The Great Bend City Band had its first concert of 2025 Thursday evening, performing in the Clayton L. Moses Memorial band shell on the courthouse square. It was the final concert for conductor Grant Mathews, who is leaving for other opportunities. The concert was dedicated to the late Joe Boley, who passed way Sept. 4, 2024.
Boley was a retired band director for Great Bend Public Schools and a former City Band director and member. He also wrote a history of Great Bend City Bands. This is the 140th year for the band.
Following City Band tradition, the concert opened with “The Star Spangled Banner” and ended with a march by John Philip Sousa. In between, narrator Justin Engleman said there was something for everyone.
The playlist included “Mr. Joe,” something Boley’s River Band Five+1 Dixieland Band might have played, and Grainger’s “Irish Tune from County Derry,” recognized by many as “Danny Boy,” one of Joe’s favorites. “American Patrol” was written by Frank White Meacham as a march in 1885 and the Glenn Miller Orchestra recorded a swing version in 1942.
“Home on the Range” was reminiscent of another of Boley’s bands, the Olde Tyme Towne Band, and the “Beale St. Blues, W.C. Handy’s tribute to Memphis street musicians, featured a quintet of “street musicians” from the City Band, and recalled Boley’s favorite genre, jazz.
“Joe was a consummate music teacher,” Engleman said. “American Patrol” was also a song that inspired Mathews to become a band director.
The piece “Critical Impact” by Brian Balmages “speaks to the impact Joe had as a music instructor,” Engleman said.
Just for fun, there was also a piece from the cantina band in the “Star Wars” franchise. If Boley was on the planet Tatoonie, he would have been in that band, Engleman said.
Mathews spoke to the audience of about 100 people before the final number and shared these comments with the Great Bend Tribune in advance:
“I have been very honored to be part of the Great Bend City Band legacy and tradition. Being welcomed by all of you to the Great Bend band community was very meaningful. It was extremely humbling to be included in the list of great directors that came before, and to be included in Joe Boley’s book will forever be one of the greatest awards of my career. It is not lost on me that the City Band was here long before me, and will be here long after me, I am just happy to have been part of it. I look forward to making music with you one last time, before I head off to my new adventure. I want to thank (Debbie and Kurtis) Koch for their tireless efforts to make sure the band runs smoothly, to Justin Engleman for keeping communication and records intact as well as being our master of ceremonies and narration, and to each of you for your time, commitment, and talents, and for continuing to play your instruments as a shining example of what music can do for the human spirit.”
Mathews said Thursday’s performance of “Critical Impact” was recorded and will be uploaded for the June 21 celebration of the Worldwide Make Music Day, “bringing school and community groups together from around the globe to ring in the summer celebrating music making by all. (It) is celebrated on streets, sidewalks, parks and plazas across the country with music performed by anyone and free for everyone. Originating in France in 1982, this day is a tribute to musical diversity and creativity, inviting everyone to join in the universal joy of music.”
He also noted, “One of the greatest things about our City Band is having musicians from 17 to over 80 and all levels of skill.” He urged audience members to “keep supporting the City Band.” The finale was the “Liberty Bell March.”
“Thanks Joe, for all the music, the history and the memories.”
