Mallets strike a xylophone during the Columbus City Band rehearsal at Central Middle School last month.
Paige Grider for The Republic
Music has been a matter of the heart for Karen Stonehill since her first days with clarinet as a youngster.
“And there’s just a ripple effect that continues today,” Stonehill said. “And we just want to share that with others.”
The “we” to whom she refers are the members of the Columbus City Band, which she now serves as associate director in this first season without 27-year director Steve McGrew at the helm. One of the oldest ensembles in the nation — it began in 1843 — will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday at The Commons in downtown Columbus in a free, near-Valentine’s Day themed concert of “In Love With the Arts.”
The presentation is in conjunction with area high schools’ art students and art educators. As a part of that focus, a student art gallery will be highlighted from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m. in the upper level of The Commons.
“We’re just wanting to celebrate art students, teachers and all the good they do in the schools — and we also wanted to takes these budding artists’ work out of the classroom and into the public so all of us can enjoy it and we can celebrate them,” Stonehill said.
Toward that end, students created a two-dimensional art piece from one of the four musical pieces on the program: “Clouds that Sail in Heaven;” “Entry of the Gladiators;” “Looney Tunes Overture;” and “Silent Hills of my Childhood.”
Director Paige Chadwick mentioned that the ensemble has been slightly more intentional about its reach and recruiting this season.
“Partnering with area high schools has been a great way for us to get our name out to the younger generation,” Chadwick said. “We’ve had quite a few more high schoolers and young adults coming to our rehearsals already. And the theme ‘In Love With the Arts’ happens to fit perfectly as a theme for February.”
The associate band leader loves the focus on schools and students. She spent 25 years as a classroom music educator in everything from grades K-12, plus college coursework at Bethel University in Mishawaka and Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame. She also has taught elementary school instrumental band and church children’s choir and liturgical music.
Stonehill’s favorite upcoming concert selection to love is Douglas Akey’s “Peregrin (A Traveler’s Tale)”.
“It includes all the musicians, it has energy, plus there are quiet sections, and there’s never a dull moment,” Stonehill said. “It’s a piece that I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time with the group. It just really spoke to me about 16 years ago. It’s so expressive.”
She added that it generally stirs hope within listeners. And her local band peers, also active in a variety of professional and other ensembles, stir admiration in her.
“All of our (veteran) musicians are well trained,” Stonehill said. “Phenomenally trained, in fact. It blows my mind.”
She also senses a bit of that same feeling when audience members approach her or other members of the band after a performance. It has happened a few times this season.
“Thank you,” audience members will say. “We had a wonderful time.”
A time, perhaps, to fall in love anew with the arts.
Strike up the band
Who: The Columbus City Band in concert.
When: 2 p.m. Sunday.
Where: The Commons, 300 Washington St. in downtown Columbus.
Admission: Free.
