Music “of the people, by the people, and for the people” in the Brockport area
“For families who make music, what you put together for Brockport families is just a precious thing, a special memory, and an artistically satisfying experience, a gift to the community.” – Brenda Tremblay
“One of the great things about playing a musical instrument is that you can be active with it as long as you want to be.” – Shawn Halquist
by Doug Hickerson
The Brockport Area Community Concert Band in its premiere performance at the Morgan-Manning House July 4. Its 85 members are directed by Shawn Halquist. Photograph by Rick Nicholson.This year’s “Old Fashioned 4th of July” at Morgan-Manning House saw the rebirth and return of the concert band that had been a major feature of the celebration for 30 years. Last year, the Brockport Central High School Band’s rousing opening concert was missing, due to school district budget cuts. “I was really upset about it, because it was something I looked forward to every summer,” said Michelle Lopez, who graduated from Brockport High School last month. “I was so happy that they brought it together again.” Michelle plays the flute and piccolo. Her piccolo solo during the stirring “Stars and Stripes Forever” concert finale won the audience’s applause.
Michelle was one of 85 members of the new Brockport Area Community Concert Band, with musicians ranging in age from 11 to 70. “It’s even better this year,” she said, “because you get to see not only band people from school, but your teachers, your church members, and others in the community.” It was the regeneration of the high school band for the July 4 event, expanded to include community talent. The variety of musicians included 6th grade and high school band members, band directors of Brockport’s 4th, 5th and 6th grade bands, and returning band alumni. Band directors from other school districts joined. There were three families with four members and several more families with at least two members.
Shawn Halquist, director and producer of the new Brockport Area Community Concert Band, aggressively rounded up the variety of community musicians. Shawn, a director of the Brockport High School Band, noted a “growing movement across the country to create intergenerational bands. One of the great things about playing a musical instrument is that you can be active with it as long as you want to be.” Shawn and Andy Stoker share the directorship of the Brockport High School Band. The two colleagues agreed that the intergenerational community band was the way to go for the July 4 event, “especially with the wonderful support there is in the Brockport community for our music programs,” Shawn said. “We gave it a try and it worked very well.”
Band Members
Doug Briggs, chemical engineer, with son and two daughters
It worked very well for the Briggs family in Brockport. Doug Briggs played trombone, along with his son Sam, also on trombone, and daughters Emily on French horn and Sarah on clarinet — all of them in the Brockport school music program. Doug is a chemical engineer. He graduated from Hilton High School in 1979 where he played in the band, continued with the Hilton Firemen’s Band, and is now with the Hilton Generations Band. “The new community band was an attractive idea for us,” Doug said. “I played trombone since grade school. It’s been important for me to demonstrate different opportunities for my kids to continue playing as they get older.”
Andy Stoker, Amy (Maar) Stoker, and the Maar family musicians
Andy Stoker, his wife Amy (Maar), and the extended family were a strong presence in the new band. Andy plays the saxophone, and so does Amy, a fourth grade teacher at Hill School. Her sister, Holly Sheehan, teaches first grade in Churchville-Chili, and plays the tenor saxophone. Her brother Scott plays the tuba and his wife, Debbie, plays the oboe. Their daughter, Natalie, is in sixth grade and plays the tenor saxophone.
Brenda Tremblay, morning host of WXXI Classical 91.5, and her father
Brenda Tremblay is the morning host of WXXI Classical 91.5. She is also the music director at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Brockport. She lives in Brockport with her husband, two teens and a pre-teen — all three in the Brockport music program. Brenda grew up in Albion where her father, Sid Bolton, was band director at Albion High School. She played the bassoon under his directorship. After high school, Brenda did not play the instrument for 20 years, until she read about the new community band in the Suburban News. She contacted Shawn Halquist who welcomed her and provided her with a bassoon. After a few weeks of practice, she convinced her father, now 70 and retired, to join the band with his trombone. “It was the first time I had ever played in a band with my Dad. It was just a fun experience,” Brenda said. “For families who make music, what you put together for Brockport families is just a precious thing, a special memory, and an artistically satisfying experience, a gift to the community.”
Brenda’s compliment was directed to the Western Monroe Historical Society which sponsored the July 4 event and to the Brockport Central School District. The not-for-profit organization and public school system collaborated on bringing back the band to the “Old Fashioned 4th of July.” The Historical Society used part of the “Bring Back the 4th” Liberty Mutual Insurance grant which it had received last year. Shawn Halquist launched the intergenerational community band that exceeded all expectations for the opening concert. A record turnout of about 500 citizens received the community’s gift of music with enthusiasm and generous applause. It was a good day for the Brockport community.
