Story & Photography Provided by Gretchen Weber
The Zionsville Concert Band, under the direction of John Richardson, takes to the road this summer for three invitational community band festivals around Indiana in Terre Haute, Alexandria and Speedway.
The first festival of the band’s summer festival schedule took place in Terre Haute on June 1. This year marked the eighth consecutive year Zionsville Concert Band has performed in the prestigious “On the Banks of the Wabash Community Band Festival.”
Audiences attended the second festival performance on June 8 at the popular “Bandfest ‘19” in Beulah Park, Alexandria. The band played selections by Richard Wagner, John Philip Sousa and Victor Herbert, as well as music from “Star Trek” and “ABBA.” Trumpet soloist David Hinshaw performed the iconic aria “Nessun Dorma” from the opera “Turandot” by Giacomo Puccini made famous by vocalist Luciano Pavarotti.
Zionsville Concert Band will wrap up its festival season in the newly launched “West Indy Winds Festival” to take place in Speedway’s Meadowood Park on Saturday, August 24.
In addition to their busy community band festival schedule, the band will perform for the traditional Zionsville’s Lions Park concert series on Sunday, July 7 at 7:00 p.m.
John Richardson has served as the Zionsville Concert Band’s Music Director since the organization’s inception 17 years ago. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, in Rochester, NY, with a focus on French horn and piano and Master’s of Music degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Richardson was a member of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band and was French horn soloist in the White House Orchestra. He retired from Christ Lutheran Church of Zionsville where he served as organist and pianist and earlier had been the Music Director, conductor of the hand bell choir and director of the classical and contemporary instrumental ensembles. He has appeared as a guest conductor of the Indiana Wind Symphony and the Indianapolis Municipal Band, and he conducted the band that assembled for the Bohumir Kryl Project at Wabash College’s Visiting Artist Series.
Zionsville Concert Band rehearses every Tuesday evening from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Zionsville United Methodist Church and performs a varied schedule of about a dozen concerts and festivals a year throughout the season, which runs until mid-December. Prospective members are welcome to attend a rehearsal simply to observe or to participate.
Music Director John Richardson, who founded the organization, is happy to share more information about the band. He may be reached by calling 317-727-4667 or via email at dmjarvis@gmail.com.
