The Municipal Band of Charlottesville is proud to announce it has just received a challenge grant of $500,000. This grant will provide much needed support for continuing performances of free high-quality band and ensemble music that the Municipal Band has provided the community for decades. A year after the City of Charlottesville broke nearly a century of tradition by not allocating funds for the Municipal band, an anonymous local citizen has stepped forward to spearhead the Band’s fund raising efforts. Music Director Steve Layman commented, “Our new challenge grant will match each dollar the band and the community raise this year up to $500,000. This effort will allow the Municipal Band of Charlottesville to continue its ambitious musical program without cost to the City taxpayer.” This generous grant has a deadline of December 31, 2017.
“We were fortunate to benefit from overwhelming community support last year that raised enough to cover the 2016 budget,” commented Scott Colley, President of the Band, “But taking on a goal of the scale of this $500,000 challenge grant is an unusual challenge for us. With hard work from our 80-plus volunteers and continuing support from Charlottesville/Albemarle community, we think we are up to the challenge.”
The Municipal Band of Charlottesville offers a dozen free public concerts each year to a combined audience of over 15,000 concert-goers, including a summer program of six concerts with a special performance with the U.S. Army Chorus at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing Arts Center on July 5th. Other free concerts are scheduled every second week between mid-June and mid-August at the Paramount Theater. The Band will also proudly continue to perform its annual July 4th concert at Monticello’s naturalization ceremony, held to welcome America’s newest citizens to our country and community.
History of the Band
For almost a century, the Municipal Band has performed the great music of the 1930s and 1940s and beyond, Broadway show tunes, patriotic marches, and the contemporary concert band repertory.
The Municipal Band of Charlottesville is a nonprofit organization of more than 80 volunteers dedicated to excellence in musical performance. Members are local residents of all ages and from all walks of life who dedicate over 14,000 volunteer hours a year to their mission. In continuous operation since 1922, the Band serves the communities of Charlottesville and Albemarle and surrounding counties, providing music entertainment and education through its concerts and performances at civic and special events. The Municipal Band is maintained by the dedication of its members and the support of local businesses, individuals, and area foundations.
The Band has represented Charlottesville before many visiting dignitaries including seven sitting U.S. Presidents, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and at least 16 Virginia Governors and Lieutenant Governors, and regularly performs at the naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens held at Monticello every July 4th.
Contact Information:
Steve Layman, Music Director
Municipal Band of Charlottesville
1119 5th Street, SW
Charlottesville, VA 22902-6480
Office telephone: 434-295-9850
E-Mail Municipalband@embarqmail.com