Members of Bands of The Villages have been planning for the upcoming season after a year and a half away. The musicians intend to resume in-person rehearsals and performances at Savannah Center.
The Villages Concert Band’s conductor, Jean Butler, said, “What I’m looking forward to the most is getting back together and doing live music, being able to share our music with the community.”
The Villages Concert Band, The Villages New Horizons Band and The Villages Hometown Band are three concert bands that began rehearsals back in September.
The Villages Swing Band, currently under the direction of Lew Buckley, will join The Villages Presentation Band on stage for a few songs on Oct. 21 as part of its concert.
“This is kind of a restart and a reintroduction to us playing live concerts,” said Butler, of the Village of Glenbrook. “It’s also a good time to introduce (Buckley) and have special guests.”
“Fiddler on the Roof,” “Wrong Note Rag,” “Teddy Trombone,” “Rise of the Firebird” and a handful of marches are among the songs the 100-piece band will perform.
Butler will sprinkle some of these pieces throughout the next few concerts, as the ensemble had intended to play some of them during the spring concert that was shelved last year.
The show’s presenter will be Sandra Willetts, a former director of the Village Voices.
The Villages New Horizons Band’s “Big Band Spectacular.” which will take place on Nov. 18, will feature a lot of swing music as a means to get back into the swing of things.
”We thought, ‘What the heck, let’s do it,’” director Ward Green said. “Let’s put a lot of swing in there and have a lot of fun with it.”
“Way Down Yonder in New Orleans,” “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “Satchmo,” “Benny Goodman, the King of Swing” and “Woodwind Marmalade” are among the songs that the 90-member group will work on.
Green will try out a new seating pattern for the band during rehearsals, with one group of instruments sitting in a different spot than before.
“We’ll see how it goes,” said Green, of the Village of Winifred. “It’s something different. I think they’ll get used to it eventually. They’ll adapt.”
On Nov. 10, The Villages Hometown Band will perform a concert that will be all about joy.
The 75-piece band will perform tunes such as a Beach Boys medley. “Shall We Dance?” “Cool,” “Song for Hope” and “Cotton Eye Joe” are among the songs on the album.
Hugh Wicks, the director, remarked, “It’s a celebration of being together again.”
Wicks will carry his laptop to the practices so that individuals following along through Zoom can still rehearse with the ensemble.
“People were able to hear and play along like a part of the band,” Wicks said.
When members of the three bands met in person for the first time in June to practice, the room was filled with joy.
“It was so much fun,” said Wicks, of the Village of Fernandina. “Our cheeks hurt at the end of the day because we were grinning the whole time together.”
