The Honeoye Falls Community Concert Band plays at the Gates Chili Band Festival in June 2024. Photo by Ryan Jamison
BY TOM EXTER
In music, as in life, sometimes you come to a rest, a place on the page where you stop playing, for a split second, a fraction of a beat, or perhaps several measures. It is a truism in music that a pause is as important as a musical note. The Honeoye Falls Community Concert Band will, of course, continue performing as usual, but we would like to take a smell-the-roses moment this holiday season to express our deep appreciation to all of you who have come to our concerts over the years and shared your enthusiasm for our music. We extend a heartfelt thank you, in the spirit of Thanksgiving and beyond.
Many of you have also donated to the band to support us financially. Your contributions, along with those of our two local government sponsors – the Town of Mendon and the Village of Honeoye Falls – contribute mightily to our success as a community band. For all that generosity, we are especially grateful. Your contributions are an integral part of our success for 36 years and counting.
How do your contributions help? In rough order of monetary significance, our expenses are as follows. All band members play as volunteers, but like any musical organization, professional direction is a must. For this, our director, Lindsey Borden, receives a modest stipend for her extraordinary efforts and leadership. The band prepares over 50 pieces of music in a concert season. Every year we freshen up our repertoire by purchasing some new band music to add to our library.
The band owns its own percussion and sound equipment – from a simple cow bell to our four timpani — our equipment occasionally needs repairs or replacement. The band insures its equipment, and like any business or organization, we must buy liability insurance. We pay the HF-L school district for use of the auditorium. We contribute to the annual HF-L Music Boosters student scholarship fund, a highlight of our Spring Concert. And, naturally, we advertise and expend funds for publicity. Expenses on the long tail include website maintenance (hfccb.org), bank fees, postage, and supplies. As a not-for-profit organization 501(c)3, your financial donations to the band are tax deductible. Please send an email to treasurer@hfccb.org if you require a receipt for your 2024 donation for tax purposes.
Community is our middle name, and the focus of our mission: “To provide fun and high-quality music to our local community.” In addition to performing a half dozen concerts in the community, the band has taken the sound of Honeoye Falls to the annual Lake George Band Festival, and more recently, the Gates Chili Band Festival.
If you look closely, you might notice some of our musicians counting off measures of a musical rest with their hand. What is truly immeasurable, however, is the degree of appreciation we have for you, our audience.
Please mark your calendars for our two upcoming holiday concerts.
Winter Concert #1: Saturday, December 14 at 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the HF-L District Auditorium 619 Quaker Meeting House Rd, Honeoye Falls, NY. The concert, immediately following the HFFD Christmas Parade, will feature a special guest performance by the Honeoye Falls First Presbyterian Church Bell Choir.
Winter Concert #2: Sunday afternoon, December 15 at 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 26 Mendon Ionia Rd, Mendon, NY. All our concerts are free and open to the public.
Editor’s Note: Mr. Exter plays clarinet in the band.
