When the Bellefonte Community Band lifts its instruments on August 13 in Talleyrand Park, it will celebrate four decades of sharing music with listeners throughout the county.
“Talleyrand is our home base, of sorts,” according to Band Director Meg Pedlow Smith. “Concerts always feel special there.”
Consisting of eighty-some members, the band formed in 1983, and musician Michael Gleixner recalls those early days. “It was pretty sparse in the beginning,” he says, “We had maybe thirty people, and I was the only trumpet player.”
Gleixner’s wife, Paula, also plays with the band, specializing in flute and piccolo. The couple met in high school band and share not only a love of music but also the sense of community they find with this group.
“We had nothing like this in my hometown,” says Paula, a St. Marys native. “You could play in church, but it’s not the same. This group has a very strong bond.”
That bond has served the group well. In the early days, Larry Acker was director. Since then, the group has had several directors, including Karen Neff, who picked up the baton from Acker in 2003 and led the group for five years. During her tenure, the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance issued a $1,500 grant for commission of a new work written just for this band.
Award-winning composer Robert Sheldon presented the band with a piece called “The Bellefonte Overture.” Michael Gleixner describes the work as “light, lyrical, and fun to play.”
The fun element plays a huge role with this group.
“We clap every time we get a new member,” according to president and saxophone player Jenna Spinelle. “Each incoming musician gets a round of applause.”
Spinelle explains that the group doesn’t hold auditions. Anyone with an instrument, she says, should feel welcome to join. A former Blue Band member, she emphasizes the inclusiveness of the group. Seasoned musicians, like herself and the Gleixners, stand alongside beginners.
Paula Gleixner sits next to a novice piccolo player, Melanie Fisher. “She’s learning the solo part at the end of ‘Stars and Stripes,’” Gleixner says, “and comes over to my house to work on it. Eight months of learning and she can play almost the whole thing.”
In addition to the mixed skill levels of the group, the musicians’ ages range from teens through retirees.
“You see a lot of age diversity,” says Sharen Lyons, who plays clarinet and is the band’s treasurer. “You might have a twenty-year-old on one side and someone in their sixties on the other.”
Due to the wide variety of backgrounds, abilities, and ages, the director has to utilize a specialized approach. Smith stepped into the position in the fall of 2018, bringing with her a background as a clarinet player in the U.S. Navy Band.
“I had a wide variety of experiences in the military, but something we did a lot of in the bands was perform public concerts,” Smith says. “I was able to observe what audiences enjoy and appreciate, as well as what goes into making a concert that is well organized, has good pacing, and features music that is rewarding for both the musicians and the audience. Those lessons inform my work with the Bellefonte Community Band as we strive for high-quality music performances that also support various community events.”
“She has the ability to expect the unexpected,” Spinelle says. “She rolls with the punches and is pretty unflappable.”
During the pandemic lockdown, the band continued to practice via Zoom. “Some municipal bands folded during that time,” Lyons says. She credits the dedication and hard work of Smith and Spinelle for maintaining the structure and spirit of the organization.
“After lockdown, we still couldn’t practice indoors, so we went outside, staying six feet apart,” Lyons recalls. “Jenna and Meg kept it together.”
Smith dedicates her time, energy, and talent to the group while studying conducting and musicology in a doctoral program at Penn State. She says her love of music and of making music, together with her strong feelings about community, motivate and inspire her as a band leader.
“This group is reflective of the community,” she says, “and I particularly enjoy bringing our music to retirement facilities like The Oaks, Foxdale, and The Village at Penn State.”
The band plays selections that appeal to a range of age groups. Sousa marches mixed with classic works, show tunes, and theme music from Pirates of the Caribbean and the Harry Potter films blend into programs everyone can appreciate.
“Sometimes children will get up and dance to the music,” Paula Gleixner says. “It’s cute and just so sweet to see.”
The band has a compilation of tunes for military forces. These include the “Marines Hymn,” “The Caissons Go Rolling Along,” and “Anchors Aweigh.”
“Service members will stand up for those,” Paula Gleixner says. “It’s really great, and it gives you chills.”
Since 1983, the band has had six different directors, including Acker, Neff, Erick Somodi, Natalie Stanton, Josh Long, and Smith. Most of them will help direct the August concert. This band has undeniable staying power and a strong sense of inclusion.
The Gleixners, Neff, Lyons, Smith, and Spinelle all stress the importance of community and openness as the appeal of the group.
The Bellefonte Community Band always welcomes new members. Anyone interested, regardless of experience, can visit bellefonteband.net for information.
Smith says she expects the next forty years to see “continued growth, and an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere.”
Bellefonte Community Band Anniversary Concert
7 p.m. Sunday, August 13
Talleyrand Park Gazebo
Rain location: Bellefonte Area High School
T&G
Anne Dyer Walker is a Bellefonte freelance writer.
