The performance presents a variety of music that includes traditional marches, rock and roll hits from the 1960s, and Irving Berlin showstoppers. The concert concludes with the band’s traditional rendition of John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
The symphonic band was initially formed in 1979 by the MCCC music department when musicians from the community were invited to play along with the students. The ensemble soon became recognized as the county’s community band, then in 2000 it was designated the Mercer County Symphonic Band. For the past 25 years, the band has been under the direction of Dr. Lou Woodruff.
“The band is not really about the music – it’s about all of the members,” Woodruff said. “It’s the band members who recreate the music and the audience members who share in that celebration.”
In addition to presenting annual winter and spring concerts at the Kelsey Theatre and accompanying functions at the college, the band performs for area retirement communities and at community events.
The Mercer County Symphonic Band is in its 45th season, with 55 participating musicians spanning seven decades in age. The band is open to all interested musicians without audition. Rehearsals are Monday evenings at 7:30pm, September through June, in the Music Suite on MCCC's West Windsor campus.
The Mercer County Symphonic Band is supported by the Liberal Arts Division of MCCC, with funding from the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission through a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Established in 1966, Mercer County Community College is a publicly supported comprehensive institution that provides opportunities for higher education through an open-door admission policy. The scenic 292-acre West Windsor Campus was opened in 1972 to serve the needs of Mercer County residents. MCCC’s James KerneyCampus, located in downtown Trenton, serves as an educational and cultural hub for city residents that meets the changing needs of thousands of students and community members seeking educational fulfillment and personal and career growth. Deborah E. Preston, Ph.D., President.
