Solon Community Band looks to fill city’s musical void

Founded in February of 2015, the Solon Community Band has spent the last few months looking to build momentum. With about 60 members ranging from ages 18-80 years old, the band held three concerts over the summer, including performing at Solon Home Days in late July. From April through July, the band practiced 20 times and put together 23 songs to play.

The founding of the Solon Community Band would not have happened if it weren’t for three people motivated to spread the joy of music to the community– Jody Halley, Robert Luce and Terry Maxson.

Luce serves as the Vice President of The Board of Trustees- the financial aspect of the band (publicity, donations, programs and other finances.)

“I missed playing band music in a band,” said Luce, who is also the band director at Orchard Middle School. “Conducting a group is awesome and I enjoy it, but what started me on my career path was my love of playing music with other people who had the same goal. Another motivating factor was listening to parents of new 5th graders at my information night speaking to each other longingly about their experiences in band. This is my 15th year in Solon and every year I would hear three or four different parents talk about their band experiences and decided that there was enough talent to at least take an interest survey.”

Most importantly, Luce added, was that he was able to find a committed parent that offered to help start the group. This parent was Jody Halley, who is now the band’s president.

“Without [Halley] taking the first step, I’d still be wishing and wondering if it could be,” Luce said. “She was able to recruit our musical director, Terry Maxson and the three of us sat down at my dining room table and devised a plan.”

Maxson added that he spent many hours around Luce’s dining table with Halley planning and organizing for the band. As director, Maxson’s role is to rehearse and get the band ready for their performances, along with selecting a musical program for the music that they play.

Major factors that allowed the band to form include support from Solon Mayor Susan Drucker, donations from the Solon Rotary Club and other residents, and the interest for music in the community.

“The overall love of music in the community was the most important part to starting the band,” Maxson said. “This overall interest of the music and the arts was apparent in Solon.”

As the band becomes more popular, members hope it can have a very positive impact on the city. The mission of the band is as follows: “Solon Community Band uses music to partner with its patrons and audience by providing a musical contribution to the culture of our community… enriching lives through musical excellence with the hope of giving back to our community the joy of music.”

“Our goal is that the Solon Community Band will be a namesake for the community,” Halley said. “When you think of summer, I would love for people to think ‘Is the band playing in the park tonight?’”

According to Halley, who has played with the Strongsville Community Band since it started 26 years ago, the band looks to gain recognition and attract new members and support by connection through social media, their website, and through general word of mouth.

“When my family moved to Solon nine years ago we felt something was missing in Solon,” Halley said. “Over the last three years I talked with others in the community and heard similar comments. I talked with Rob Luce and Terry Maxson and they had the same desire I did to create something. Together we were able to get the interest and critical mass to make it happen.”

The band’s next performance is planned for this winter on Feb. 7 at the Solon Center for the Arts, free admission.