Making Beautiful Music – Together

By Renee Wahlen Tillema

Every Thursday night a group of couples gather together for what some call their "date night," others call it their social time. They pack up their trumpets, clarinets, trombones and saxophones from home and meet in Pardeeville for the Dual County Community Band practice.

The band is not made up of just husband and wife sets, but does include other family members – siblings, children and parents. There is also a good mix of members with no relatives involved. But, together united by a love of music, they become one big harmonious family. There are about 35 to 40 community band members, and currently nine sets of husband and wife musicians.

The Dual County Community Band was first formed by a group of interested musicians who started practicing together in Portage. After some time had passed, interest decreased and the group disbanded. Charter member Stu Gerhardt explained that the group was formed again in Montello, but when the numbers again started to drop, it was offered as a non-credit enrichment class at Madison Area Technical College. This was in the mid-1980s, and shortly after the group found its home base at Pardeeville High School. It was named the Dual County Community Band to reflect band members from both Columbia and Marquette counties. Their numbers have now grown to include members from Sauk and Dane counties.

Judy Barden of Cambria plays the clarinet. Her husband, Lee, plays tenor saxophone. They have been members of the community band for over 20 years. Lee plays his father's saxophone which has been in the family since his father's high school days of the 1930s.

"Lee and I call it our date night," Judy said. "It's a time when we can go and visit with fellow musicians; enjoy each others company and the music. It's a social time for us."

Usually the women join the band first, Judy said, and they end up persuading their husbands to join. Together they find out it is something they can do as a couple and it becomes a favorite part of their week.

During the winter, the Dual County Community Band has its weekly rehearsals under the direction of Mike Tentis, retired band director from Portage. In the summer, the band performs Thursday evenings at Pardeeville's Angie Williams Cox Library. It is an outdoor performance where concertgoers bring their chairs or blankets and can purchase a piece of pie from one of the local civic groups or churches and enjoy a summer night full of music. The community band travels to local nursing homes and other communities for concerts. The warmer months also bring parades, and the community band participates in about ten parades each year.

"One of the nice things is that we don't have to play and march," Judy Barden said. "We ride on our trailer and play. We usually get together for a potluck after the parades. It's just a fun social group."

Annette Helwig, a 14-year band member from Portage, said music is her passion and she enjoys the camaraderie associated with being part of the community band. Annette plays clarinet and her husband, Bill, plays the trombone.

"It took awhile to drag my husband in," Annette said. "He hadn't played in 20 years. It's something we can do together; we share a love of music."

Bill explained that the Dual County Community Band is their second community band experience. They first belonged to a band in Plymouth, Wis., and joined with the group in Pardeeville when they moved to Portage.

Ros Zeltins from Portage has been with the community band since 1988. She had played the oboe in high school and missed playing music. So she bought an instrument, but didn't have an outlet for her musical talents. Since joining the band, Ros has put her musical skills back to work. Her husband, John, has even joined the band and serves as the music librarian.

"Having couples in the band has always been a real strength," said Linda Fehd, community band member and clarinet player. "It's always more comfortable if the whole family is involved in something. Many times the children have also played in the band."

Linda's husband, Darrell, plays percussion and at one time their son also played in the band. Currently there are three father-daughter combos in the community band.

Carla Gerhardt is a trumpet player from Pardeeville and in her 21st year with the community band. She had played music in high school and college and found the band was a way to revive her musical interest.

"I meet my husband here, he also plays trumpet," Carla said.

Carla married charter community band member Stu Gerhardt 17 years ago and the community band still makes up a big part of their lives with weekly practice, parade and concert appearances.

"It's really like an extended family," Linda said. "The couple aspect has strengthened the ties. We've been together a very long time as friends and fellow musicians. We started out as musicians and turned into friends."

While some members of the band make lighthearted jokes about their lack of musical skill, the Dual County Community Band is made up of some very talented musicians – this band is really very good. They play polkas, waltzes, marches, big band and show tunes and a mixture of musical genres. In recent years they have asked for feedback from their dedicated audience on what types of music they would like to hear. The community band likes to accommodate those requests.

"We're always looking for new members," said Linda Fehd. "If someone would just come out and watch the camaraderie we have, it's a pretty unique experience. Most people have that instrument tucked away in the closet. This is a chance to pull it out – everyone is very accepting and very encouraging."

New band members are always welcome, no formal experience is necessary and there are no try-outs. Members of all ages and musical backgrounds are invited. For more information on the Dual County Community Band visit their Web site at www.dccb.org or call Carla at (608) 429-3252.

Dual County Community Band couples

Lee and Judy Barden – tenor saxophone and clarinet
Darrell and Linda Fehd – percussion and bass clarinet
Stu and Carla Gerhardt - trumpet
Bill and Annette Helwig - trombone and clarinet
Jack and Marcia Hipke – clarinet
Bruce and Kim Hutzler – trombone and bass clarinet
Harley and Dolly Knack – driver and French horn
Glen and Megan Watson – trumpet and oboe
John and Ros Zeltins – librarian and oboe