Batavia Concert Band

The Batavia Concert Band opened its 96th season on a perfect evening in Centennial Park on Wednesday with a tribute to long-time member Bob Knipe and a thank you to its 2022 sponsors, including (but not limited to) GO ART!, Brighton Securities, WBTA, and the Batavia Rotary Club.

Upcoming concerts are at 7 p.m. on July 27, July 6, July 13, July 20, July 27, and Aug. 6.

The July 3 concert will feature soloist Dave Hollenbeck, as part of the Pam Frisby Memorial Concert Series.  

The July 27 concert will be conducted by Batavia native and resident Joshua Pacino, current music teacher at Notre Dame.

Returning for his ninth season as conductor is John Bailey, Instrumental Music teacher at Pembroke Central School District and the organization is under the leadership of General Manager Jason Smith.

The concerts in the park are free.

Press release:

The Batavia Concert Band will be returning for their 96th season of public concerts in Batavia’s Centennial Park (rain venue is the Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College).

Concerts will be held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. on June 22, July 27, July 6, July 13, July 20, July 27 and Aug. 6.

The season will commence with a special memorial sound system dedication to long-time band member Bob Knipe, sponsored by the Batavia Rotary Club.   The July 3rdh concert will feature soloist Dave Hollenbeck, as part of the Pam Frisby Memorial Concert Series.  In addition, there will be concessions and special raffles each week, including some new raffles!

The Batavia Concert Band’s repertoire has something for everyone: marches, Big Band and swing numbers, popular songs from musicals and movies, rock favorites, classical adaptations, and everything in between.  

The Band consists of 45-55 brass, woodwind and percussion players ranging from talented high school students to 60-year veterans. Many have professional experience, others are advanced amateur musicians, but one thing is for sure -- all love to play!

Returning for his ninth season as conductor is John Bailey, Instrumental Music teacher at Pembroke Central School District and the organization is under the leadership of General Manager Jason Smith, along with a talented group of officers and a dedicated Board, led by Board President Bob Conrad.

The July 27th concert will be conducted by Batavia native and resident Joshua Pacino, current music teacher at Notre Dam..

Founded in the early 1920s, the Batavia Concert Band has brought musical pleasure to the region every year except during World War II and 2020 during COVID.

Concerts are currently supported and funded in part by Platinum Sponsors GO ART, Genesee Community College, Brighton Securities, and WBTA, as well as local businesses, program advertisers, service organizations, and individual patrons.  Individuals or businesses interested in supporting the Band should contact a band member at any concert. 

The Batavia Concert Band is also excited to announce the return of radio station WBTA (AM 1490 / FM 100.1) as the Official Media Sponsor for our 2022 summer concert series!

Be on the lookout for appearances by band members on WBTA’s “Main & Center” program, where we will go into some depth about the band’s makeup and its history. Also, be listening for weekly radio ads promoting the musical selections for the upcoming concerts, and announcing our weekly sponsors.

For information, please visit our Facebook page and www.bataviaconcertband.net to learn more about the Band and our sponsors, and “we will see you in the park!” 

The Batavia Concert Band and its patrons finished the 2020 season with its seventh straight perfect Wednesday evening in Cential Park and presented some of its supporters and musicians with awards.

The Batavia Rotary Club was honored with the band's annual Friend of the Band Award and Dr. Marlin Salmon accepted the award on behalf of the club.

The band also present a donation to Rev. Ivan R. Trujill, Resurrection Parrish, for allowing the band to practice at the church for the past seven weeks.

Scholarships were presented to 

• Katie Dessert (flute), receiving the Conductor's Choice Award. She starting her senior year at SUNY Fredonia studying Music Education with a concentration in Voice and General Music.  
• Lydia Geiger, currently majoring in Music Performance in Music Education (on flute) at SUNY Potsdam. 

Photos by Liz Bailey.

Glenn Adams shared these photos of yesterday's concert in Centennial Park by the Batavia Concert Band.

The Batavia Concert Band performed its first concert of the 2021 season last evening in Centennial Park.

The public is encouraged to attend the free concerts at 7 p.m. every Wednesday through Aug. 4 in Centennial Park, located at 151 State St. in the city.

These concerts are "made completely possible through local funding."

