The existence of a community concert band has had a long tradition in the United States. From the bands of John Philip Sousa in the 1800’s to our service bands of the armed forces in Washington to the small concert ensemble that plays in the park, all have contributed to a rich heritage of music in our society and local communities. Hardly a high school or middle school exists without a band program of some sort and it is through the hard work of those band directors that nearly all of us owe a great debt of gratitude with regard to our musical training.
In Los Alamos, the concert band has also had a long history — nearly as long as the city itself. Throughout the past 20-30 years, there have been various incarnations. Jan MacDonald, former band director at LAHS was director of the Los Alamos Concert Band in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. The performances included many weekly summer concerts as well as performing at various civic functions such as the 4th of July fireworks celebrations. The LACW is the latest organization to provide concert band performances to the Los Alamos community.