Shippensburg Band


		2012 Young Artist Solo Competition
2012 Young Artist Solo Competition Announced Download: Invitation to Teachers - doc Invitation to Teachers - pdf Application form - doc Application form - pdf Rules - doc Rules - pdf		On April 25, 2010 at 2:30 PM the Shippensburg Town Band presented a concert of music which featured the winners of their first Young Artist Competition. The Shippensburg Town Band’s first Young Artist’s Competition was for students of band instruments in grades 6 through 12. In its continuing commitment to the youth of our area, students from 5 Pennsylvania and 1 Maryland counties in the Shippensburg area, are again invited to compete for generous cash prizes and the opportunity to solo with the Shippensburg Town Band in the band’s second annual Young Artist’s Competition. The winners will be presented their prizes at the band’s April concert at which they will also perform with the band. To be eligible to compete in the Young Artist Competition, youth must be 18 or younger and attending school in the Pennsylvania counties of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Perry or Washington County, MD. The competition itself will be held on a Saturday in January at Shippensburg High School. The students are judged by some of the top music educators in the area. Complete rules and the contest application can be found at www.shipband.org.

View the Band as it was in 1925		Our History (NEW: Read a historical article published in Public Opinion, 1970) In the winter of 1922, sixteen men held a meeting for the purpose of organizing a community band. It was the beginning of the Shippensburg Band as we know it today. It was not the first band to be organized in Shippensburg. An 1871 reference has been found relating to the Shippensburg Concert Band which had successor bands known as the Walter Snodgrass Cornet Band and the Edward Shippen Military Band. Salvadore Collangelo, the band's first director, organized the Shippensburg Band back in 1922. Shortly afterwards, Clarence Smith of Carlisle took over as director of the band and continued in that capacity until 1935. In addition to his duties as director, Mr. Smith instituted a beginning class of musicians in order to build the band's membership.
		Professor Ralph Schecter, who taught English and Music at Dickinson College, served as director of the band from 1936 until 1961. He was followed by Kenneth Slater, a former cornet soloist with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Field Band, who served as director from 1962 to 1966 when the director's staff was handed over to Donald Bollinger. Mr. Bollinger served as the band director until his retirement in 1986, when he was followed by Victor Coble. Donald Bollinger returned as guest conductor for the fall concert in 1992, and as full-time conductor in 1993 until his second retirement in 2004. Our present director is Carl Sponenberg, former director of Middle Spring High School. Since its inception, the Band has marched in the Memorial Day Parade and other parades in addition to performing at other local and regional events. Each year, the Band presents its Spring Concert in March or April and a Fall Concert in November, drawing a responsive audience from the community. Fans can watch the band perform at more than 25 events each year which may include:
Links: Fasching - Info and Pictures! Shippensburg Blaskapelle, our own German Band! Shippensburg Swing Band Shippensburg Band Bylaws		Concerts in the Park (Gettysburg, Chambersburg, Shippensburg, surrounding communities) Civil War Re-enactment Concert Memorial Day Service at Middle Spring Presbyterian Church Summer reading program kick-off at Shippensburg Library Independence Day Ceremonies Shippensburg Fair Vespers Services Shippensburg Corn Festival Many nursing homes and health care facilities throughout the area.
Download: 2007 Spring Concert Poster.jpg 2006 Spring Condert Poster.jpg Ship Band Brochure.pdf 2005 Fall Concert Poster.pdf		The Shippensburg Band has gathered many individuals from the Shippensburg, PA and surrounding communities to make music and share it with others. It is a dynamic group of young and old from all walks of life. The band has survived over the years because of good leadership, the dedication of its members, and excellent community support. We continue to return to the community our quality entertainment enjoyed by people of all ages.
Contact: Shippensburg Band PO Box 222 Shippensburg, PA 17257		Join our Band Band rehearsals are year-round on Tuesday at 8:00 PM in the Shippensburg Area Senior High band room. We are always looking for new members, so if you are looking for a group to join, please stop by. All interested musicians are welcome!