Denver Municipal Band
(303) 322-8608 | Official Website
Contact: Gerald Endsley
Listed under Big Bands, Concert Bands, Classical.
Founded in Denver, Colorado in the 1860s, the Denver Municipal Band is the oldest professional concert band in the continental United States.
Current Activities
The staple of DMB activity remains the “century plus” tradition of summer concerts. Presented in accessible parks settings, these family gatherings are performed by the area‘s leading professional players, including many principal players of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.
PERFORMANCE LOCATIONS
Buell Theatra, DCPA, 14th Ave. at Stout St.
Cheesman Park 8th Ave. at Lafayette St.
Civic Center Park, Colfax Av. at Broadway.
Clement Park, W. Bowles Ave. at Long St.
Cook Park S. Monaco at Cherry Cheek Drive South
Crown Hill Cemetery, W. 29th Av. at Wadsworth Blvd.
Eisenhower Park. E. Dartmouth at Colorado Blvd.
Fairmount Cemetery, 430 S. Quebec
Harvey Park, W. Evans at S. Tennyson St.
King Center, Auraria Campus
Mayfair Park, 10th Ave. at Ivy St.
Parsons Theatre. 11801 E. Community Center Dr., Northglenn
Plat Park, Florida at Logan St.
Sakura Square, 19th Ave. at Lawrence St.
Skyline Park. Arapahoe St. between 16th and 17th St..
Southmoor Park, E. Hampden Ave. at S. Oneida St.
Sterne Park, 5900 S. Spotswood,
Wallace Park. Bellview at DTC Drive
Washington Park, E. Kentucky Ave at S. Franklin
Webb Office Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave.
In addition to the summer series, the Denver Municipal Band is re-establishing the year round activity it enjoyed earlier in the century. In addition to the full forty piece concert band, the DMB family of ensembles includes a 17-piece jazz band, jazz combo, brass band, plus woodwind and brass quintets. These regularly present concerts in schools and community centers.
History
The Denver Municipal Band was founded in the late 1860s by Alex Sutherland, bugler at the “Charge of The Light Brigade.” Surviving the ordeal, he settled in Denver where he was active in many of the city‘s early musical activities. Originally constituted as the GAR Post Band, it performed early municipally funded concerts throughout the 1870s and 80s, changing its name to the Denver Municipal Band in 1891 when it began its continuous history of Denver Municipal Funding.
The Band has always been fully professional. During the early years of the century, it toured the St. Louis and San Francisco expositions and was conducted by major bandsmen including Frederick Innes, trombone soloist for Sousa, and the renowned solo cornetist, Hermann Bellstedt, Jr. (1858-1926).
In addition to the year round Denver series, the Band broadcast nationally via KOA and the Armed Services Network. The Band was conducted for over forty years by Henry Sachs who also composed prolifically for the ensemble.
