Harmony- Zelie Band marks 20 years
JACKSON TWP — This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Harmony-Zelienople Community Band, which has been providing active and aspiring musicians the chance to come together and perform for friends and family.
The group is celebrating two decades of musical service to the community with a free concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at Seneca Valley Intermediate High School.
“Twenty years ago I had an idea to get a community band started, and it actually started as an adult education course at the Seneca Valley School District,” said Susan Van Arsdale, group founder. “That year we had 22 people show up in rehearsal. So we did our first concert at one of the elementary schools, and we had about 50 people show up.”
She started the program, she said, to encourage former high school musicians to dig those instruments out of the closet, shake the dust off and get back to playing music with other people.
From those humble beginnings have sprouted an ever expanding and improving community band that is now nearly fourscore strong.
They meet Thursdays in the weeks leading up to their annual spring concert.
“I absolutely love it,” said Laurie Cowin, a clarinet player. “Thursday nights are one of my favorite nights of the week. I've actually scheduled business trips around band so I'd be back in time for rehearsal.”
And while she and the other members enjoy the musical and performing aspects of the group, Cowin said the focus has remained on building a community of musicians.
“We all get along so well,” she said. “We support each other.”
While the group started as a program for adults, Van Arsdale said it has grown to incorporate an emphasis on family as well, with members' children often joining the band with their parents.
“One of the unique things about our band is anyone who joins the band, if they have a child they are welcome to join the band,” she said. “So we promote this family making music together.”
Today the band has about 75 members, with ages ranging from middle schoolers to octogenarians, and they are always looking for more musicians to join their ranks.
“We always accept new members,” Van Arsdale said. “Anybody can contact us and get a hold of us.”
There is no audition, she said, and the only requirement is a basic proficiency with the member's instrument of choice.
“They (the musicians) find their own instruction,” Van Arsdale said. “These are people who used to play in a high school band and put their instruments away … We have had a couple of people who came to our concerts in the past and were so inspired they got instruments.”
Today the band draws crowds of around 700 people for its annual spring concert.
For more information or to inquire about joining the band, email Van Arsdale at suevanars@gmail.com.
Members can be of any age and come from anywhere in the region including Butler, Beaver, Allegheny and Lawrence counties.