Upcoming concerts and/or their sponsors:

• June 30th -- In memory of Robert Knipe, Gary Bird, Dave Funston and Ange Pillo
• July 7th -- Made possible by WBTA our season-long media sponsor and The Pacino Family, Gold Sponsor
• July 14th -- In memory of Neil Hartwick
• July 21st -- Made possible by Batavia Rotary Club, Gold Sponsor and Silver Sponsor, H.E. Turner & Co, Bohm-Calarco-Smith, Burdett & Sanford Funeral Homes
• July 28th -- In memory of John Arent by his family as Gold Sponsors, made possible by GCASA and Brighton Securities as Bronze Sponsors
• Aug. 4th -- Made possible by Great Lakes Insurance Services Group (Batavia Office), Gold Sponsor​

Photos by Howard Owens.

Interview with Jason Smith, Batavia Concert Band.

Above, band Finance Director Bob Pastecki with 2019 scholarship winners Kyla Leno, left, and Katie Dessert.

Submitted photos and press release:

The Batavia Concert Band closed its 94th season on Aug. 7th, and presented some special awards.

Scholarship awards were presented to Katie Dessert and Kyla Leno. Dessert received the Batavia Concert Band Board of Directors Scholarship, and Leno received the Conductor’s Choice Scholarship.

Both Dessert and Leno are Music Education majors, have played with the Batavia Concert Band for several season, and aspire to become music teachers.

Board Member Ann Arent also presented the annual Pam Frisby Friend of the Band Award. Frisby was a former Board present and ardent supporter of the Band, and this award is given in her honor. The 2019 recipient was Charlie Gould. He is a regular presence at the Wednesday evening concerts, and often leads the crowd in singing the "Star Spangled Banner."

The Board of Directors and band officers would like to thank a dedicated and enthusiastic crowd, and season-long sponsors GO-ART! and WBTA. A full listing of gold, silver and bronze sponsors may be found at www.bataviaconcertband.net

Plans are already underway for the 2020 season!

Below, Board Member Ann Arent speaking about the annual Pam Frisby Friend of the Band Award.

Below, Charlie Gould, this year's recipient of the annual Pam Frisby Friend of the Band Award.

Press release:

Richmond Memorial Library will kick off its summer reading programs for adults and youth on June 24! This year’s theme is “A Universe of Stories” and our programming will highlight outer space, inspired by the 50^th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.

We are excited to offer programs for adults, children and the whole family through August!

The library is excited to kick off summer reading in partnership with the Batavia Concert Band.

On Monday, June 24, conductor John Bailey will share a preview of the band’s season at 7 p.m. at Richmond Memorial Library. On Wednesday, June 26, the Batavia Concert Band will kick off its 94^thseason with “Sounds from A Universe of Stories,” at 7 p.m. at Centennial Park (or GCC’s Stuart Steiner Theatre in case of rain). For more info about the band, visit bataviaconcertband.net.

Adult Summer Reading - BINGO!

Back by popular demand, Summer Reading BINGO will return for adults from June 24-Aug. 17. The program will feature a BINGO board full of reading and library challenges. Participants will get a weekly prize entry for each square they get stamped and a grand prize entry for each BINGO (five completed squares).

This year’s grand prizes include a chance to attend an Afternoon Tea with the Richmond Reads author Silas House, as well as a Book Lover’s basket! Our seven weekly prizes will include gift cards to local businesses and there will be prizes for participation as well.

As a bonus, the first 20 participants to register will receive a paperback copy of "Southernmost" by Silas House, the Richmond Reads selection for 2019. All prizes are made possible courtesy of the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library.

BINGO square challenges include everything from attending a library program to watching a documentary to reading a book with “sun,” “moon” or “star” in the title (in keeping with our theme!). The goal of the program is to help you get to know the library better as you step out of your “reading comfort zone” -- as one patron said about last year’s program, “I enjoyed that it was at my own pace yet encouraged me to read more…it encouraged me to step out of my normal reading genres.”

We welcome all patrons 17 and older with a valid library card to participate in our Adult Summer Reading program! All information and rules will be provided with registration. Visit the library for a sneak peek at our BINGO Board for 2019.

Our Reel Discussions series over the summer will feature space related films, such as “The Martian” (2015), “First Man” (2018) and “October Sky” (1999).

Children's Summer Reading - A Universe of Stories!

Read and Bead is back! Our Summer Reading program will help kids to fight boredom and discover new worlds! Bring your kids in and sign up! They'll get a necklace with starter beads and their Summer Reading record. For each 15 minutes of reading, they get a new bead. At the end of each week, we reveal a new special bead!

Kids who complete the program will end the summer with prizes including special books.

Start the summer with our Constellation Kick-Off on Friday June 28th with an indoor planetarium! Our Family Fun Fridays continue throughout the summer with visits from the Rochester Museum and Science Center, Buffalo and Brandy, Animals in Space (reptile show), Checkers the Inventor, and a Traveling Farm!

