Hot Springs Concert Band review

I had to leave the recent Hot Springs Concert Band performance at DeSoto Club’s lawn during the 40th anniversary celebration because of the arrest of Jonathan Berks for the murder of Wally Taylor. I had to miss the first performance of the commissioned anniversary piece Proclamations so I could rush around getting the murder story ready for page 1 and for Channel 7 news to carry that evening.
In my view, the concert was a better story. Especially in retrospect since I was fired because I objected to handing over the paper’s front page scoop to another news source. One that would now scoop the Village paper.
So, how did I like Proclamations. Very much. It was a fanfare evoking many emotions. It was the type of music that you would hear during the opening credits of a movie when the director wants you to look at the big picture.
I understand that the first performance was a little weak because the band did not have its full contingent of players because of space issues. This performance was grand.
Yesterday’s concert sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Greater Hot Springs Village was overall one of conductor Craig Hamilton’s more inspired. I loved the mix of new and familiar tunes.
I was moved by the guest appearance of James "Dell" Holt (Lt. Col., USA, Ret.) as he conducted Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E-flat. Holt took a moment before starting his piece to thank the band members for their help following the tornado that destroyed the home of the Van Buren County Community Band on Feb. 5, 2008 in Clinton. Although the community band received support from all over, the help from the Hot Springs Concert Band came first. You couldn’t help but be proud of the band when hearing such high praise.
Another stellar moment in the concert was the solo trombone performance of Dr. Joshua L. Bynum of Alexandre Guilmant’s Morceau Symphonique. It was beautiful beyond words. It has just been in the past few years that I have become a fan of the trombone. It can produce some very lovely sounds. Especially with a little jazz oomph.
The concert was in memory of Dr. Eugene Watermann, Lew Olmstead, George Wheaton and Ben Snyder. Olmstead’s saxophone sat on top of its open case in his honor.
Hamilton gave a shout out to subs in the percussion section. Jimmy Peoples and Zack Zucka stepped in to play for vacationing percussionists.
The concert gets a 10 from me and I look forward to seeing the band again on Memorial Day at Whittington Park.