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Member Handbook Bandmember Handbook June 2003
Welcome! Welcome to the Santa Fe Concert Band! This Handbook is to acquaint new members with the band’s goals, history, legal framework, staff, rehearsal and concert schedule, and so on. The SFCB continues one of Santa Fe’s oldest traditions: free public concerts by volunteer musicians. This tradition dates back over 130 years, when Francisco Pérez, after serving as a Confederate Army bugler in the ill-fated invasion of New Mexico by Texan forces during the Civil War, decided to return and make his home in Santa Fe. Professor Pérez formed La Banda de Santa Fe, which became enormously popular, particularly for its Sunday concerts on the Plaza. Under various directorships, sponsorships, and names, such community bands have continued an almost-unbroken tradition ever since. You’ll find more of these bands’ history later in this Handbook.
A Volunteer Band Probably the single most important thing about our band is that it is our band. We are all volunteers, and we play in the band out of a love for music, a desire to play, and to enjoy the company of other folks with similar interests. Even the Board of Directors is made of elected volunteers, who serve by a vote of the band members. Along with volunteering your body and talent, you also get to volunteer your instrument and a music stand. The band’s only possessions are a few percussion instruments and its music.
Qualifications The band is open to musicians of all abilities. Some of our members are very serious musicians, while others are casual players. There are no auditions or selection process. Instead, you are expected to judge your own skill, and to choose parts suited to your abilities. It is OK to “sit out” passages of music that are too difficult during concerts. In 2002, the Band Board and the Band agreed to encourage a new SFCB policy wherein “All Bandmembers should be sufficiently committed to the Band to attend 80% of the year’s rehearsals. Rehearsal attendance for the three to four practices prior to concerts is essential. The Band Board does not intend this to be a rigid policy — relative circumstances will be considered by Band Director and the Band Board as necessary.” To insure that each part is capably played during concerts, the members of each section work together to “divide the load.” Typically, the more experienced musicians will spread themselves out, so that no part is lacking a capable player. And the “honor” of playing the first seat in each section is often shared in turn among the musicians who feel up to the part. If a disagreement should ever arise among the musicians, a Placement Committee can be assembled and called upon to assist the director in assignment of positions. At your first rehearsal, we won’t have enough extra music for a complete folder for you. Don’t panic! Within your first month the music librarian will create another folder for your section, as necessary.
The Music We play a variety of music. Like any community band, we have a repertoire of patriotic songs and marches suitable for national holidays and municipal celebrations. In addition to these “band standards,” we also play a variety of classical and popular tunes adapted for band, favorites from movies, opera and Broadway plays, and holiday tunes. Being a New Mexico band, we also have a number of wonderful songs of Mexican, Spanish and New Mexican origin. This portion of our repertoire is unusual — several of these tunes are virtually unknown in the other 49 states. And continuing research allows us to select historically representative music unique to Santa Fe. The Music Librarians are responsible for acquisition, cataloging, storage, and keeping the folders in order in the music files in the Band’s music closet at the Salvation Army. As the music goes, so goes the band. You are welcome (and encouraged!) to take the music home with you to practice, but three rules apply: 1) You must tell the Music Librarians before you take the music; 2) You must sign out the music in the red notebook provided; and 3) You must bring the music back each week. If you have checked the music out but can’t make a rehearsal, it is your responsibility to get your music to the rehearsal anyhow, by getting it to the Salvation Army office, or the music librarian, or a section member. We need all the music for all the rehearsals. There aren’t extra copies — if you don’t bring it back, the band doesn’t have that part. Within each folder, marches are on the left, everything else on the right. On each side, the music is organized alphabetically. Please make an effort to keep it that way! Some musicians find it convenient to make copies. The Music Librarians work closely with our Band Directors to keep the folders up to date.
The Board of Directors Director Greg Heltman has been Director of the Santa Fe Concert Band since its start in 1983. A graduate of Santa Fe High School, he holds a music degree from the University of the Pacific. He has been a teacher in the Santa Fe Public Schools since 1989. In 1984 Mr. Heltman founded the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra, and served as its general manager from 1984 to 1988. He has been a trumpeter with the Symphony since its beginning. He has also directed several Greer Garson musicals including “Chicago”, “Babes in Arms”, and “Little Shop of Horrors.” He was a trumpeter with the Israel Sinfonietta in Beersheva, Israel from 1981 to 1983, and from 1979 to 1980 was trumpeter and assistant manager for the Hidden Valley Orchestra in Carmel, California. He studied with Gene B. Kuntz, formerly trumpeter for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and with Mel Broiles, current solo trumpeter of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Currently, Greg is General Director of the Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus. The Board of Directors are all volunteers who are elected annually to run the band’s affairs. They approve expenditures, arrange the concert schedule, apply for grants, and so on.
