Health & Fitness
An Introduction to the "Best-Kept Secret in Fairfax"
Get to know the City of Fairfax Band Association, one of the "best-kept secrets in Fairfax," and what it has going on in your community.
Good morning Fairfax City Patch!
My name is Woody Wingfield and I serve on the Board of Directors for the City of Fairfax Band Association. Many thanks to Jennifer van der Kleut for the opportunity to blog about a major passion of mine. I hope to use this space to give you a sneak peek at the Association, its ensembles, and the stories that remind me why I support this organization.
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We have a little joke we say every few Board meetings: The City of Fairfax Band Association is one of the "best-kept secrets in Fairfax."
Now, to keep things in perspective, this is the Washington, D.C. metro area. We have a lot going on in our backyard. The Association has a long and successful history, like many other arts organizations in our region, so building traction with potential audience members is always an uphill battle. I figure the best way to get started is to jump right in with an introduction (or, in many cases, a re-introduction).
Find out what's happening in Fairfax Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The City of Fairfax Band Association is comprised of nine performing ensembles: The City of Fairfax Band, The Main Street Community Band, The Northern Virginia Youth Winds, Alte Kameraden German Band, The Potomac Brass Quintet, The Main Street Brass Quintet, The Fairfax Swing Band, The Fairfax Saxophone Quartet and the Rebel Run Dixieland Band. Our performing volunteers number more than 200, so we cover a lot of ground in the great Fairfax region!
April and May, for example, have proven to be very busy months. Not only do we have our own programs to prepare for, but we have spent much of this month at the gorgeous Sherwood Center. Earlier this month, the Fairfax Saxophone Quartet and Main Street Band were both honored with performances at the 2013 Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts Festival. It was an absolute thrill for our Board Members to be seated in the gorgeous Sherwood Center, along with other Fairfax residents that have an interest in the arts.
In May, the City of Fairfax Band will have their “Spotlight on the Pops” concert. This performance is of particular interest to me, since it highlights the Association’s investment in arts education.
At this concert, the City Band will welcome Andrea Hsu to the stage as a featured soloist. Andrea is this year’s Young Artist Competition (YAC) winner. Not only does she have the opportunity to perform with adult musicians, she also receives a scholarship to benefit her college education.
Joining her on stage as a guest artist will be Paul Fadoul, the very first winner of the YAC who has since become a highly sought-after professional musician. What a great way to feature past, present and future in arts education, all on one stage!
I promise this will be the first of many blog posts for me, and I certainly plan on being a little more focused as I get further along in my blogging career. Keep an eye out for more posts on our individual ensembles, musicians, and observations by me as we move into our Summer Concert Series, “Music Under the Stars,” and begin to prepare for our 2013-2014 Concert Season!
In the meantime, don't forget to find us on Facebook (facebook.com/FairfaxBand), on Twitter (@fairfaxband) and online at www.fairfaxband.org.
