Townsend Military Band Opening Concert

The Townsend Military Band will open its 2023 Thursday evening concert series on the Townsend Common on June 15th. Weather permitting, the band will play a concert on the Common each Thursday between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. through at least August 17th. The Townsend Military Band is managed by Betty Mae Tenney of Townsend and conducted by Thomas Souza of Chelmsford. Mr. Souza is the Brandeis University Wind Ensemble Director and the Band Director at the Fairgrounds Middle School in Nashua, New Hampshire. Mr. Souza plans to feature well-known show tunes, marches, patriotic music, and children’s music in the Townsend Military Band’s Thursday evening concerts.

The concerts are funded by the Town of Townsend. Lawn parties hosted by local organizations, which always feature food and often include activities for children and other assorted tables, are held in conjunction with these concerts. Area residents of all ages are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs or blankets to the Townsend Common on Thursday evening so they may sit and enjoy the good music and the company of friends and neighbors as well as the variety of food and beverages which will be offered for sale.

The Townsend Community Couples Club will host the lawn party at the Townsend Military Band’s Thursday, June 15th, concert on the Townsend Common. Couples Club members will grill hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and sausages with peppers and onions to sell to those attending the concert. Fried dough, chips, hot coffee and tea, and cold soda and bottled water will be available for purchase. A wide selection of home baked goods will be offered for sale.

The Townsend Community Couples Club is a non-profit organization. The money they raise is used to fund one or more projects or local organizations. In the past they have funded NMRHS Scholarships, Townsend Public Library Sunday Hours, Stop the Bleed tourniquet kits, a new refrigerator for the West Townsend Reading Room, Welcome to Townsend signs, and the flag and flagpole on the Common. The emphasis of this year’s fundraising is to purchase a very sturdy, six-foot bench for the Kids Country Playground.

The Townsend Military Band will open its concert at 7:30 p.m. by playing Bagley’s “National Emblem March” and “The Lion King Medley” arranged by Higgins. Roszell’s arrangement of “Carrickfergus Irish Folksong”, “The Barnstormer March” arranged by Mackie-Beyer, and Yoder’s arrangement of “Highlights From Oklahoma” will be performed. “Wellerman”, a traditional New Zealand folksong, arranged by Murtha, Murtha’s arrangement of “Eighties Flashback”, and “The Liberty Bell” by Sousa will be played during the first portion of the concert.

“The Ragtime Regiment Band” arranged by Lewis, the “Bacharach & David Medley No.1”, and King's “Princess of India Overture” will be played following intermission. The “Sea Songs” by Vaughan Williams and Hall's “New Colonial March” will be performed before the Townsend Military Band concludes its concert at 9:30 by playing the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Read more