After Pat O'Keefe and her husband in Vienna more than seven years ago, O'Keefe was looking to play in a community band. Because of her husband's military career, she and her husband had been traveling around the world a lot, and during that time O'Keefe, an oboe player, missed playing with other musicians. She hadn't played in a musical ensemble in 10 years.
She discovered the Vienna Community Band through their newspaper ad looking for more musicians. She joined, and has been playing with then for the past seven years.
"I really enjoy the chance to be involved musicallly," said O'Keefe, who now serves as president of the organization. "It's really wonderful. I did not realize how much I missed it."
Next year, the Band celebrates its 30th anniversary as Vienna's community band. They play in many of Vienna's big celebrations--the Fourth of July, ViVa Vienna--and they produce their own seasonal concerts as well. Their music ranges from pop and Broadway and jazz to some classical pieces.
About 70 band members from around Fairfax County make up the band, which is all-volunteer and requires no audition. The ages of the band members range from 15 to 83, and everyone in between. Its members have had at least high school band experience, although many band members are serious amateur musicians who enjoy playing for the love of it.
"All you have to do to become a member is show up at a band rehearsal, put your name on the roster, and we'll consider you a band member," O'Keefe said.
The Town of Vienna helped formed the band in 1975, in preparations to celebrate the country's bicentennial. In the olden days before then, community bands across the country were how citizens learned to play music. They would play the latest selections coming out of Europe and America.
These days, the Vienna Community Band plays some standard marching band pieces, but it also performs a lot of popular and contemporary selections, especially during the summer.
"There is so much great music that people know, and the band can do it pretty well," said Joe Stynchula of Alexandria, the Band's interim conductor.
Stynchula plays tuba, trombone, euphonium, French horn and percussion. A consultant in the education and training field by day, Stynchula joined the band four years ago after playing in military bands and musical ensembles throughout his life.
For the past year, he has been the Band's interim conductor, directing the group and finding pieces that would highlight the band's strengths.
"It is really a great group of musicians. We've got talented people in every section," Stynchula said. "There's a lot of good music that comes out of the that band. It's really a joy to coax out those last bits of music."
The Band hosts its summer concert on Sunday 25th. After an August recess, they will begin their Sunday evening rehearsals at the Vienna Community Center starting Sept. 12. The first concert of the season is on Nov. 7, and while the Band welcomes all musicians, they are looking especially for bassoon players, clarinetists, percussionists who can play mallets, and French horn, tuba and oboe players.
Prospective musicians, as well as concert goers, will find a group whose members love performing music.
"I like to play. People with common interests. It helps to develop my ability to play also," said tenor saxophonist and Fairfax resident Andy Hutchins, stating his reasons for why he joined the Band 18 years ago.