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Who We Are
Northshore Concert Band is a 110-member symphonic
band that performs throughout the Chicago metropolitan
area. The ensemble
has a rich 50-year history and has become internationally
known and respected for its musical excellence, leadership
in community music, and service to
music education.
Dr. Mallory Thompson, director of bands and professor of
conducting at Northwestern University, is NCB’s artistic director.
Thompson is in great demand as a guest conductor and clinician
throughout the United States and is widely regarded as one
of the leading wind conductors
in the nation.
NCB was founded in 1956 and led for 40 years by the late
John P. Paynter, who was director of bands at Northwestern
University, an accomplished arranger, and president of many
band organizations, including
the American Bandmasters Association. Mr. Paynter built what
started as an 11-member, rather informal group into one of
the most influential and
respected symphonic bands in the world today.
Highlights of NCB’s 50-year history include being the first group
to receive the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Silver Scroll
(North America’s most prestigious award for community bands), being
selected to perform at the Midwest Clinic (the world’s largest and
most prestigious band and orchestra conference) 28 times—most recently
in 2005—and performing at many other band festivals and
conferences throughout the United States and Europe. Other
highlights include performances with
internationally-renowned soloists and conductors, including
William Warfield, Doc Severinsen, Wynton Marsalis, Frederick
Fennell, Leroy Anderson, and
the Chicago Symphony Chorus at Orchestra Hall.
Mission
Our mission is to foster and promote wind music and adult
bands through high-quality performances, music education, recorded works,
and commissions. This mission incorporates five objectives:
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To make a substantial contribution to musical life locally, nationally,
and internationally. |
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To give our audiences memorable experiences with the highest quality wind music in a wide range of musical styles. |
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To foster and promote wind music and the adult band concept through
concerts, conferences, tours, recordings, publications, and commissions. |
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To assist in the music education of young people—the future generation
of adult musicians— through the presentation of concerts, clinics,
festivals, and scholarships. |
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To provide our members with an opportunity for musical expression, growth, and fellowship. |
Leadership
Throughout its history, NCB has promoted the development
of community bands. This has been accomplished through performances, recordings,
the sponsorship of three adult band conferences, and publication of The
Community Band: A Manual of Organization and Operation, which has been used
to start or improve many community bands in the United States over the past
26 years. Click here to access our community band resources online.
In November 2003, Meredith Music published a history of NCB
entitled On the Path to Excellence: The Northshore Concert Band—Paynter,
Buehlman and Beyond. Researched and written by Dr. William Carson of Coe
College, the book provides a detailed historical record and insightful analysis
of the band's first 46 years. Click here to learn
more about the book.
Performance and Recordings
Northshore Concert Band performs 12-15 concerts a year in
the Chicago metropolitan area, reaching over 20,000 people.
These include a concert
series at Northwestern University’s Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, educational
outreach programs at area schools, many summer concerts at
the invitation of various communities and venues, and professional
band festivals and conferences.
Our concert series features the highest-caliber guest soloists.
Often these soloists are Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians and have
included principals Christopher Martin, Mathieu
Dufour, Adolph Herseth, Dale Clevenger, and Larry Combs,
to name a few.
NCB has produced eight CDs and receives playtime on Chicago’s classical
music station, WFMT, among others. The band has also toured
in Canada and Europe and extensively throughout the United
States. In 2001, NCB toured
the French Riviera and was the first band from the United
States invited to perform at the international wind band
festival (Festival des Anches
d’Azur) in La Croix Valmer, France. Click here to
learn more about NCB’s recordings.
Educational Outreach
NCB is committed to music education and is the proud co-sponsor
of the Northshore Concert Band/Northwestern University Festival
of Music. The band’s members serve as adjudicators
and clinicians for this solo, ensemble, and band festival,
which attracts over 3,500 young musicians annually, and is
now in its 31st year. Click here to
learn more about the Festival.
NCB also awards the John P. Paynter Scholarship, which provides
financial assistance toward an outstanding high school musician’s
college education and the opportunity to solo with the band.
In addition, in 2003 NCB started its Lifetime of Music program,
inviting dozens of Chicago-area high school musicians to
perform with the band at one concert. NCB also “takes
its show on the road,” performing annually at regional
public schools.
Support
Because NCB is not affiliated with any one community, it
does not receive local community funding. The band gratefully
acknowledges the support of individual donors, foundations,
corporate and business sponsors, and the Illinois Arts Council,
a state agency. Click here to learn
more about supporting NCB.
Foundation funders have included The Chicago Community Trust,
the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, the Farny R.
Wurlitzer Foundation, the Aileen F. Andrew Foundation, the
John P. Paynter Foundation, the Florence F. Gould Foundation,
and Arts International. NCB also gratefully acknowledges
a long-standing relationship with Northwestern University
and the recently formed relationship with Glenbrook South
High School in Glenview, Illinois, the band’s current
rehearsal site. Click
here to view the list of our current
sponsors.
2006-2007 Board of Directors and Staff
Barry Skolnik chair
David Zyer vice-chair
Dr. Mallory Thompson artistic director
George Machay general manager
Dr. Paul Bauer development director
Renee Gerstmayr librarian
Debbie Durham personnel director
Michael Fath secretary
Deborah Hawes treasurer
Nina Heebink marketing/PR manager
Ann Shillinglaw development manager
Hilary Strauch marketing director
Members-at-large:
Bernie Gerstmayr
Nancy Golden
Kenneth Kelly
Dennis Montgomery
Ann Motogawa
Marija Robinson
Brian Russell
Bill Seliger
Laura Stibich
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