LaFayette Concert Band notebut.tif (542339 bytes) GET INVOLVED

notebut.tif (542339 bytes) PHOTO GALLERY

notebut.tif (542339 bytes) WEB LINKS

notebut.tif (542339 bytes) ABOUT US
Norman Wanzer Director
315-638-1119
lcband@twcny.rr.com

ABOUT THE
LAFAYETTE CONCERT BAND

The LaFayette Concert Band is an all-volunteer group of about 40 musicians from all over the Central New York region. We perform at indoor & outdoor events, nursing homes, shopping malls, parks, the annual LaFayette Memorial Day Parade, and more!

Members come from all walks of life: doctors, teachers, office workers, technicians, students, homemakers, and others all share the enjoyment of making music. Rehearsals are held at the C. Grant Grimshaw Elementary School, 5957 Route 20 in LaFayette during the months of March through December, with concerts as scheduled in the same months.

Our music is as varied as our members......marches, show music, popular music, classical, folk music....something for everyone!

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This website is dedicated to the memory of ALFRED S. BALESTRA, our founder, director, mentor and friend.

The music goes on, in his honor.

Many thanks to Charlotte Park, Dick Davidson and Norman Wanzer for their contributions to this website!

HISTORY
The band was formed in the 1950's as part of the Adult Education Program under the direction of Alfred S. Balestra, the instrumental teacher and band director of LaFayette Central School.

There were about 15 or 20 musicians in the beginning, and then, as more people heard about it, the numbers increased. Several members were friends of "Al's" from Syracuse. By the latter part of the 1960's some of the original members had left for one reason or another and the band nearly died out.

However, in the 1970's, with several new musicians from LaFayette and surrounding towns, the band reorganized and has continued until now, when we have reached a number of approximately 40 to 45 members.

Al Balestra died in December of 1999. The band continues on, as we know would be Al's wish. The baton has been passed to Norman Wanzer, a long-time band member who recently retired from the Baldwinsville School District, where he taught instrumental music for many years to hundreds of young musicians.