ABOUT US
The Greensboro Concert Band, under the direction of Kiyoshi Carter, is a group of approximately 100 enthusiastic, non-professional musicians who rehearse weekly and perform extensively throughout the year. Band membership consists of people from almost every imaginable background, ranging in age from teens to senior citizens, all coming together through a common love of music. There are no auditions and the only requirement for membership is a willingness to polish current skills, relearn old ones, and attend weekly rehearsals.
In 1977, approximately 50 musicians were recruited from the community to share their musical talents with the public. The first rehearsals began in January 1978 and after a formal concert that spring, the band played in a series of informal outdoor concerts that eventually became Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park (MUSEP). This concert series is now a permanent and popular part of the Music Center's summer programming, with the concert band still performing during this beloved series each summer, drawing an audience of thousands.
In 1979, a seasonal indoor concert series was offered with the concert band and Philharmonia of Greensboro joining forces and inviting guest artists. The Opus Concert Series was thus born and now includes the Choral Society of Greensboro, the Philharmonia of Greensboro, the Greensboro Big Band, and guest artists in addition to the Concert Band. The typical concert repertoire for the Greensboro Concert Band includes pop and musical favorites for the outdoor concerts and more serious pieces for the Opus Series Concerts. The band performs regularly at civic, community, and festival events, most free of charge to the public. The group has been honored by performing at a North Carolina Music Educators Convention, the World's Fair in Knoxville, Disney World in Florida, a North Carolina Bandmasters Association Convention, and the American School Band Directors Association National Convention.
