July 8, 2012 - Boilermaker Road Race

We had great weather for a road race – cloudy but the sun eventually broke out – made it warm with low humidity.

We arrived early to play for the wheelchair racers and found they had moved us from our spot in previous years to one a block further down that was a much better location. It made us much more visible to the almost 14,000 runners.

Because the wheelchair racers go by so fast and are usually spaced far apart – The Red Band salutes them with The Royal Italian March which is a short fanfare type piece of music.

Close behind was the elite group of runners followed almost non-stop by runners for almost 45 minutes.

Our music selection for the race was all upbeat – highly motivating melodies. To represent our Italian heritage we played the Tarantella, Funiculi Funicula, and also some polkas and marches.

Many runners were clapping, directing, or giving us thumbs up or high fives as they ran by with a few running right up to our conductor, Arlene, to greet her.

For the last of the runners we played two inspirational pieces – The Washington Post March and God Bless America.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!!

For more photos please click on the following link

Boilermaker Road Race

July 7, 2012 - New York Mills, NY Bell Parade

The town of New York Mills holds an annual Bell Festival to celebrate the Mills of years ago when the lives of the workers were determined by a bell that was housed in a local factory. It provided a 6am wakeup call and a 9pm curfew call.

The Red Band led the Parade down Main Street and ended at Pulaski Park where the Bell is on display.

The weather was great – a sunny, warm summer day but the mystery of the sparse spectators continues. The families that did line the side of the road really were in the spirit of it.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!!

For more photos please click on the following link

Bell Parade

June 15. 2012 - Deerfield Field Days - Deerfield, NY

La Banda Rossa, playing for our hosts the Deerfield Fire Department, led the parade down to the Firemen’s Field.

The weather was perfect – sunny and pleasantly warm.

For such a beautiful evening there was a noticeable lack of spectators compared to recent years.

Once we entered the grounds we circled around to face the marching units as they entered the field. We continued playing marches as they paraded by stopping only for the few units that had their own musical
groups
.
After the parade ended – a group of musicians enjoyed the evening with some food, cold beer, and friendly conversation.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!!

For more photos please click on the following link

Deerfield Field Days

June 10, 2012 - St. Anthony Procession - Utica, NY

The first Mass at St. Anthony’s was celebrated on Christmas Eve 1911. The Parish has been celebrating its centennial since Christmas Eve 2011.

This weekend the centennial and the Feast of St. Anthony were celebrated with a Mass attended by many Religious Societies and local dignitaries.

La Banda played as they entered the Church for Mass.

The Grand Procession followed the Mass and we split into two bands because of the many people processing. We had one band leading the front and another band in back to follow the Saint.

It is the back band’s duty to ensure that a “Marcie Reale” is played facing any house that displays a statue or poster of St. Anthony.

We also played for a beautiful 95 year old parishioner sitting on her front porch smiling, waving, and thanking us.

Of course it’s always touching to play the “Marcia Reale” for the Tocco family. They are always at the same corner circling an empty chair – the poignant symbol of a departed Red Band member, Frank Tocco.

It rarely rains when the Saint comes out of the Church and this year was no exception. It was sunny and hot  making for weary musicians who had just completed 3 gigs in hot weather over the past 30 hours.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!!

For more photos please click on the following link

St. Anthony Procession

June 9, 2012 - St. Anthony Festival Concert - Utica, NY

The director of our band, Arlene and her husband Pierre were celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary today.

Saturday night at St. Anthony’s Church when the 4:00pm Mass was over and the Church had emptied out, Arlene and Pierre and their families approached the very same Altar where they renewed the vows that were said 50 years ago.

Presiding today was Father LaFache and Deacon Bill Dischiavo.

Along with the Feast of St. Anthony, the church was celebrating 100 years.

At 8:00pm, the Red Band held its’ first concert of the season under a big tent by the food pavilion. We had a large band – 41 musicians including 7 trumpets, 6 trombones, 16 reeds and new this year a bassoon played by Tyler Colvin.

Just before our break our interlocutor, Pasquale Santacroce, announced that it was Arlene and Pierre’s anniversary and the band surprised them with a spirited “Marcia Reale”. That was followed by Al Galime leading the band in the Anniversary Waltz while Arlene and Pierre twirled around the dance floor as per the lyrics: “Oh how we danced on the night we were wed….”

The injured Richard Pashley showed up to be concert master. He had one crutch and a small stool to prop his bum leg on. More Tradition: The show must go on!

