Broome Street Wind Ensemble Grows and Evolves
Port Jervis. The band, begun in 1988, now has a marching band and wind ensemble and gives scholarships to students.
By Fern Ashworth
The Broome Street Wind Ensemble presented a concert of popular tunes pulled from stage and screen on Monday, July 22, at the bandstand in Farnum Park at 21 Ulster Place.
The wind ensemble has come a long way since its beginnings in 1988 as the church band for Drew United Methodist Church. Al Gessner, co-founder, fondly remembers those early days when he and Hank Ranich, Marine Corps vet from World War II and fellow church member, set the wheels in motion.
“Hank came to church one Sunday and said, ‘We need to start a church band,’” said Gessner. “It started as a group of just five people and would play at church once or twice a month.”
Gradually, Gessner brought in some of his students, and Ranich brought in others, including Stacy Joergle-Gildea, who remains an active member. In 1991, Port Jervis held an American Pride Parade, and opportunity came knocking. George Sauschuck, owner of Sauschuck’s Auto, donated the use of his flatbed truck, and with some drums borrowed from the Port Jervis High School band, together with a handful of church hymnals, the band serenaded the parade onlookers with strains of “America” and “America the Beautiful.”
Shortly after, the Howard Wheat Engine 4 was looking for a band for the annual Fireman’s Parade. Brian Siegel, a Port Jervis student, rounded up about ten of his high school friends, and Mike Pacer, the high school’s band director, again graciously provided some drums. Joergle-Gildea pulled together the Broome Street players.
The two groups joined forces and bravely stepped off. They split the $500.00 provided by the fire company. This seed money, along with a generous gift of $1000.00 from the women of Drew Methodist Church, enabled the group to buy some of their own percussion instruments.
“That allowed the Broome Street Band to become totally self-sufficient, enabling them to play in more parades and raise additional money to keep the band going,” said Gessner.
The band makes a $1000.00 donation to the church each year for use of the hall for rehearsals. Hats and jackets were purchased, and the band continued to perform in many parades. When the church burned down in 1993, the band helped raise money.
As time went on and the band found they had extra funds available, they started awarding scholarships. When Ranich, whom many considered “the father of the band” died in 2012, the band created a scholarship in his honor.
“Hank really loved to help young players and would play the third trumpet parts so the kids could learn the first and second parts,” recalled Gessner.
Walter Hughes, another veteran (82nd Airborne Division), wasn’t a musician but had a deep fondness for the band. When he died, money was bequeathed to the band to be used toward scholarships. The band awards these two scholarships every year. If more than two seniors are graduating, no one gets left out.
“If you’re a senior, everybody who applies gets something,” Gessner said. Since 2012, the band has dispersed $18,000 in scholarships.
Over the years, the wind ensemble has gone in various directions. For a while, concentration was greater on a jazz band style; later, it enjoyed a successful fife and drum era. Additional changes may be on the horizon.
Gessner says, “Years ago, most members of the band were young teenagers, with a handful of adults mixed in. Now the wind ensemble is just the opposite. And that’s okay, as long as they have a vision for where they want to go as a band.”
That vision greatly depends on leadership that can strike the right balance of kindness and firmness, he said. Conducting responsibilities for the wind ensemble are currently shared by Andy Mayce and Seth Riehl, while the marching band is under the direction of Jason Csencsits, president of the board.
“It’s okay to lose your cool sometimes, as long as the teens understand why. If they don’t understand why, then they’re gone,” Gessner said. “You have to be willing to work with them and bring them along.”
The band is always seeking new players, especially flutes and clarinets. Having the correct balance of woodwinds, brass and percussion makes it possible for the wind ensemble to perform a more varied repertoire and appeal to a larger audience.
“The goal for the band is to put on the best show we can and to be visible to the community,” said Gessner, “and that’s the whole idea; we need to keep the whole community band type thing going, especially in America, even in towns like this, where 99% of the people don’t even know about it. It needs to be there, and if people care enough, it’ll be here in 20 more years.”
The wind ensemble’s performance on Monday evening at 7:00 at Farnum Park brought its Free Summer Concerts series to a close.
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