The Hilton-Parma Gazebo Band, under the direction of Dr. Charles P. Schmidt, will present a series of free summer concerts at Hilton Baptist Church, 50 Lake Avenue, Hilton. The concert series has been an annual tradition in Hilton since 1984. This year’s community concerts will be held on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. on June 10, June 17, and June 24.
The band plays a wide variety of standard concert-band literature, including traditional marches, light classics, music from Broadway and Hollywood, and popular music. The concerts will also feature patriotic music to mark the nation’s 250th Birthday. This year, the band will play works by Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Charles Carter, Frank Erickson, Morton Gould, Clare Grundman, Frank Loesser, Jacques Offenbach, Alfred Reed, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, and Jan van der Roost, among others.
The Gazebo Band was founded in 1984 and was first directed by Hilton music educator Gordon Bascom. The original group of approximately a dozen musicians performed for the Village of Hilton Centennial celebration, and a larger group performed for the dedication of Centennial Park. The current conductor, Dr. Charles P. Schmidt, is in his seventeenth year of conducting the band. Mary Reazor serves as the band’s manager, librarian, and lead trombonist, and is the last remaining charter member.
The Gazebo Band is an all-volunteer organization that relies on donations from the community and individuals. The band is comprised of dedicated musicians from Monroe and Wayne counties. From its beginning, the band’s purpose has been to give area adult musicians a place to enjoy their musical gifts and to share them with the community.
Provided information and photo. The Hilton-Parma Gazebo Band performing a Christmas concert in 2025.
