Standing in the back row of the Dartmouth Community Band, Percussionist Neil Sylvia said he loves to watch the dynamics play out in front of him. 

“I get to see a 70 year old next to a 14 year old next to a 30 year old. I get to see professional musicians next to amateurs next to people who haven’t picked up an instrument in 20 years,” Sylvia said — this is part of what makes the community band so special.

The band held its open rehearsal Tuesday, June 18 to kick off its 50th season. This summer, the band will continue its long-standing tradition of performing at the gazebo at Apponagansett Beach Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. in July and August.

Sylvia highlighted the upcoming Tuesday, July 16 concert as it will be the one where the band celebrates its 50 years, honoring some original band members and paying “homage to our history.”

John Furtado, the band’s conductor since around 2016, said conducting the 50th season is “a little daunting,” but also “very exciting.”

“I found out from Neil that I’m the third conductor in these 50 years — that’s kind of overwhelming — hasn’t been a lot of conductors,” Furtado said.

He added he’s hoping for good weather this season so the band is able to perform all eight of its concerts.

Organized in 1974 by Charles Herman and Ed Santos, the band was intended to provide a musical outlet for adults and has grown and transformed into what it is today, Sylvia said. 

As a traditional New England town band, he said it’s like “a little slice of Norman Rockwell.”

The band plays concert music, which includes John Sousa marches, Disney medleys and the like, Sylvia said. Sometimes the band will also perform covers of pop songs and other genres as well.

“We don’t play a lot of heavy classical material,” he added. “This is a band that plays by the water during the summer. … We want to keep it light and breezy.”

Sylvia said the band operates by-and-large on sight reading as they don’t want to lose the sheet music that can be expensive to replace.

However, he said bands members are always more than willing to help one another. 

“We don’t take ourselves so seriously — that becomes a stressor,” he added. “Mentorship — it happens in every section, every time, all the time.”

He said musicians, or those who once were and perhaps have the desire to play again, should consider dusting off their instrument and joining the band. All ages and skill levels are welcome, members don’t have to attend every performance and anyone can join at any time in the year — just bring a music stand. There’s no issued uniform, but performers are encouraged to wear green shirts and khaki pants or shorts.

He added the band is completely volunteer based: “We do it because we love it.”

For more information, contact: DartmouthCommunityBand@gmail.com or call Neil Sylvia at 508-996-3301 or visit Dartmouth Community Band on Facebook.