Musicians, like painters and writers, are dedicated to a lifelong passion.
The Delaware Valley is blessed with towns that promote that dedication — towns like Langhorne and Quakertown, Buckingham, Perkasie and Yardley invite local bands for summer outdoor concerts — Doylestown Borough has its own Central Bucks Community Band and the jazz group called Doylestown Heat.
Both have been sponsored by the Doylestown Lions Club for more than 70 years and both have their roots at Delaware Valley University, which continues to share its resources with locals who need a place to perform.
The university does not offer a music major but its music department has always been an active part of the school and it encourages local residents to participate. On its website, the school invites students to join its musical groups: “Share your love of music by participating in one or more of our bands, including Symphonic, Jazz, Chorus or the Summer Community Music program. These bands give you the opportunity to practice and perform alongside faculty, staff and members of our local community.”
I attended a concert in the new Broad Commons Park across from Doylestown Borough Hall last week. My son Gene was playing in the Community Band for the first time — he’s a longtime lover of band music and local bands, dating back to the pit orchestra and the marching band in high school, and even elementary and middle school bands.
It was a balmy evening, cool and breezy, a pause in the July heat wave. Children were running through the courtyard fountain and climbing the Fonthill Castle model in the playground. The Doylestown Heat opened the show with “Basie Straight Ahead” and “Spanky,” jazz standards. The Community Band followed with ooompa pieces like “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready, the Coast Guard anthem) and the theme from “Hogan’s Heroes.The bands held their summer concerts on the old Bucks County Courthouse lawn until last year, when they moved to the new park. Master of Ceremonies Ed Lisowski believes it’s taking some time for locals to get used to the new venue but in many ways, it’s a better venue. It has free parking, lots of space and an irresistible sense of summer sounds.
Lisowski’s been the MC for 31 years and he expects to keep going for a while. His involvement with the band may be outdone only by french horn player Cindy Corson, who has been a member for 38 years.
Lauren Ryals adds a professional touch as she conducts the Community Band. Last Thursday, she directed six tubas, three flutes, four french horns, four clarinets, three trumpets, three trombones, a couple of drums, and maybe a keyboard (couldn’t see). Ryals holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, a master’s in music education from Vandercook College of Music in Chicago and a Ph.D. from Temple University. She grew up in Littleton, Colo. and she’s exploring the East Coast.
On the DelVal faculty since spring 2023, Ryals directs all of the musical groups. She also teaches a class that covers varied topics related to music, possibly musicology or music history.
“In Bucks County it seems that at every corner you turn there’s a band,” she said. “I was honored to be asked to conduct the Central Bucks Band. It’s awesome to meet the people in Doylestown.”
Ryals enjoys working in a multi-generational setting the bands offer and she’s currently researching music education, looking through a trauma-informed lens, especially focusing on war veterans.
At the beginning of July, Ryals sent a message to the community musicians: “I am honored to have been asked to direct the summer band and humbled by the invitation to work with all of you. Community music ensembles and multi generational music playing is not only my musical passion but my life’s work.”
The Heat has opened the summer concerts on Thursday evenings through July and the Community Band follows, ending each concert with the audience singing “God Bless America.”
The bands will play their final summer concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1 and the Heat will wind up the season with a solo performance Aug. 8.
Russo Music and the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra sponsored the summer concerts. Many of the band members will pick up their instruments again in the fall, to join in the music with DelVal’s students.
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