The Lodi Community Band, Inc. is comprised of a group of volunteer musicians from Lodi and the surrounding area, from a variety of backgrounds and professions, including current and retired music educators, and professional musicians. What we have in common is a love of music and desire to support the performing arts in our community.
The Band performs at a number of events in and around Lodi throughout the year, including community Memorial Day, July 4th, and Veterans’ Day observances. We also present at least three concerts each year in the spring, summer, and holiday seasons, in addition to our annual Dinner-Dance-Concert fundraiser which is held at the American Legion Building every year in the late spring.
There is evidence that a community band first existed in Lodi as far back as the 1870’s when a group of young men formed a brass ensemble. With help from local residents, a deal was made to purchase instruments, find an instructor, and learn the popular tunes of the day. The band performed in parades and dances, and presented concerts.
From the early 1960’s to 1992, the Lodi Community Band was part of the Lodi Adult School curriculum and, later, sponsored by the Lodi Parks and Recreation Department. Rehearsals were held in the evenings, mostly for the pleasure of the musicians. Over the years, the band rehearsed in various locations, including the basement of the old Lodi Carnegie Library (now Carnegie Forum), a portable building on the grounds of Lodi Middle School, and in the Thomas Theater at Hutchins Street Square (the old Lodi High band room). For a time, the band even rehearsed in one member’s barn! In 1982, the band was partially funded by a grant from the Lodi Arts Commission, and a Band Council was formed with elected officers selected to conduct the business of the band.
There have been numerous directors of the Lodi Community Band, including Sid Halsey, Donald Sutherland, Amos Parker, Clyde Vaiani, Fred Auch, Roland Terry, Rosemary Baschal, and Dean McNair. In 2005, Robert E. Gross became the director and served in that capacity until he was succeeded in 2012 by Arthur J. Holton, III.
Also in 2005, the band partnered with San Joaquin Delta College and became a class offered as part of the college’s music curriculum. The director is an adjunct instructor and member of the College’s Music Department faculty, and the Band Council became a Board of Directors consistent with the band’s new status as a 501-C3 Charitable Corporation. Happily, donations to the band are fully tax deductible.
Currently, the band rehearses each Monday evening, year-round, at 7:00 p.m. in the Millswood Middle School Band Room, 233 North Mills Avenue, Lodi. The school is just north of the corner of Mills Avenue and Elm Street, located next door to First Baptist Church. There is ample free parking. There is no audition process and interested musicians are welcome to visit a rehearsal and join us!
The Lodi Community Band, Inc. is, as noted above, affiliated with and offered as a course through San Joaquin Delta College in the summer, fall, and spring semesters. You must be enrolled as a student in order to be a member of the band, but may elect to receive one unit of college credit or simply register to audit the course free of charge and receive no credit.
High school band members are also invited to join the band! You must be a member of your high school band and enroll as a student of San Joaquin Delta College with the consent and signatures of both your high school band director and school principal. You are also eligible to earn one unit of college credit!
For more information, feel free to drop an email to info at lodicommunityband dot com!