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90-some years of music

Minot City Band keeps on playing

Submitted Photo Members of the Minot City Band are shown in this photo taken at the band shell in Oak Park in Minot last year. At far left is Jerry Spitzer, who directed the band from 1983-2016 and at the far right is Joe Alme, who now directs the band.

The Minot City Band kicks off its 2017 season with Joe Alme at the helm as conductor. Longtime conductor Jerry Spitzer handed over the baton to Alme last year after more than 30 years in that position.

“It’s a privilege and honor,” said Alme of leading the band. Actually, this is the third time Alme has been conductor of the city band. From 1977-78, and again from 1980-81, he led the group.

The Minot City Band, with about 35 or so members, has a long history, tracing back to the early 1920s when G.C. Humphries organized the group.

“It’s purpose was not only to provide entertainment at civic and community functions but also to offer opportunities for community music to young and old alike through the medium of the wind and percussion instruments,” according to band history.

It’s history also reports:

This photo of the Minot City Band at a rehearsal was taken in 1977-78. Joe Alme was director of the band at the time.

“Over the years the band has expanded its performance schedule to include appearances at the North Dakota State Fair, Minot Air Force Base, International Peace Garden, Downtown Minot and area shopping centers, as well as numerous park and community engagements.

“During the early years, the band experienced a kind of on-again, off-again existence until 1937 when Arvel Graving took the baton and directed the band until 1950. After a resting period, reorganization plans were started in 1958 with full rehearsals beginning in 1960. The director of the reorganized group, called the ‘Minot Musicians Association Band,” was Art Jacobson. In 1962, the City of Minot approved financial support and the name was changed officially to ‘The Minot City Band.’ ”

The band continues to attract many of the best musicians in the Minot area. The group performs summer concerts featuring new literature as well as artist soloists.

The band’s first program of the 2017 season will be June 8, at 7 p.m. in Edgewood Vista in Minot.

Concerts are free to the public.

Minot City Band members, with Joe Alme as director in 1980-81, pose for a photo during a rehearsal.

For more information about concert programs watch the Minot Daily News.

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