We cap off the summer on Aug. 9th with African Drumming, Dancing and Storytelling! We will also have the classic beauty "Belle" reading stories to kids on July 16th, and two Homeschooler Meet and Greet gatherings on July 19th and Aug. 2 at 1 p.m.

For 8-12 year old kids, we have a Nailed It! program at 3 p.m. each week. With limited supplies and time, they will have to be creative and work fast! On Thursdays at 10, it's STEAM Time! Explore tech gizmos, science gadgets and have fun. Register for each program by calling us or stopping in.

Teens can enjoy some cookies and book discussion in our low-pressure "What are You Reading? Book Club" on Fridays at 10. Come with a book you're reading or one you love! This is a fun, friendship-building group that encourages the love of reading.

Youth Summer Reading Program runs from June 24th to Aug. 10th.

For information about all upcoming events and library services, visit batavialibrary.org

Richmond Memorial Library continually provides access to physical and virtual resources and services that meet the educational, informational and recreational needs of its diverse community in a safe and comfortable environment. Learn more at www.batavialibrary.org

Press release:

The Batavia Concert Band will be returning for their 94th season of public concerts in Batavia’s Centennial Park (rain venue is the Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College).

Concerts will be held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. on June 26, July 3, July 10,  July 17, July 24, July 31 and Aug. 7, as well as the ever-popular July 4^th Picnic in the Park sponsored by GO ART!.

The July 3rd^h concert will feature The Byrne Brothers, as part of the Pam Frisby Memorial Concert Series. The Byrne Brothers, consisting of a father and his three sons, are an internationally known Irish band currently touring the United States with their home base being the Ragland Road Bar in Orlando, Fla.

The Concert Band is pleased to host them for a 20-minute preview concert, as they will be performing throughout Genesee and Orleans counties on July 3 and 4^th.

The Batavia Concert Band’s repertoire has something for everyone: marches, Big Band and swing numbers, popular songs from musicals and movies, rock favorites, classical adaptations, and everything in-between.  

The Band consists of 45-55 brass, woodwind and percussion players ranging from talented high school students to 60-year veterans. Many have professional experience, others are advanced amateur musicians, but one thing is for sure -- all love to play!

Returning for his seventh season as conductor is John Bailey, Instrumental Music teacher at Lyndonville Central School.

The July 3^rd and July 4^th Picnic in the Park concert will be conducted by Batavia native and resident Joshua Pacino.

Additionally, the Concert Band is pleased to announced that Mike Thaine, director of High School Bands at Albion High School, will the guest conductor on Aug. 7^th.

Founded in the early 1920s, the Batavia Concert Band has brought musical pleasure to the region every year except World War II.

Concerts are currently supported and funded in part by GO ART!, local businesses, program advertisers, and individual patrons. Genesee Community College generously donates rehearsal space and a rain venue.

The Band also sponsors 50-50 raffles at every concert, bake sales, and other fundraisers.

Individuals or businesses interested in supporting the Band should contact a band member at any concert. 

The Batavia Concert Band is also excited to announce the return of radio station WBTA (AM 1490 / FM 100.1) as the Official Media Sponsor for our 2019 summer concert series!

Be on the lookout for appearance by band members on WBTA’s “Main & Center” program, where we will go into some depth about the band’s makeup and its history. Also be listening for weekly radio ads promoting the musical selections for the upcoming concerts, and announcing our weekly sponsors.

It was 1924, a world-renowned musician had a dream of creating a band in Batavia. Angelo Colarusso, a famous conductor and baritone player, formed the first Batavia Boys’ Concert Band as the conductor and instrumental instructor.

Over the next two years, the band was reorganized and called the American Legion Band. Edward Sullivan conducted the band until 1933 and was followed by conductor Angelo Zimmarino.

During World War II the group disbanded and restarted in the late '40s under the direction of Gordon Cox. Daniel Martino and Joseph Puccio were original boys' band members and continued to play through the early 1980s.  

During this time the band consisted of only 15 to 20 professional musicians. Over the next 10 years, the band expanded to include qualified adults who enjoyed playing and added advanced high school and college music students. Now the band had 40 to 50 participants.

In the '90s, the band consisted of several music teachers throughout Genesee County, several adult amateurs, and students from area high schools and colleges. The Batavia Concert Band always welcomed community musicians to join the band.

Today the Batavia Concert Band is proud to have an equal number of men and women that includes players with ages that range from advanced high school players in their teens to musicians who have enjoyed playing for 50 to 60 or more years.