And more Tradition: our senior member, trombonist Frank Rossi, brought his great-grandson Nolan to sit with him on trombone. It carries on another Red Band tradition of family members playing along side each other.

Listen close to the music – we’re playing “The Barber of Seville” as well as a new arrangement of “O Solo Mio”. These along with an old time song called “The Woodpecker Song” were all well received by the large St. Anthony crowd.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!!

For more photos please click on the following link

St. Anthony Concert

June 9, 2012 - Violet Festival Parade - Dolgeville, NY

The Dolgeville Violet Festival Parade on Saturday morning was another well attended event. Lots of parade entries – lots of people lining the sidewalks –lots of Red Band members marching.

We had with one glaring absentee – our Capo, Richard Pashley, is on the disabled list after a slight mishap. He can sit for concerts but can’t yet march. He should be returning soon. Al Galime stepped in to perform the Capo’s duties.

The title “Capo di Banda” is Italian for “Head of the Band”. He controls the starting and stopping, selects the speed of the drum cadence as well as what songs to be played after he gets everyone lined up in the proper place – along with playing an instrument.

As we reached the reviewing stand – the announcer once again acknowledged our clarinetist by name.

 In a loud, proud voice he points out “Dolgeville’s own Lenore Gabriel”.

Lenore seems to become a “shrinking VIOLET” when he does that every year. Like all small towns everybody knows everybody in Dolgeville.

 

But Lenore was upstaged by her mother who marched in the parade as The Statue of Liberty along with Uncle Sam and stood near the reviewing stand cheering us on.

After a lunch at Lenore’s house we couldn’t linger too long – it’s a double gig day.


St. Anthony’s Church is waiting for us to participate in special events this evening as they celebrate the Feast of St. Anthony.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!

For more photos of this event please click on the following link

Dolgeville Violet Festival

May 28, 2012 - Memorial Day Parades

Memorial Day is a traditional holiday and the Red Band keeps our un-varying tradition of its’ own by appearing in 3 parades every year – 9:30am in Whitesboro, 2:00pm in Utica, and 7:00pm in new Hartford.

This year we debut 2 new marching members – Ami Corleto-Bales on flute and Tyler Colvin on baritone.

Ami’s grandfather had told her about his memories of seeing the band when they used to march behind the funeral processions and she is very excited to become a part of our rich history.

Young Austin Browne (Sousaphone member Paul Browne’s son) helped Dave Peterson Sr. with the water wagon and they were needed this year. It was a scorcher.

We were given a much appreciated reprieve – our Director Arlene Iagnocco made an executive decision at midnight the night before that if the heat wave continued we could change our dress code for the afternoon and evening parades. The uniform of the day became white shirts – no ties, and black Bermuda shorts. Along with the debut of our new hats and emblems we still looked good but we were able to feel a slight relief from the hottest part of the day and evening.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!!

For more photos please click on the following link
Memorial Day Parades

March 17,2012 - St. Patrick's Day Parade Utica, NY

‘Twas a great day for the Irish!

Utica hosts the 3rd largest parade in New York State to honor St. Patrick.

The weather was perfect – clouds giving way to a warm sunshine. The people came out in droves all wearing every possible shade of green.

The Red Band joined right in. After an absence of a year we returned sporting shamrock hat bands, green beads, and glitzy-green bow ties.

Our trombone players were right in the spirit of it, Geno Brown’s was kelly green and Mark Cammarere’s was royal blue. But the highlight of our appearance was our sousa player, Paul Browne, who covered the bell of his horn with a super-sized Leprechaun! Begorrah!

We had a new march as well – “The Garry Owen March” – one of those Irish Diddle-Dee-Dee melodies that everyone recognized but you never knew the name. That along with “MacNamara’s Band” and “When The Saints Go Marching In” got the crowd clapping and cheering all along the way.

How big is Utica’s parade? Well, the cannon went off and Grand Marshall Pat Costello stepped off in front of the new roundabout at precisely 10:00am. The Red Band did not step off until almost 1½ hours later at 11:25am! We went immediately into a mob of people on Genesee St. and it continued that way for the whole length of the parade route.

The crowds had abandoned the curbside and were pushed right out into the street. Our band was lined up 4 across and that was all the width we had to march in all the way to the end.

Every man, woman, child, and dog had come out to cheer on the parade. Never was there a larger crowd on St. Patrick’s Day as this one.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!
VIVA ST. PATRICK!!

For more photos - please click on the following link
St. Patrick's Day Parade - Utica NY