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Published on Banda Musicale Cittadina di Darfo Boario Terme (http://www.bandadarfo.eu)

Association life

Every year in December the band holds its traditional well-wishing concert for the town. The concert is usually the most important event for the band, and it represents a huge commitment for the players, who also have to prepare the scenes of the stage and of the hall, as well as little complimentary gifts for the audience; every year we present a brand new programme, which is often very difficult. From 1992, the tenth anniversary with our conductor, the programme saw the presentation of a piece played by the band ten years before; because of the quick change of the players and their young age, these pieces are quite often brand new for the majority of the musicians. Besides, from 1991 the concert includes three or four pieces played by the junior band in between the two halves of the official concert. The pieces are simple but enjoyable. At the end of the concert there is always a reception for the audience.
The year 1982 saw the coming back of an old tradition: playing along the streets and in the squares on the day before Christmas. Carols know with the name of “little shepherds” are played in almost every district of the town. Several members of the band dress up with typical clothes of the shepherds of the past, like hats, cloaks, sheep skins, boots and gaiters, clothes found (with difficulty) in the houses of some old people who then gave them away with pleasure. The initiative is highly appreciated by the people of the town, and for us players it’s always very gratifying to bring some moments of joy and happiness, particularly to people in the hospitals and retirement houses, the privileged places for our music, because it seems to us to take, with music, some happiness to people who really need it.

 

 

As you must have read quite often, for those who play the band is not only music. As a matter of fact during the year we meet often on days and evenings whose aim is just to have fun together. Santa Cecilia is certainly the mundane event of the world of bands: in fact, this occasion brings the chance of showing off one’s elegance. In November a dinner is held for players, relatives, friends and sympathizers, with the simple target to celebrate together the saint patron of Music. They are always great evenings and nights that usually begin with a mass (in one of the churches of the town) and the blessing of our instruments; they continue with a good dinner in a restaurant and invariably conclude at the band, where the musicians meet to continue the party. Other events that just wait to be celebrated usually are birthdays, carnival, graduations, etc. Wedding parties too can be an exceptional occasion to celebrate: the average age of the musicians is favourable for this kind of events. The occasions to have fun outside a music context are a lot, then. We must also add the summer journeys, the winter days spent skiing, and the autumn meeting to eat roasted chestnuts. Si tratta di una delle caratteristiche feste gastronomiche, a cui tutti siamo abituati a partecipare nei periodi estivi, che la Banda ha voluto arricchire con un pizzico di cultura musicale bandistica e spettacoli folkloristici.
Among the various initiatives set out by our association in the past ten years, one of the most important and meaningful is the Fair of the band. It is a typical gastronomic gathering, which has been enriched by the participation of music groups and folkloristic shows. The idea of such an event belongs, according to the memory of some musicians, to Diego Ducoli, who tried to push some of the members of the band to organise a show after his own experience of similar initiatives with charity associations. The aim was praisewoirthy: to make people get to know the band as an open friendly group, spread the popular band culture, and last but not least, collect the necessary resources to garantee the free music courses for the musicians- to be. It is not without difficulty that we have continued this tradition, and the fair has become an important moment for socialisation between band players and people of the town. the fair is always on the first or second weekend of july, and you’re ALL INVITED!

 


 

 


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