Instruments that make up the band are saxophones, French horns, trumpets, baritones, tubas, flutes, trombones, and percussion.   

Members of the band learn from each other. The main objective of the Batavia Concert Band is to bring quality live band music to an appreciative audience. The band’s goal has always been to give free concerts to the public in an outdoor family-oriented atmosphere and it remains the same today.

The Batavia Concert Band programs have varied. To name a few; Civil War Concert, Music from Around the World, Italian-American Night, Irish Folk Song Suite, Marches, Jazz, Show Tunes, Plays the Pops, Polka Fest, Baseball Hotdogs & Apple Pie, Sock Hop & Cruise Night, and Swing’s the Thing.

Every band needs an excellent conductor. Returning for his seventh season as conductor is John Dailey, Instrumental Music teacher at Lyndonville Central School.

Other conductors that have led the Batavia Concert Band are, in alphabetical order: Roger Bolton, Phil Briatico, Wayne Burlison, Frank Dow, Donna Flood, Jane Haggett, Gordon Hardy, Neil Hardwick, Ken Hay, Kevin McLaud, Josh Pacino, John Ranalli, Derek Reiss, Don Rogers, Mike Rudnicki, and Skip Taylor. 

The Batavia Concert Band’s main financial support is provided by a variety of sponsors. Their main sponsor is, in part, funds from the Decentralization Program, a re-grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts, administered locally by GO ART! In the past, local service organizations and local businesses have supported the Batavia Concert Band.

The Batavia Concert Band also offers a scholarship to a high school graduate. Preference is given to a student majoring in Music Education or a Music major, and they must also demonstrate a commitment to community bands and music.

Every Wednesday, beginning June 26  through Aug. 7, the Batavia Concert Band will be performing at 7 p.m. in Centennial Park. They will also be at the Picnic in the Park at 11 a.m. on July 4th.

This organization has purchased their own chairs and a trailer to haul them and their equipment. If you see a musician in a green shirt with the logo Batavia Concert Band, you are looking at a musician who has dedicated his or her talent to giving you a night of music.

During the summer if you are driving down Ellicott Avenue or Richmond Avenue and you hear beautiful band music coming from Centennial Park and notice many lawn chairs on the grass, you can thank the music teachers from the area and the very talented high school and college students who are performing for your pleasure.   

They hope to keep band music alive and to continue to generate interest in band music, inspire children to study music, and encourage students and adults to continue playing, and in doing so the band will have accomplished its worthwhile goal.

Lots has changed over the years, but the Batavia Concert Band has remained a wonderful addition to the music community of Batavia. Hope to see you at Music in the Park!

Photo: File photo.

Press release:

As part of the last concert, Dave Lumberg, owner of Tim Hortons, of Batavia, received the annual Pam Frisby Friend of the Band Award.  Pam was a longtime board member and president for the Batavia Concert Band, and the Band honors her memory every year with a Friend of the Band Award. 

Tim Hortons was recognized for their generous donation each season of baked goods for the concession stand, of which the proceeds are used to fund a scholarship program for college students who play in the Batavia Concert Band. 

Pictured is Dave Lumberg, a Tim Hortons Batavia franchise owner, Anne Arent, BCB Board member, and Jason Smith, BCB general manager.

Tim Hortons received a certificate for display in their restaurant, and their name will be engraved on a special plaque displayed at every concert. Tim Hortons also donated the prize award back to the Batavia Concert Band.

The Band also thanks GO ART!, WBTA, the City of Batavia, and Genesee Community College for their support of our entire season, as well as the following concert sponsors: The Zehler Family, Rotary Club of Batavia, HE Turner & Company Funeral Home, Batavia Lions Club, Bailey Electric, GCASA, The Insurance Center, UMMC, friends of Neil Hartwick, the Pacino family, Michael Kubinec D.D.S., and Brighton Securities.  

Thank you to all our audience members who faithfully attended each week, and plans are already underway for the 2019 season!

There is a hazardous weather outlook in effect for Genesee County.

The National Weather Service says showers and thunderstorms today will increase in number with a marginal risk for strong to severe thunderstorms by late afternoon. Damaging wind gusts is the primary threat, with isolated large hail also possible.

Because of this outlook, tonight's free concert by the Batavia Concert Band at Centennial Park has been moved to Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College. It will also feature a student alumni musical tribute to the late Batavia school band instructor Neil Hartwick.

The Batavia Concert Band will perform indoors this evening, show time, 7 p.m., due to rain, at Genesee Community College. The performance will be in the Stuart Steiner Theater.