The Lima Area Concert Band is kicking off its 2023 season Saturday at the Civic Center.
LIMA — With the closing of one local musical ensemble’s season comes the start of another’s.
The Lima Area Concert Band will perform “The American Dream” to kick off this year’s concert series at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Civic Center, and the band is looking forward to it.
“It’s a lot of music that is just kind of basic American music, whether it be the composer or the music itself,” President Chad Higgins, who also plays trumpet in the band, said. “There are certainly some pieces that people will recognize, but a lot of them just have a real patriotic feel to it. Some of them are a little quirky and the numbers are just for fun so I think it will add some variety to everything.”
Higgins added that one special thing to look forward to will be a performance from bassoon soloist Catherine Lewis.
“I think the band has had bassoon solos in the past, but not while I’ve been in the band,” he said. “It’s not typically an instrument you think of as being for a solo, but she’s really good. She has been playing for a long time and is very accomplished.”
Higgins himself will be looking forward to the music he will get to play.
“There are some songs that as a trumpet player you think are a lot of fun to play,” he said. “In this concert, all the music is great. I think everyone will really enjoy all the foot-tappers and patriotic stuff.”
The concert band will have four concerts at the Civic Center throughout the summer, along with two community shows in July, but nothing beats catching up after the long winter break for the performers.
“A lot of people in the band have been together for a really long time,” Higgins said. “Actually we’ve had people celebrating their 50th year in the band. We’re all just friends and we like getting back together again after missing everyone during the winter months. We have a lot of fun catching up and rehearsing.”
As for what the audience should take from the performance, Higgins’ answer was simple.
“I just hope they have a really good time and enough of a good time that after they leave, they talk to other people about it and invite their family and friends and anybody else they know to come out and hear us at the June concert.”
If all goes according to plan, that should not be a problem by the end of the show.
“There is a song called ‘Choose Joy’ which is a super fun, energetic, uplifting type of song that we’re playing and I had never even heard it before, but I think it’s really fun to play and I think the audience really will like it too,” Higgins said. “Of course, the other thing we do is end the concerts with ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ and we may or may not play fairly loud at that point, but that’s something that always gets everybody up on their feet and clapping their hands. I think it’s going to be a really good concert and we’re looking forward to getting going on it.”
Tickets for the concert are on sale now online at the Lima Area Concert Band website, Vons Jewelers and at the Civic Center box office.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Lima Area Concert Band
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Veterans Memorial Civic Center, 7 Town Square, Lima.
Tickets are $15 and students are admitted free. Tickets are available at Vons Jewelers, the Civic Center box office or at limaareaconcertband.org.
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
