Fairfield Municipal Band attracts wide array of talent

FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield Municipal Band concluded its summer season on Tuesday, Aug. 9, a little later than expected because the band had to make up a concert canceled in June due to weather.

The band is an eclectic mix of talented musicians that range in age from high school students to retired folks. Some of them have played an instrument their whole lives, while others rediscovered a passion for music later in life. That’s what happened to band member Ben Gosvig, who joined the band this year after not having played his trumpet for 40 years.

Gosvig performed in the elite Vancouver Youth Band in his native Canada, one of the top youth orchestras in the country. He took lessons from some of the best trumpet players in Canada. By his early 20s, Gosvig had become busy with other things and had to leave the youth band behind.

Now 68 years old and retired, Gosvig had time on his hands and decided to resume this musical hobby from his youth. Just five months ago, he began taking lessons from trumpet player Derrick Murphy of the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra. Gosvig said it was tough at first, because he had to get the muscles in his mouth back in shape.

“The trumpet does not respect a holiday,” he said. “If you take time off, you pay the price. It’s not like the piano where you can just sit down and play.”

Midway through the Fairfield Municipal Band’s season, band director Jim Edgeton needed to find another trumpet player. Band member Paul Squillo knew of Gosvig’s background of performing in Canada, and suggested he join the band.

“It’s been tremendous fun,” Gosvig said. “Though I must confess that when I started, it felt overwhelming to go through 12-15 pieces in rehearsal and then perform them the next day. It’s a challenge, and it sharpens your sight-reading ability.”

Gosvig said Edgeton is a “marvelous conductor” and has been a joy to work with.

“He’s thoroughly competent in the field,” Gosvig said. “He knows how to get a group behind the piece. He’s great at people management as well as conducting, and you can see all those years of high school conducting come through. He’s a fun person to be in rehearsal with.”

After rehearsing for two to 2.5 hours on Monday night, Edgeton gives the band members the sheet music to study or practice the following day before Tuesday night’s concert. Gosvig said that, because the trumpet is so physically demanding, trumpet players have to worry about “blowing out our chops” before a performance.

“If you practice all 15 pieces on Tuesday during the day, you won’t have much gas left for the performance at night,” he said. “So I hum them to myself and do the fingering on the trumpet.”

Now that the season is over, Gosvig said he still plans to practice his instrument two hours per day and continue with his lessons with Murphy. He has been invited to play with the Burlington Municipal Band, whose season continues through the fall and winter.

Gosvig said he enjoyed his first year with the Fairfield Municipal Band and has every intention of returning next year.

“I plan to keep working at it as diligently as I can, and will be ready for next season,” he said.

Another member of the band who joined mid-season was Tracy Shaw, who plays clarinet. Shaw is the choir director at Van Buren High School, and got to know Edgeton a few years ago when she became the pianist for the Van Buren Community Players, where Edgeton directs the pit band.

Shaw will enter her 22nd year of teaching music this fall. She graduated from Van Buren High School in 1999, and returned to work in the district two years ago after stints at West Bend-Mallard and Lamoni. She performed in four concerts with the band this summer, and appreciated the chance to try something new. She said the band’s rehearsals make her feel like one of her students.

“When they first get a piece of music, they say, ‘Oh, I don’t think we can do this,’” she said, and that’s how she feels the first time she sight reads a piece during Monday rehearsals.

Shaw said she missed being part of groups that play, and loves that Southeast Iowa has opportunities for musicians to perform for the public.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “As long as they let me come back, I’m more than happy to do this again next year.”

The band features a number of high school students or recently graduated students, people like trombone player A.J. Roe, who just graduated from FHS this year. He liked the idea of playing for his former band director, Edgeton, and he was encouraged to join by current FHS band director Hannah Ball, who also plays in the band.

“I loved my experience playing in the band this summer and I would be delighted to play in the future,” he said. “The band members are really kind and fun to work with.”

Roe said he’s never been in a band that sight reads multiple pieces of music one night and performs them in a concert the next night.

“This system is extraordinary to me, but I find that it helps me challenge myself to become a better trombone player,” he said. “It's an honor to be with these talented musicians, and they are an inspiration to me to continue playing.”

Roe likes the fact that the band performs so many different genres of music. Some of his favorite genres are movie themes, classics and jazz pieces.

“If I'm in the mood for an arm workout, then a march would do that just fine,” he said. “If I had to choose one, it would be the jazz genre. I've played in jazz bands for many years through middle school and high school, and I plan to continue this genre in college and the Fairfield All-Star Jazz Band.”

Roe said he plans to recruit some friends to join the band next year.

“I've already hinted at some people to join, and I hope they have a blast like me if they decide to join next summer,” he said.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com