When Pastor James Swanson last year celebrated 50 years with Hammond’s Christ Lutheran Church, he was greeted with more than just a get-together of cake and coffee. He received a new tuba, compliments of his current and past congregations.
“We knew the Pastor played with quite a few bands and his old tuba was needing some pretty expensive repairs,” said church member John Werner of East Chicago, as he and his wife Maria observed Swanson onstage at the recent Highland Community Band Spring Concert. “So we surprised him with a new one.”
That tuba joined with 45 other band instruments and their owners, as the annual performance was enjoyed by more than 125 people at Highland High School’s Monbeck Auditorium. Directing was Greg Jasek, who also serves a local music teacher.
Michael Fish of Gary joined the band six years ago and is stationed at the xylophone; his wife Belinda Patoma plays the clarinet and has been a member on and off for the past 20 years.
“I’d been out of playing for quite a while when I met my wife in 2008,” Fish said. “I saw how much she enjoyed belonging to the band, so I joined a few years later.”
Patoma is a retired music teacher and remembers when the band first began in the 1990s.
“It was a small group,” she said, “Everyone was kind of dusting off their instruments; many hadn’t played in quite a while.”
That small group has grown to an average of 40 to 50 members each year.
Many of the audience members at the recent concert were repeat customers.
“We love this band and come and see them whenever we can. No other town or city around here has the free concerts they give us,” said Jeannine Pryzbal of Highland. “I know these musicians are all volunteers and not paid professionals, but I can tell you — they’re very, very professional in the way they play They sound wonderful.”
Lenny Unger of Munster agreed.
“My neighbor told me about this band and said their music is top-notch,” he added. “I decided to come here and see for myself — and that guy was absolutely right.”
The playbill for the Spring Concert began with the “Star Spangled Banner,” complete with audience members placing their hands over their hearts.
“What a beautiful way to start the music program,” said Gina Ling of Whiting, as the song ended. “After all, this is still the United States and we are proud of our red-white-and-blue flag.”
Other selections included tunes such as “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite March,” “The Banana Boat Song,” and “Harlem Nocturne.”.
“It’s interesting when we hear these songs” said Shaylee Miller of Hammond, as the band played the “Washington Post March” by John Philip Sousa. “We don’t always know their names, but we recognize the melody as soon as the band begins to play.”
The Highland Community Band is comprised of all ages and experience levels.
The group meets weekly at 7:30 p.m. in the Highland High School band room. All musicians, high school age and older, are welcome.
For more information, contact Greg Jasek at maestroflute@att.net.
Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
