The volunteer ensemble community band is made up of USM students, faculty and staff, as well as selected students from area high schools and amateur and professional musicians from the surrounding community. This fall, the band will perform at the university’s Halloween and Christmas concerts, as well as other events.

There is no fee for local musicians to participate in the USM Community Band. No auditions are required. Area string players who are interested in performing with university ensembles are also invited.

Although weekly community band rehearsals begin Aug. 25, latecomers are welcome and encouraged to join rehearsals later in the semester. Rehearsals are 6-8 p.m. every Monday– and after the Aug. 25 rehearsal in Xavier Theatre, they will be take place in the Walnut Room in USM’s Mead Hall. There will be no rehearsal on Sept. 1, which is Labor Day.

Contact Freda Proctor, assistant professor of music and USM’s instrumental music coordinator, at 913-758-6320 for more information.