With the financial support of the Mt. Pulaski Park District and the cooperation of the Mt. Pulaski School District for the use of their band rooms for rehearsal and access to their musical library, the Mt. Pulaski Community Band was organized again in the year 2000 and continues now in 2005. In 2003, the Tomlinson Trust also participated with the program by providing additional financial support.
Beth Anderson, a retired school band director, accepted the challenge in the year 2000 to direct the band. After eleven years without a summer band program in Mt. Pulaski, Beth got the band off to a great start. In addition to conducting the community band, Beth was very busy in the music arena. She works as a sales representative with a central Illinois music company and continues to give private lessons to several music students, as well as returning to part-time teaching in one of the local area school systems.
After two years at the helm of the community band, Beth had a yearning to play in the band and joined the ranks of the band, offering the directorship to Mr. Jamie Ernst, the band director for the Mt. Pulaski grade school and high school. Mr. Ernst accepted and rehearsed the band and directed the concerts for the year 2002 and continues now in 2005. Mr. Ernst has done a great job with the band these past three years.
The band plays four summer concerts each, beginning with a concert of July 4th. Two concerts follow on the front lawn of the Vonderlieth Living Center, one in July and a second in early August. The summer season's final concert is a performance in conjunction with the Mt. Pulaski Fall Festival. The band has given a Christmas concert each of those years at the Vonderlieth Living Center in their large activity room.
Band Secretary, Tom Romer
