One advantage to being where we are is a strong sense of community, which is well expressed by having a Community Band. Every Tuesday night over the summer they perform for us in our Central Park. This summer the boy started playing with the band – his school band director will be the new C-Band director, and a few high school players show up each week to play alongside the veterans.

Yesterday was a wet one; kind of unusual for this time of year hereabouts (that’s another benefit of life here – pretty good weather in the summer allowing regular events like this) and so the band, a smaller group of diehards, gathered together under the park’s gazebo for shelter, and began their regular 7pm rehearsal.

It was raining steadily, and Robyn, the night’s conductor, figured they would rehearse then call it a night. And that was the plan, but, sure enough, right at eight o’clock a handful of people showed up for the show.

So they played. It was a shortened performance, but one with heart and gusto. The rain was more of a drizzle, and there were only a baker’s dozen in the crowd, but the bond twixt the band and their audience is strong. The theme was to be Music From The Movies, so this clip is an excerpt from a medley of pop tunes used in Guardians of the Galaxy.

This was to have been Robyn’s last concert; with the rain out, she’ll be back next week with the whole band and much larger crowd, which is appropriate. She’s been in the lives of so many kids for a few years now, as she was the band and choir director at their middle school. So many young lives were touched by her, and by so many marvelous musicians in our community.

We don’t go to as many of these concerts as we should; more now, though, since the Boy is playing in them. Right now is a time of transition, as the old leadership is retiring and new blood is picking up the baton, as well as some of the instruments. It makes me feel good knowing that this institution, our community band, is alive and well, and appears to be thriving, here in the place I call home.

It’s a good feeling on which to be hooked.