Gilpin student performs at Colorado Masons convention

Lynn Volkens

2/2/2006 - Gilpin RE-1 sophomore, Emma Berg, traveled to Denver on Friday evening to perform in the statewide Masonic Band for the Colorado Grand Lodge of Masons 145^th “Annual Communication,” a convention drawing the top three officers of all of the state’s Masonic lodges. More than 300 Masonic officers attended to conduct elections of new officers and present awards for the year. As the “Most Worshipful” and their guests lingered over dessert, student musicians set up their stands in a neighboring ballroom and ran through warm-ups. The band performed in the Crystal Ballroom of the Doubletree Inn, providing a musical segment to the program following the convention banquet. The students were rewarded by a standing ovation and profuse thanks for their volunteer performance.

  The winter concert was a premier performance for the Masonic Band. In 2000, the Colorado Masons began a summer band program, a week-long “camp” held at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. High school band students from throughout the state, upon recommendation of their band instructors, apply and are hand-selected for  sponsorship by the individual Masonic lodges. No Masonic affiliation is required. (Berg was sponsored by the Nevadaville Lodge.) The students are then sent (on full-scholarship) to participate in the camp during the final days of June. Guest conductors Dr. Richard Mayne and Dr. Kevin Droe, along with individual section instructors, form an accomplished cohesive band from a group of students with diverse skills and experience. The band performs two public symphonic concerts at the end of the week, then finishes with a marching performance (quite a feet-feat since many of the students have never marched before) at Colorado’s largest parade, the Independence Day Greeley Stampede. The Masonic Marching Band, typically one of the largest bands in the parade, presents itself uniformly in bright blue and white attire that looks particularly effective in the television coverage of the “Stampede.”

  In September 2004, students from the summer band received letters asking for interest in a winter performance. Many jumped at the chance to renew friendships and perform together again under the direction of the Colorado program’s creator, Masonic Grand Musician Marvin Feldman. Meeting on two Saturday afternoons prior to the concert, the band had only four hours of rehearsal time together. Students say Feldman, a retired band instructor, has a gift of drawing the best performance from each student and making sure they all have a good time in the process. He put together a varied selection for the band to perform (“America the Beautiful,” “Battle Cry of Freedom,” “God Be With You,” “Redneck Woman,” “Rawhide,” and the theme songs for each branch of the military). Trombonist Jeff Henton put aside his instrument to walk out among the tables and sing “If I Were A Rich Man” (from musical, “Fiddler on the Roof”), with great projection and expression. Put together a group of creative young band people, and some innovative and humorous “additions” to the concert are sure to result. Following “Rawhide,” brass player Dan Wood sounded off with a loud euphonium “horse whinny.” It’s a “note” sure to be demonstrated at student-deemed appropriate times throughout schools in Colorado, as Wood was happy to teach the technique (easily replicated on any brass instrument), to fellow band members.

  With band programs in some schools suffering extreme cutbacks (Gilpin School’s program has been cut to part-time, no longer has marching band, and is gutted of accomplished players by required class scheduling in the junior and senior years), the Masonic Band Program offers band students an opportunity to meet other like-minded committed musicians and participate in team-oriented musical accomplishments. For students from small schools, the Masonic program is often their first opportunity to play in a band of full complement - one in which every instrument is represented. The experience leaves an impression frequently described as “awesome!”

  Masons, and the associated ladies’ “Eastern Star” organization, engage in numerous philanthropic activities to enrich their communities. Feldman’s band program (Feldman was awarded the “Mason of the Year Award” for his commitment and tireless work) is only one endeavor. Black Hawk Lodge 11 sponsored a free public concert in 2004. According to Bob Travis of the Nevada (Nevadaville) Lodge 4, members there have already anted-up the funding to sponsor two student musicians to the band camp next summer. (Interested students should see their band instructor to apply.) In Nevadaville, lodge members are working at least one weekend each month to repair and restore the old building that has historically housed their lodge. Through their efforts, one of the few buildings remaining of the original Nevadaville townsite will be preserved. They open the building to the public during their annual summer pancake breakfast, offering a chance for non-Masons to tour the lodge. Members of local lodges have provided educational scholarships to graduating Gilpin students for many years.