Marching to the beat of Community Band

BARBARA DIAMOND

The Community Concert Band played a program this weekend of American

music from swing to Sousa, including Broadway show tunes, the

quintessential American contribution to theater.

“When we started, we had eight members and a repertoire of zero,”

said band President Carol Reynolds. “We played for fun in a room in

the Recreation Building behind Community Services Director Pat

Barry’s office.”

Sunday, the 57-piece band played for a near-capacity audience of

more than 400 at the Artists Theatre on the Laguna Beach High School

Campus.

“Concert Americana” was a perfect prelude to the Patriots Day

Parade March 5, when the band will perform in the Peppertree Parking

Lot on Ocean Avenue.

Before a note was played, Laguna Beach American Legion Post 222

members Richard Moore, David Connell and Hal Werthe presented the

colors, marching the Flag down the stairs of the theater and posting

it prominently by the stage.

The audience sang along with the band, which opened the concert

with the “Star Spangled Banner,” conducted by Musical Director

William Nicholls, and joined Roxanna Ward in singing “America the

Beautiful.”

Teenager Sophia Tupy, who Nicholls said is “playing in every

student production in town,” sang “I’m Sitting on Top of the World.

Councilwoman Toni Iseman conducted “God Bless America,” standing

in for Councilwoman Cheryl Kinsman, who has pneumonia.

You would have thought Iseman had been conducting all her life,

although she took the stage after only a brief tutorial from

Reynolds,

“When you drop your hand, we will begin to play,” Reynolds said.

That was it. Iseman’s previous conducting experience was when she

was five.

“Boxing on television used to begin with the ‘Star Spangled

Banner,’” Iseman said, “I didn’t want to watch boxing so I stood in

front of the TV and conducted, blocking the screen.”

Her father did want to watch boxing.

“It was the last spanking I ever got,” Iseman said. .

Sunday, it was kudos and applause.

“Could you believe how good she was?” Barbara Painter said.

Ed Peterson also came in for kudos at the conclusion of the first

act.

Peterson, who spent three years sharing a music stand with

Nicholls at Cal State Long and now shares the music director’s duties

with him, conducted the Norman Rockwell Suite. Each movement was

accompanied by slides of Rockwell’s work, beginning with fragments

and ending with complete “Saturday Evening Post” covers, coordinated

by Peterson.

“I want to thank Ed for pulling this all together,” Reynolds said.

“It was incredibly difficult.”

The band’s “Swing set” brought the audience back after

intermission with “American Patrol.” It set Arts Alliance Chair Pat

Kollenda and Hank Gillebaard to jitterbugging in the aisle.

Gillebaard was in the audience with his wife, Lola. Steve Miller

was there to support Iseman’s conducting debut, and Annette Henry,

who never misses a performance by husband Bob Henry, on the program

in the second act. Also there were Gary Alstot, former City

Councilman Wayne Peterson and Laguna Beach School of Art & Design

Board member Terry Smith, Les and Marilyn Thomas, jeweler Patti Jo

Kiraly, Sandi Werthe, Jenny Goodno, artist Julita Jones, Cherry and

former newspaper publisher Vern Spitaleri, Festival of Arts President

Anita Mangels and Arts Commission member Mary Ferguson, her mother

Mary Pratt, mother-in-law Lois Ferguson and aunt Margaret Ferguson.

The second act featured vocals by Terri Walker, Linda Hughes,

Nancy Rodewalk, Kollenda and Tupy and solos by Bill Foster on trumpet

and Marion Anderson on oboe -- all in “Highlights from Bob Henry’s TV

Productions.”

“The doors are sealed, so you are a captive audience,” Henry said.

He shared memories of Nat King Cole, Andy Williams, the

Carpenters, Glen Campbell and Bob Hope, all of whom he worked with

during his 50-year career in television. He won an Emmy for the Flip

Wilson Show.

Reynolds took the microphone again to thank Henry, who was made an

honorary member of the band for a previous performance. Last year

Kinsman was honored. This year, it was Sande St, John’s turn.

“Do I get a cap,” asked St. John, from the back of the theater.

Assured that a band cap came with the honorary membership, St. John

hastened to the stage.

As usual, St. John coordinated event volunteers: Walter Hansen,

Diane Jergens and Jim Rue, at the refreshment stand; Kathleen Kane

and Jo Martin, greeters at the door; and Sue White, taking silent

auction bids.

Reynolds also thanked donors who help fund the band’s

performances.

“As you saw today, our performances are getting more expensive,”

band tout and French horn tooter Reynolds said. “We need all the help

we can get.”

Donors of time and money include Irvine Valley College: David

Anderson, Emeritus Program Director; South County Bank of Laguna

Beach, Gregory Stevens Salon, Peterson’s Digital Image Presentations

and Christine Roberts, who donated a collection of Rockwell plates

for a silent auction.

Laguna’s Rotary club, Election Festival, the trusts for the Burt

and Marlatt families also donated.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652; hand-deliver to Suite 222 in the

Lumberyard, 384 Forest Ave.; call (949) 494-4321 or fax (949)

494-8979.