Community bands can only survive as long as there are volunteer players to fill the seats. For more than 160 years, the Franklin Silver Cornet Band has managed to do that on a fairly consistent basis, but this is not without continual efforts to recruit new members.
This year, those efforts included getting back to their annual Junior Silver Cornet Band program and hosting an upcoming "Meet the Band" night
This year, those efforts included getting back to their annual Junior Silver Cornet Band program and hosting an upcoming "Meet the Band" night
On June 15, the 14 youngest members of the band, along with a few special guests, played a short set of songs. It capped off a week of rehearsals for the group, which included members from Cranberry, Franklin, Lakeview, Oil City and Valley Grove school districts.
"A band like ours relies on school music programs and probably wouldn't have lasted 167 years without them," group historian Peter Green said during the concert.
"A band like ours relies on school music programs and probably wouldn't have lasted 167 years without them," group historian Peter Green said during the concert.
Near the conclusion of their set, the eighth-grade members were recognized and invited to join the full band, which then took the stage to perform alongside their junior players.
Musicians age ninth grade through adult are welcome to play with the band. Potential members can learn more about the group by attending a meet and greet with the instrumentalists from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Franklin High School band room.
The full band plays just about every other Thursday at 7 p.m. in Bandstand Park. They practice the Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at the high school. The next concert is June 29, when they will perform their annual "Mostly Marches" show as part of the city's July 4 Festivities Week.
Additional information on the band can also be found through the band's Facebook group or by emailing franklinsilvercornetband@gmail.com.
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