The End Of The Season For Concerts In The Park

The Oskaloosa Municipal Band had their final performance of the 2019 season on Thursday night. They were joined by the Lux String Quartet.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The historic Oskaloosa Municipal Band has enjoyed over 150 years of performing in the center of town. On Thursday evening, the 2019 season wrapped up, and thoughts for 2020 are already underway.

Benjamin Burgdorf and the Oskaloosa Music Festival returned to Oskaloosa this past week and joined the city band for the final performance.

Attendees found Burgdorf after the concert, complimenting the string ensemble, telling them how they enjoyed the melding of the band and strings.

The snowstorms of 2018-2019 delayed the strings return, and for Burgdorf, that delay may have them thinking about when they will host the Oskaloosa Music Festival in the future.

“It actually worked out well for a lot of students,” Burgdorf said of the increased participation they received. It’s thought the increase came due to the end of summer sports, vacations, and other distractions coming to an end as people gear up for the school year.

Being a part of the final concert for 2019 was special. Burgdorf, who grew up in Oskaloosa and played trumpet in the band before focusing on strings. He added the traditions that go with the band, to be a part, “it’s just wonderful.”

“It’s fun to participate in this tradition that’s over 150 years old, even though I’m not playing brass. I’m glad that they’re welcoming us in with the strings during the camp,” Burgdorf added.

Bruce Peiffer has been leading the Oskaloosa Municipal Band for thirteen years now.

As he finished the night’s concert, “joyful” was how Peiffer described it, “because it’s such a fun concert with the string quartet and the huge crowd.

That is just part of the many emotions that come at the end of something. “It’s sad because the ten weeks that we perform go by so fast,” added Peiffer. “I’ll be okay in a few weeks. I go back to school and start all over again with my kids in North Mahaska.”

“But this is so special,” Peiffer added. “At the end of it all, this is going to be one of the most important things I did in my life, being able to direct the city band.”

Under Peiffer’s leadership, the crowd that has gathered every Thursday night has grown steadily over the past decade.

“That means our efforts are coming to fruition,” says Peiffer. “We try to balance our program with music that everybody likes.

The band also reaches out to the youngest in the crowd, including kids into the grand march, blowing bubbles and more, like the Chicken Dance at Sweet Corn Serenade. “Because if they’re [kids] enthusiastic about coming up, then mom and dad will bring them up.”

The hope is that today’s younger generation will remember the good times they had at the city band, and will one day return with their children.

Peiffer and the rest of the members of the band feel that connection when they are performing, and they truly enjoy being a part of the band. “It’s such an integral part of our summer.”

Peiffer spoke of Barnhouse Publishing and what that company means to not only the city band but Oskaloosa. “They make a lot of quality pieces that we can play. I think we have a little more pride when we play their charts. We take a little more pride in that. It’s that tie-in. It just says Oskaloosa doesn’t it?”

Peiffer thanked all the businesses and individuals who help provide treats and more. “That support is awesome.”

For Peiffer, having the community come together on Thursday nights, “It’s just a Norman Rockwell setting.”