Published: 6/29/2021 4:36:32 PM
Modified: 6/29/2021 4:36:32 PM
ORANGE — Outdoor music is returning to the “Friendly Town” this summer, as the Orange Community Band has announced a series of four free concerts at the Butterfield Park bandstand.
Scheduled dates for the concerts are Friday evenings, July 2, July 9, July 16 and July 23, all at 7 p.m. Concerts will last about one hour, with no intermission.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic, the band has not played in two years,” reads a press release about the upcoming concert series. “Just recently, they began rehearsals to prepare their programs.”
Under the baton of Stephanie Parker, conductor for more than 15 years, the band will perform a variety of musical selections ranging from marches to popular tunes and Broadway selections. The first concert, on July 2, will feature familiar patriotic and Americana songs.
The band is completely dependent on sponsors and donations. This year’s supporters include Orange American Legion Post 172, Whitten Enterprises, the Lyman family, the trustees of New Salem Academy and Witty’s Funeral Home, the release states.
The bandstand, which was constructed in 1976, is undergoing renovations and repairs. The work, consisting of painting and electrical, is being completed in phases, and the town is accepting donations for this purpose. According to Orange Community Band member Elaine Guertin, donations can be mailed to Town of Orange, Attn: Town Administrator/Treasurer Gabriele Voelker, Town Hall, 6 Prospect St., Orange, MA 01364.
“We are currently updating the electrical system, as the current system is not up to code,” Guertin explained via email. “Structural repairs have been completed and painting is just finished.”
Since the 1850s, there has always been a band performing in Orange. Starting with the Mechanics Band, the New Home Band and the Minute Tapioca Band — which relinquished the title when the group moved out of Orange — the band evolved into the present Orange Community Band in the 1970s.
“The band, which is comprised of musicians of all ages from area towns, is happy to be back performing and sharing their love of music with the community,” the release reads.