Denver Concert Band History
Metro State Band Room - 1969 (Ralph Strouf, Conductor)
1976 (Dr. James Fuller, Conductor)
Arvada Center - 1978 (Rich McDaniel, Conductor)
1979 - DCB Big Band "Stage One" (renamed "Swing Inc.", Leader: Rich McDaniel)
The history of the DCB sounds a little like a "folk tale," but it's true.
In 1961, a group of grown-up friends were sitting around talking about their days growing up. Some reminisced about music experiences they wanted to re-live. Others said they never had a chance to play music as children but would love to try as adults. The talk soon turned into action. Several of them got instruments, and Dr. James DeRoos and Harold and Viola Topping approached Stan Limburg of Denver Christian High School to lead and teach them.
These dedicated founding members overcame a lot of obstacles during the early years. They lost their rehearsal facilities and then Limburg left. However the musicians solved these problems in some novel ways. For example, they found another teacher to conduct, and they turned their home basements into rehearsal space. At one time the 20-member band even rehearsed in the reception area of Dr. DeRoos medical clinic!
As the mid-sixties came, the band continued to change rehearsal facilities and conductors, but it also started to grow in size and popularity. The newfound success meant the band needed to get a little more sophisticated on the business side. They changed their name from "The South Denver Community Band" to the current name "The Denver Concert Band, Inc." They also became a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and created a board of directors to run the band.
Besides all the legal changes, 1968 was also a musical turning point for the band. Under the guidance of
Frank Parce, the DCB performed its first formal concert at Grant Junior High School in Denver. For the 32 musicians in the band, it was a dream come true. That summer, the band also added a full schedule of "Summer Pops" concerts at
Washington Park.
As the 60s turned into the 70s, the band started gaining respect around the city by performing for some very prestigious events. In 1972, the DCB was the first adult band to be invited to perform at the
Colorado Music Educator's Conference (CMEA) in Colorado Springs. And in 1975, the DCB performed for Governor Lamm's inauguration at the
State Capitol.
The band also started giving back to the community that embraced them. In 1977, the band created the
"Young Artist" Scholarship Competition to encourage high school seniors to pursue music performance careers. The band also performed charity concerts around the city. In 1979, they performed a benefit concert for four young boys who were severely burned in a Sheridan gas explosion. And in 1981, the DCB performed a benefit concert for the Cambodian Relief Fund.
In 1986, during its 25th Anniversary year, the band was 70 members strong and thriving. That year, they became the first community band to perform for state music educators at the national convention of
The American Bandmasters Association.
As the 80's turned into the 90's, the band continued to grow in strength and musicianship. The band had found a home at the
Central Presbyterian Church. And the conductors helped shape the eclectic musical style that current fans now love.
Wayne Bailey (now at Arizona State University) and Michael Schaff
(now at New York University) both brought a strong professional
discipline to the band, and current maestro
Jacinda Bouton introduced a worldly
musical flair. Jacinda is in her tenth season as DCB Music Director.
Now in its 46th year, the band regularly performs in front of tens of thousands of Coloradans
every year. Beside its formal and summer concert series around the
Denver Metro Area, the band performs in front of packed audiences
all across the state from Estes Park in the north, to
Leadville in
the west to Colorado Springs in the south, to Brush and Vernon in
the east. The band also travels across the nation and around the
globe (Switzerland, British Isles, and France & Germany).
Probably the most astounding fact of the band's "folk tale" history is the dedication of its
members. Several members have been with the band since the 60s. They've seen it grow from a struggling rag-tag group consisting of rusty musicians and first-time players, into a band that is one of the best in the nation.