By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
The Hays City Band will again be filling downtown Hays with music with three concerts scheduled for June.
The first concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Downtown Pavillion in Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main.
Concerts will follow weekly at the same time and place for the following two Tuesdays.
Rehearsals for the City Band have commenced, but director Matt Rome said all are welcome to join at any time.
“City band is well underway for our 2022 season,” he said. “But don’t let that stop you from coming out if you’re hearing about it for the first time.”
He said it is common for participants to perform in only one or two concerts as people come and go during the summer.
“We have people that will play the entire season. They’ll play every rehearsal and every concert,” Rome said. “But of course, there’s vacations, family trips, and so we work around that. The name of the game is no stress. It’s light. It’s fun. We just want to get people playing again.
“And so if maybe you can only make the last week, great, we’ll take you for that,” he continued. “Or if you want to play more, certainly happy to do that, too.”
For those that wish to play, no advance registration is required.
“They’re more than welcome to just show up,” Rome said. If an instrument is needed, he said players could reach out in advance, “otherwise, if you own your own instrument, just bring it on over. We’ve got music for you. We’ve got folders. Be glad to have you.”
The band members come from a diverse group of area residents, from advanced junior high students to seniors.
“It really is the full gamut,” Rome said. “We have amateur to professional and everything in between. So it’s a really cool vibe in the rehearsal hall.”
And any level of ability is welcome, and no notice is required.
“It’s all a testament to the music scene in Hays and how diverse and how strong it is,” Rome said. “It’s great, and it’s a pleasure to be a part of it. I love that we’re able to keep this tradition going and look forward to seeing where it’s going to go by the end of the month.”
Rehearsals are scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. June 13, 20 and 27 at Hays Middle School, 201 W. 29th.
“If you’re a little gunshy and thinking, ‘Yeah, I haven’t played in years,’ just come on out and try it,” Rome said. “After the first rehearsal, a couple people had come up to me and said, ‘You know, I forgot what this was like. But it’s kind of fun to do it again.’ ”
Hays City Band concert lineup locked in
Performances will include city band standards, but each concert will feature different music.
“I’m sticking to that kind of concert band repertoire idea throughout,” Rome said. “We will substitute pieces in and out as the season goes on. So some of the sets will remain constant. But the idea is, we’ll have new things each week if someone were to come out and listen to all three.”
The concerts are free and open to the public, and he said they are a great way to explore music.
“The beauty of what I think is summer bands and city band tradition is. It is lighter. It’s not the snobby, nose-in-the-air concert fare that you must only clap at certain times,” Rome said. “Bring the kids, bring lawn chairs out. Just have a good time and enjoy some great music. It’s just relaxed for everybody, players and audience alike. And I think that it’s a really, really great experience.”
This year’s theme, he said, is Past meets Present and also features a diverse lineup.
“I’ve tried to pick a variety of just good concert band repertoire, some staples, some classics, written as early as the 60s,” Rome said. “And then some modern compositions by a variety of composers that have been written as recently ... as 2018.
“We’re playing the whole spectrum of music,” he continued. “And so I just thought that it fit the group. We’ve got a wide spectrum of players, and so the repertoire should reflect that.
“So, if you just want to come out, hear some great band literature, please do come out and support these musicians,” Rome said. “They sound fabulous.”