The Bel Air Community Band (BACB) is a non-profit musical organization that is sponsored by the Town of Bel Air Parks&Recreation Committee. The band exists so that the musicians of Bel Air and the surrounding areas have the opportunity to continue to so what they love to do, to make music. Through a partnership formed with Harford Community College (HCC) in 1969, students of HCC have the opportunity to play in the band and receive college credit.
History
In 1964, the late Mayor of Bel Air, the Honorable Werner Buchal and the Town Commissioners formed a music committee. As a result of this committee's work, the BACB was formed. Initially the band consisted of twenty members and rehearsed either at Wakefield Elementary School or in the the Bel Air Town Hall. As part of the partnership formed with HCC in 1969, the band moved its rehearsal location to the college. The band continued to rehearse at HCC until the late 1990's, when the college facilities could no longer accommodate the band, so the band relocated its rehearsals to C. Milton Wright High School. In the Fall of 2009, the band will be moving rehearsal location to Patterson Mill High School.
During the band's 40-plus years of existence, the band has performed under the direction of five conductors. They are in order of service: Ralph Porter, Robert Paige, Director Emeritus Michael Pastelak, who directed the band for 25 years, Robert Pouliot, the current director of the City of Fairfax Band, and our current director, C. Scott Sharnetzka.
The BACB performs numerous concerts throughout the year including a Spring&Winter concert, a benefit concert, for the Bel Air Memorial Day ceremonies, and a 4th of July concert to name a few, However, the band has had several performances that stand out among the rest. In 1987, the band was selected to represent the State of Maryland at the bicentennial of Maryland ratifying the Constitution in Philadelphia, PA. In 2002, the band performed as part of Harford County's services to mark the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, DC; the ceremonies were held at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD. Finally, the band was selected to perform at the Association of Concert Bands annual convention in 2006 held in Williamsport, PA.
Guest Performers&Conductors
The band has been fortunate to have numerous guest soloist perform with the band over the years. We have also had the privilege of performing under the direction of guest conductors. Below is a partial list of these individuals:
Patrick Burns - Composer&Adjunct Professor,
Montclair State University
Dr. Harlan Parker - Conductor&Coordinator,
Music Education Division of the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University
Don Tison - Principal Trumpetist [Retired],
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
David Murray - Trombonist
Dr. Dana Rothlisberger - Director of Bands,
Towson State University
Eric Zuber, Award-winning Pianist
Heidi Sarver, Associate Professer/Marching Band Director, University of Delaware