The 72nd Season by the Findlay Civic Concert Band was a great success with three nights of cooperative weather, talented local volunteer musicians, large appreciative crowds, and a tradition that has been warmly embraced by concert goes since 1951.

Thanks again to the generous invitation of Fr. Adam Hertzfeld, the Civic Band continued to rehearse at St. Michael the Archangel Parish, and with the Summer Concert Series being managed by the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, we performed twice at the Dudley Bandshell at Riverside Park, and once on the Portico of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church on Bright Rd.

“A Joyful Life” started the season on the Portico at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church on Bright Rd. Hundreds gathered to hear a light-hearted concert of many familiar tunes, and some new pieces, all with the theme of joy.

We have appreciated this venue and the ability to practice at this campus for many years - and it seems that concert-goes agree! We look forward to being back on this “stage” in 2024!

It’s no surprise that Findlay, Ohio loves the annual patriotic concert, so our “Salute to America” on June 28th was such a treat to perform for a huge audience!

The sky across NW Ohio was grey with Canadian wildfire smoke, but that did not stop droves of faithful concertgoers from participating in the time-honored summertime tradition.

The Civic Band was back home in the Dudley Bandshell, and we had the opportunity to showcase some of the well-loved pieces that our audiences have enjoyed for decades.

The Civic Band always values the chance to salute our veterans, and in the well-known arrangement of the Armed Forces Salute we had the opportunity to recognize the men and women who have helped to make this country great. Without their service, and without the sacrifice of those who never came home, we wouldn’t have been performing.

We rounded out the 72nd Season with an unforgettable pops concert, titled “The Final Frontier.”

Of course that phrase calls to mind the spoken text from the opening sequence of the original Star Trek series, but the theme allowed us to build on that concept, incorporating all things celestial - including an out-of-this-world saxophone performance of “Stardust” by our Conductor Emeritus, Jack Taylor.

Star Dust was recorded in Richmond, Indiana in October 1927 by Hoagy Carmichael and His Pals (and later re-titled Stardust in 1929). In a BBC interview, Carmichael said, “Well, I got the idea just walking across the campus one night, my university campus where I went to school. I'd just left the college hangout called the Book Nook, and I started whistling, and I whistled this opening strain of ‘Stardust,’ and I knew that I had something very strange and different.” Spoken like a true jazz musician!

For those who heard Jack Taylor’s featured saxophone performance, accompanied by the Civic Band, it would have made Hoagy himself smile from ear to ear.

The audience gave a well-deserved standing ovation to Jack, and they were accompanied in applause by the entire Civic Band!

We are grateful to all who participate in the tradition of live concerts - from the musicians, to the concertgoers - but most importantly we thank our Conductor, Dr. Wes King for his help in making our 72nd season one to remember!

We look forward to seeing you in 2024 for our 73rd Season of live music!