Our Mission
Recognizing the powerful way music brings people together,
the Ann Arbor Civic Band brings a diverse and inclusive group of area musicians together to explore concert band literature and enhance their musical skills, connecting with community audiences through this collaboration of creative expression by providing free live outdoor performances open to all.
Board of Directors
Gail Ferguson Stout, President
Janette Gryniewicz, Vice President
Christopher Balk, Secretary
Jerry Robbins, Treasurer
Norma Miller, Past President
Gayle Fischer, Music Librarian
Rich Kifer
Claudia Tull
A Short History
The Ann Arbor Civic Band (AACB) traces its history to the community band founded in 1933 and conducted by William Champion, then the director of the Ann Arbor High School Band. With the exception of World War II and COVID-19 pandemic years, the AACB has been in continuous operation since that time. The band, currently led by Dr. J. Nick Smith, has had 16 distinguished conductors during these years, including several people, such as William Gourley and Charlotte Owen, who conducted the band for extended periods of time.
The AACB has always been characterized by “summer only” rehearsals and concerts, “no auditions,” “all concerts are free to the public,” and “all concerts are held outdoors.” The vast majority of the Band’s performances during its 90+ year history have been held on Wednesday evenings in the Band Shell in Ann Arbor’s West Park, although there have been a number of other performance venues (and days of the week) as well.
Although, over the years, a majority of players in the AACB have been adults, high school and college/university students have always been welcomed and they have participated in large numbers. In its early years, the size of the Band tended to be around 35-40 players. In more recent times, membership has been much closer to 100. It is estimated that more than 2,000 individuals have played with the Band during its history, including a number of players with more than 25 years of service to the organization.
Many hundreds of different pieces of music have been played during the Band’s history—marches, light classics, show music, popular music, novelty numbers and much more—always a “family friendly” concert. A wide variety of guest artists and instrumental and vocal soloists (and small ensembles) have been a concert feature for many decades.
Although continuing with many decades of much appreciated “in kind” support from what is now the City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Department, since 2009, the Band has been a 501(c)(iii) organization, responsible for its own finances and governance.
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Click Here for a comprehensive history of the Ann Arbor Civic Band.