great place to relax and listen to the Willamette Valley Concert Band.
The program featured free admission to the 4 p.m. show and music starting with the “Star-Spangled Banner” and ending with the “Armed Forces Salute” and some familiar music in between. Walking into Takena Hall on Memorial Day, you could hear some flute and trumpet, followed by some clarinet, bassoon, and the French horn. Concert goers filled about 70% of the seats.
Andrew Mitchell, who plays the trombone and has been playing with the orchestra for four years, said the Willamette Valley Concert Band does five concerts a year and will be in Monmouth on July 3 at the Main Street Park for a Western Days Celebration.
They invite people that are interested in joining their band to send an inquiry to: contactwvcb@gmail.com or by sharing your interest with a band member. They rehearse every Thursday from 7-9 p.m. at South Albany High School from September to early July.
The group has many donors with KSHO/KGAL Radio being one of the top donors. Others include people around the area who donate anywhere from $1 to $1,000 and up.