Concerts The SFCB plays a series of concerts every year, usually beginning in May (Mother’s Day at the Federal Park), and ending with a Christmas concert(s). The concert series is typically a dozen or so concerts. A concert schedule is established and published at the beginning of each year. In 2003, the SFCB schedule includes: Mother’s Day Concert (Sunday, 5/11/03 at 2 p.m.); Memorial Day (Monday, 5/26/03 at 10 a.m.); Rail-Trail Celebration (Saturday, 6/7/03 at 9 a.m.); Father’s Day (Sunday, 6/15/03 at 2 p.m.); Cathedral Park Dedication (Saturday, 6/21/03 at 10 a.m.); 4th of July Pancake Breakfast (Friday, 7/4/03 at 8:30 a.m.); Midsummer Concert (Sunday, 7/27/03 at 2 p.m.); Historic/Hispanic Music Concert (Sunday, 8/24/03 at 2 p.m.); Fiesta Parade (Sunday, 9/7/03 at 2 p.m.); Veteran’s Day (Tuesday, 11/11/03 at 10 a.m.); and Holiday Concert (12/__/03 at 7 p.m. TBA). Occasionally we like to accept special requests, such as community events for our hosts at the Salvation Army, and other appropriate occasions. For these spur-of-the-moment concerts, we generally ask for a show of hands at rehearsal, and make the decision based on whether there is interest and whether enough band members can participate. We have “official red SFCB shirts” with the Band logo which we wear with white pants, shorts or skirts for most concerts. The shirts cost $15 and can be purchased by new band members from the Band Treasurer or designated person. On special occasions, such as Christmas concerts or the Fiesta parade, we may elect to “dress up,” wear special hats, or other clothes suited to the occasion.
Rehearsals Band members should be sufficiently committed to the Band to attend 80% of the year’s rehearsals. Rehearsal attendance for the three to four practices prior to concerts is essential. The band gathers every Tuesday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 to rehearse, at the Salvation Army Hall, 525 W. Alameda. The Salvation Army has been very generous in its support for SFCB — we were literally on the verge of “disbanding” at one point due to the lack of an adequate rehearsal space. The practice and music storage space they provide us is a major factor in the Band’s growth and success in the Santa Fe community. We rehearse throughout the year, except for a brief break (TBA after Fiesta and/or Christmas).
Rehearsals are informal but important and require your serious attention. If you must be late, please try to make your entrance subtle.
Funding SFCB is funded by donations from band members, donations from members of the community, corporate sponsorships (previously Blue Sky Beverages, The Santa Fe New Mexican and First National Bank of Santa Fe), and occasionally from grants that we apply for. In 2002 the Band Board and the Band agreed to this Dues Policy: the Band has depended on voluntary financial contributions from Band members at rehearsals together with donations from non-members. The Band has used these funds to pay for certain necessary resources such as music, liability insurance, advertising and performance costs, and payments to the Salvation Army for use of its building for rehearsals. In addition, the Band has chosen to pay its Directors. In making these payments, the Band officers have strived to use sound business practices, for example, obtaining a lesser premium for equivalent liability insurance and minimizing advertising costs. The Band has historically considered an appropriate voluntary donation from each Band member to be $2 per rehearsal. However, the Band officers found that the actual amount of donations during the past year (2001) was about half of what was expected. In addition, the Band officers recognize that other volunteer musical organizations in Santa Fe have dues. Therefore, the Band officers propose that Band members pay annual dues. The dues for a member will be essentially the amount that the member would be expected to pay in voluntary contributions if the member attended about 80% of all rehearsals. Hence the annual dues are to be $75, payable at the beginning of the calendar year. The Band member may choose to pay a quarterly amount of $20, payable at the beginning of each calendar quarter.
