May 3, 2008
Five glorious years of The Greater Geneva Grande
Award Marching Band are enough, wouldn't you agree?
Let's quit while we're ahead. Why push our luck? That's
what I've been thinking, and even the Geneva Citizens
Association couldn't change my mind. But then I got this
from The Museum of Geneva History:
"When we had all the fourth graders in the
Museum this year and I was trying to get across
to them what rural heritage is, I told them that
100 years ago Geneva had a band and I showed
them the 1932 picture of the Eastern Seminole County
Band from Geneva. Then I said 'Do we still have a band?' and they all yelled
'YES, in the Fourth of July Parade!' 'Well, that's rural heritage,' I said. I guess
the band means more than we realize."
All right, so maybe it's not your heritage. Most of you don't even live near Geneva. But it's
American Heritage, and if you think a small-town 4th of July celebration is a tradition that's fun
and worth preserving, then I'd like to welcome you back for the 6th annual GGGAMB season,
which runs from 8:30 AM until just past noon on the 4th of July, as usual.
As I say every year, I hope to add visual interest to our concert at the picnic after the parade, for
the benefit of those in our audience with short attention spans from watching television, or people
without the training to appreciate good music. It could be as simple as changing the way we are
arranged across the "stage" from one number to the next, or featuring certain players in front of
the band. Or it could be augmenting the band with singing, dancing, or comedy.
So please let me know if you might like to join the band again this year, and maybe even bring
along a friend who can play an instruments or wave a flag. We may not get 45 or 50, as in the
past, but if a dozen or more respond, I'll begin printing the music. And of course, if you have
any ideas of how to make our performance more exciting, this could be your big chance. This
means fifteen minutes of fame for someone. How about you or someone you know?
My thanks to all who have helped GGGAMB become the number one musical group in Geneva
(and we did it without amplification). Here's to a new horizon in Geneva's heritage!
Richard Simonton
PS Be sure to visit the home page for band photos, and the music page for mp3 files. (There are
also links to my vacation snapshots next to the lamb on the home page, if anyone is interested.)
Five glorious years of The Greater Geneva Grande
Award Marching Band are enough, wouldn't you agree?
Let's quit while we're ahead. Why push our luck? That's
what I've been thinking, and even the Geneva Citizens
Association couldn't change my mind. But then I got this
from The Museum of Geneva History:
"When we had all the fourth graders in the
Museum this year and I was trying to get across
to them what rural heritage is, I told them that
100 years ago Geneva had a band and I showed
them the 1932 picture of the Eastern Seminole County
Band from Geneva. Then I said 'Do we still have a band?' and they all yelled
'YES, in the Fourth of July Parade!' 'Well, that's rural heritage,' I said. I guess
the band means more than we realize."
All right, so maybe it's not your heritage. Most of you don't even live near Geneva. But it's
American Heritage, and if you think a small-town 4th of July celebration is a tradition that's fun
and worth preserving, then I'd like to welcome you back for the 6th annual GGGAMB season,
which runs from 8:30 AM until just past noon on the 4th of July, as usual.
As I say every year, I hope to add visual interest to our concert at the picnic after the parade, for
the benefit of those in our audience with short attention spans from watching television, or people
without the training to appreciate good music. It could be as simple as changing the way we are
arranged across the "stage" from one number to the next, or featuring certain players in front of
the band. Or it could be augmenting the band with singing, dancing, or comedy.
So please let me know if you might like to join the band again this year, and maybe even bring
along a friend who can play an instruments or wave a flag. We may not get 45 or 50, as in the
past, but if a dozen or more respond, I'll begin printing the music. And of course, if you have
any ideas of how to make our performance more exciting, this could be your big chance. This
means fifteen minutes of fame for someone. How about you or someone you know?
My thanks to all who have helped GGGAMB become the number one musical group in Geneva
(and we did it without amplification). Here's to a new horizon in Geneva's heritage!
Richard Simonton
PS Be sure to visit the home page for band photos, and the music page for mp3 files. (There are
also links to my vacation snapshots next to the lamb on the home page, if anyone is interested.)
NEWSLETTER 08A