From ‘nothing’ to noteworthy: West Newton Community Band will mark its first anniversary this summer

The band will perform the national anthem at the June 27 Pittsburgh Pirates game at PNC Park.

By PATRICK VARINE
TribLive

One day last summer, Don Green, 64, of West Newton went on his pool deck and played what he described as “a real cheesy version of the Spanish song ‘Bésame Mucho.’ ” “I took a video of it, and I posted it all over the place and asked if there was any interest in starting up a community band in West Newton,” Green said.

Now, less than a year later, the band has grown to nearly 40 members.

Don Green, 64, directs the West Newton Community Band at a March concert in the West Newton gymnasium. Courtesy of Jessica Zuraw Photography

Even better: It will perform the national anthem at the June 27 Pittsburgh Pirates game at PNC Park.

“I had no vision of what this was going to be or where it would go,” said Green, who was a music educator for 35 years, including stints at Yough High School and as assistant director of athletic bands at Duquesne University.

“All I knew is that I’d been retired for almost eight years, and I was playing lousy golf,” Green said. “One night, I was watching TV and the U.S. Marine Corps Band, and I just kept thinking, ‘This is something that I’m really missing.’ ” Green put a call out over social media that brought 11 people to the first rehearsal.

“We had nothing,” Green said with a laugh. “No music stands, no chairs, no nothing.”

The group was a mix of older musicians interested in picking up where they’d left off — in some cases, all the way back to high school — and some of Green’s former Yough students. They began holding rehearsals at Christ Lutheran Church on Vine Street in West Newton.

“They had chairs,” Green said with a chuckle.

He was able to procure some donated music stands that were slated for replacement at Yough. He borrowed music to bring to rehearsals.

“When I was talking to people about this idea initially, several asked why I didn’t just join one of the other local community bands,” Green said. “But that just wasn’t where my head was at.”

The band played its first concert on Aug. 24 at Vine Street Park, and Green was encouraged enough to start planning for additional shows, including a Christmas concert and a spring performance.

“There had to be close to 200 people at the first concert,” he said. “We also began holding concerts in the old West Newton gym, which was once a centerpiece for this town, and these days, it’s a little run down. People have been trying to raise funds to get it into better shape.”

The band operates on donations, and Green does not take a stipend or salary as director.

But he said since they’ve gotten a handle on basic logistics, things are running smoothly.

“Now that we’re kind of rolling, there’s not a whole lot of overhead (cost),” he said. “So if people want to come hear the band and leave, that’s perfectly fine, we don’t charge admission. If they want to make a donation, that’s great as well.”

Plans for summer include the anthem performance at PNC Park, and Green said he is working on a collaboration with West Newton Community Pool officials to host a performance.

“I’m excited to provide people with an opportunity,” Green said.

For players who are returning to an instrument, he felt having a local community band was important.

“It takes a lot of guts to try to go back to something you haven’t done in decades,” he said. “But I also think it’s important for kids in the area to know this is available. We have students from Brentwood, Yough and West Mifflin who are part of the band.”

Green said he wants to keep things simple and keep an open mind about where the band is headed in the future.

“Are we going to sound like the Marine Corps Band? No,” he said. “But we’re going to be prepared, we’re going to entertain, and we’re going to have a great time doing it.”

For details about the West Newton Community Band, visit Facebook.com/west.newton. community.band or email wncband2025@gmail.com.

Here’s the summer schedule for other area community bands, along with information to find out more about them, or about joining.