Grants In 1983, the Santa Fe Lions Club gave the Concert Band a grant for $2,000 to help with the purchase of percussion and music (David Marble). In 1985, the Santa Fe Community Foundation gave the Concert Band a grant for $665. In 1992, two grants, for an Annual Concert Series, were awarded to the band from the Santa Fe Arts Commission ($1,500) and the McCune Foundation ($1,000) (grant writer Mary Jo Fritsch, help from Anne Weaver and Jean Doddridge). In 1995, the Historic Band Concert project was awarded another Santa Fe Arts Commission grant for $2,907 (grant writers Tom Brooks, Mary Jo Fritsch, Tom Godfrey, Greg Heltman, Bob Krakowski). Much time and dedication are required in the writing and administering of these grants, but they remain a significant step for recognition in the Santa Fe ‘cultural scene.’
The Band’s Legal Framework There is a legal framework for the Band. If you are interested, someone from the Board of Directors can provide you with a copy of our by-laws. Here is an outline: We are a non-profit corporation, 501(C)(3). There is a Board of Directors, elected by the band members. The Board consists of: President, Vice President, Conductor, Secretary, Treasurer, Music Librarian, Publicity Director, and immediate Past President. The Board serves for one year, from January 1 through December 31. An election, via Nominating Committee, is held annually in November or December. All active band members are eligible to vote in the board election. The “membership meetings” (for purposes of Band members voting for the Board of Directors) are the regular band rehearsals. The Band Board meets during the year as necessary to establish the Band’s concert schedule and handle other issues as they arise. There are committees that can be formed to handle specific jobs, such as organizing concerts and applying for grants. Other committees (e.g., Music Committee, Placement Committee, Nominating Committee) can be created from time to time for specific tasks.
Contacting the Band Band members may pick up a current member phone list at any regular concert band rehearsal. For questions or information on joining the Band, or for a current Season Schedule, contact: Greg Heltman at the Santa Fe Symphony Office, (505) 983-3530 or (505) 471-4865. - or contact a current member of SFCB Board: for 2003: Mary Jo Fritsch, President (505) 986-9073; David Borton, Vice-President (505) 466-6999; Beth Dop, Secretary (505) 438-0559; Charles Boatright, Treasurer (505) 473-3686
The Santa Fe Concert Band Web site is
SFCB History Prior to US/Eastern influence: Fandangos— ‘a flaming tradition of wild dancing’ at the end of the Santa Fe Trail, with whatever pick-up band was handy.
1880 - 1894: Fort Marcy Cavalry and Infantry Bands played regularly on the Plaza for the Santa Fe community. The 9th Cavalry’s top unit of Buffalo Soldiers in 1880 - 1882 were probably the best musicians to perform in Santa Fe during a time of very competent military bands in the frontier west.
1865 - 1906: ‘Professor’ Francisco Pérez - Mexican-born, Pérez had been a bugler with Sibley’s Confederate forces. After the war, he returned to Santa Fe with a small Mexican Band (literally) which became the nuclear group of musicians in Santa Fe for bailles, orchestras, etc. Later they made up the First Artillery Band of the New Mexico National Guard (1893 - 1905) and in 1909 were incorporated as La Band de Santa Fe to continue the tradition of Sunday concerts on the Plaza.
1917 - 1942: Daniel C. McKenzie’s Los Conquistadores Band. Born 1880, son of James McKenzie, US Infantryman at Fort Marcy and Gregorita Delgado. A young trumpet virtuoso at St. Michael’s College, he studied with Brother Fabian, then joined the First Infantry Division of Territorial Militia Band in 1916. After WWI, he became director of Los Conquistadores Band during the time of its greatest popularity in Santa Fe.
With McKenzie’s failing health and post WWII changes in Santa Fe, the Conquistadores Band declined into other, younger bands — the Young Democrats Band welcomed several ex-Conquistador bandsmen. The Indian School, St. Michaels High School and Santa Fe High School Bands grew in numbers and abilities to perform for most community events as well as school functions. McKenzie had been instrumental (pun intended) in the early development of all three of these bands. The Santa Fe High School Band, under the directorship of Bennett A. Shacklette, was to gain national recognition as a ‘lights-on’ marching band at Soldier’s Field, Chicago in 1957.
In 1983, the Santa Fe Concert Band was formally incorporated as Santa Fe’s own community band, and so we continue.
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