Naugatuck Community Band Kicks Off Green Concert Series

The Naugatuck Community Band opened the Concerts on series Tuesday June 19. This has been the band's annual tradition since it returned in the spring of 2000. The free concerts of the summer are all sponsored by the Naugatuck Arts Commission. Charles Marenghi is the conductor of the Community Band and at this concert, he was assisted by Laura Caruthers. Ms. Caruthers was given a thank you gift by the band because she is heading to the University of Colorado at Boulder for two years to complete her Masters degree in music education and a minor in clarinet performance.

The band members dressed in their new maroon and white band shirts and dark pants sat on folding chairs set up in a half circle in front of the gazebo. The percussion section and on bass got to work in the gazebo. The concert opened promptly at 7 p.m. with a quick welcome from the director and the "Star Spangled Banner" but then quickly moved into the marvelous Pops portion of the set list. John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" is always rousing. After Rossini's operatic and lengthy "An Italian in Algiers," four Broadway medleys delighted the audience. Selections from West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables and Wicked were probably my favorite part of the evening.

Mr. Marenghi noted that a female member of the band asked to add a Cole Porter composition to the repertoire, so the next song was the lovely "Begin the Beguine." Music from the movies included "Music From Braveheart," "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Music for a Darkened Theater" by Danny Elfman, and "The Incredibles."
 
"National Emblem" by E. E. Bagley opened the patriotic portion of the program, and nobody does patriotic tunes with more heart than the NCB. This was followed by "Gettysburg," "Midway March" and Irving Berlin's "Songs For America." Did you know that there is a "Connecticut March?" This was followed by "The Armed Forces Salute" that gets me every time, especially when veterans stand for their anthem. "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Phillip Sousa closed the show and featured Mary Schmelcke on the piccolo solo.

The Community Band sounded as wonderful as ever and clearly entertained the music lovers of all ages that brought their chairs and blankets to the Green. Some had remembered to bring a donation or canned goods to donate to the Ecumenical Food Bank and placed them under two signs posted on opposite sides of the Green. The Knights of Columbus sold picnic food and the Naugatuck Community Choir sold sodas and other beverages.

Considering that was held at the same time as, the crowd was fairly large. Most appreciated the hard work that had gone into preparing the performance that ended after the sun went down. In the interest of full disclosure, the youngest percussionist in the band lives at my house and played lots of timpani, as well as claves, triangle, tambourine, chimes, bells, maracas and ratchet.

Next Up: June 26 - In Harmony: Doo Wop Vocal Ensemble
Rain: Thursday, June 28, on the Green.

Click here to see the full schedule.