Chester County Concert Band

I am from Toronto, Canada and while visiting my best friend in West Chester who plays clarinet for the CCCB, I was introduced to this wonderful band and now I am hooked! Although I live 500 miles away
I always try to catch a rehersal or concert while I am in town. One of my great pleasures in life!

I had the pleasure of playing clarinet in the Chester County Concert Band for over nine years. We entertained listeners old and young, healthy and less so. The band is a true community of musicians, as a community band should be. The tradition of community concert bands extends well over a century, perhaps 125 years in the United States. I hope it remains a resource to the community and its members for many years to come.

The Chester County Concert Band puts on numerous concerts during the year for our community. It is great performing with this group, with quite a variety of, and always appreciative, audiences. Our musicians have a wide range of background (engineers, teachers, music educators, and more), and ages range from college (and occasionally high school) students through retired folks. Great organization!

My mother has been in the Chester County Concert Band since I was born, so I grew up watching them perform all over the East Coast. Every concert they play is filled with joy and spirit - whether they are playing for the elderly, veterans, children, or special needs. It's an extremely important group that deserves recognition for all that it has provided to the community.

I have been a member of the Chester County Concert Band as a clarinetist for almost 23 years, and was president of the band for 8 years. Not only did the band provide a place for me to continue playing the clarinet, but to meet new people and form lasting friendships. The band performs about 16 concerts a year in various venues throughout the Philadelphia suburban area. We bring the magic of music to children in hospitals, seniors in retirement communities, our Veterans, and people in all walks of life at our public concerts. We perform a wide variety of music that appeals to all ages. The band receives great satisfaction in seeing the audience enjoying our music. The almost 100 volunteer band members dedicate their time and energy to make their communities a better place to live. We bring culture and entertainment to the public. Children can see and hear the instruments up close and hear all different kinds of music. Performers and audiences are engaged in a fun and learning experience.

A first-rate, community-based, performing arts organization. Nearly 100 volunteer members, from serious amateurs to semi-professionals, play a dozen or so concerts throughout the year in Southeastern PA. Concerts include of a variety of popular, patriotic, march, classical and contemporary music.

CCCB is a great volunteer community concert band, putting on more than a dozen performances each year for a variety of local towns and organizations, mostly in Chester County. The summer outdoor concerts are especially fun, allowing a wide spectrum of audiences to hear live band music, from popular showtunes to marches to arrangements of classic orchestral pieces. Our last concert featured a piano soloist performing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the band. We have members from more than just Chester County, and have many current and former music educators. I had not played my instrument for many years, and started playing again at the urging of my sons. It has been great to create live music again, and to play for appreciative, local audiences.

I found this group 6 years ago on the Internet. I felt like I fit in from the get go. I felt welcomed by everyone from members of the band to the board members at the time and the director. The musicians in my section(euphonium) are excellent and a great group of multitalented people who are able to help out with many aspects of the band. I love the music selections that the director makes. They are challenging enough to keep me interested in playing and will please most audience members at the same time. Finding the concert venues in Chester county was a little tricky for someone who is from out of state(Delaware) but I'm getting the hang of it. It is worth my time to cross state lines to make the effort to be part of this group.

As a member of the Chester County Concert Band, I attend weekly rehearsals in preparation for spring and fall concerts, as well as an extensive summer concert series. This is a great bonding experience for the group internally (all volunteer members gathering for one major passion), as well as the group bonding with an audience. It is touching to see the community come out to listen to a live performing arts group - I feel that is something our generation is losing out on and therefore the live arts are falling to the wayside. I know our audiences love hearing the group play, and it is especially touching when we play for those less fortunate than us. For instance, we have played Christmas and summer concerts at the Melmark home in Bryn Mawr, and knowing the struggles these challenged people have been through makes you feel even better because you've brightened someone else's day. I hope we continue to return there.

What a great opportunity this band offers local musicians! It is a dedicated group with heart. In addition to playing paying concerts around Eastern PA, the group also plays benefit concerts.

I play flute and piccolo with the CCCB and I love being a part of a wonderful group of talented musicians. Every week we rehearse with a diverse group of people; from high school students, to stay at home moms, to music teachers, to professionals, to some people in their 80s who have been playing since 1940! The music is fun to play, and keeps the players "sharp." The band is an integral part of the community.

This band is excellent, fun, and enthusiastic! I have been a proud member since 1986 and find the people and the music wonderful.