As seemingly so often happens, Richard Hord graduated from college at a time when there didn’t seem to be any jobs available. With not much else to do, he met up with a dozen or so other people and started a band.
Now, 50 years later, he’ll take the stage yet again to perform with the group he helped start. The Gainesville Community Band celebrates its incredible milestone of longevity on May 18 with its Golden Anniversary Concert, happening at 3 p.m. at Santa Fe College.
“It’s interesting, 70 percent of the band don’t know my story, and my job is to just do what I do: play the drums and percussion,” said Hord, who went on to teach at Santa Fe College and recruited several students for the band throughout the years.
Once the youngest member of the band, Hord and Director R. Gary Langford now get a laugh at being two of the oldest.
The all-volunteer band now boasts about 80 performers, ranging from students and scientists to contractors and physicians.
“It’s a community, for sure, in every sense of the word,” Langford said. “In rehearsals, you’ll hear someone talk about a project they want done, then someone in the band will say, ‘I’m an electrician, I can do that.’ But it’s all about the music, and the people that are involved in it are just absolutely wonderful.”
The band will share its 50-year journey with the audience on Sunday by performing songs from each decade, featuring Broadway medleys, classical works, and a “tongue-in-cheek piece we’re doing to create a little laughter,” said Langford, adding that the concert will end with an audience sing-a-long.
“It’s a band of the community and for the community, so of course the community has a role to play themselves as well,” Langford said.
In addition to annual concerts for Veterans Day, Christmas, Mother’s Day, and the traditional appearance at the annual Fanfares and Fireworks celebration, the Gainesville Community Band was the first non-professional adult concert band to perform at Disney World. Having made several return performances at Disney, the band has also played for countless Gainesville organizations and dedications at Bo Diddley Plaza and the Gainesville Regional Airport.
Decades after the Gainesville City Commission passed a resolution designating the band as the official community band of the city, Mayor Harvey Ward proclaimed May 18 as Gainesville Community Band Day.
“The Gainesville Community Band is a well-loved institution, and I’ve enjoyed attending many of their concerts over the years,” Ward said. “Their performances at Fanfares and Fireworks in particular were always a highlight of the event for me.”
Former mayor Lauren Poe also performed with the band and Langford — who took over the baton from Poe’s father, Gerald.
“I’ve been very lucky,” Langford said about his involvement with the band. “We have just one rehearsal a week, and sometimes life just gets in the way for our performers. With all the parameters we’re dealing with, the band members do a fantastic job. It’s pretty incredible what the community can get together and create.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: ‘Well-loved institution’: Gainesville Community Band celebrates 50 years of music
Reporting by Laura Bernheim / The Gainesville Sun
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