Support the Seward Concert Band this Holiday Season

While we are only a few months into our 41st season, the Seward Concert Band is already seeing it as a season of growth. Under the direction of Cassandra Bechard, we have expanded our mission, bringing our music into senior communities with each performance cycle. By providing live music to the community we are creating happiness for others, giving our members and audiences a chance to create bonds that can last a lifetime, and give others something to look forward to!

With the rising cost of music, storage rental fees, and equipment, it takes a lot to keep the organization thriving and to keep expanding our reach. This is where your help is needed.

Your financial support will make sure that the Seward Concert Band can continue providing quality live music to our community, and our board has created a funding match to make your support go even further this month.

The Seward Concert Band Board will match the first $1000 donated through December 31.

Help us reach our goal by donating today. Your donation may even be doubled, as the Seward Concert Band board has pledged to match the first $1000 in donations.

You will not only feel good about making sure the band is able to continue but you also are helping others get happiness by making sure the band continues to make beautiful music!

Thank you for your support! We truly could not do this without you!
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Jordon Schram
Seward Concert Band
Board President

Fall Concert Series

Join the Seward Concert Band as we celebrate fall with our first performances of the 2017-2018 season.

Edinborough Park – Sunday, October 22

The Seward Concert Band will provide a community performance at Edinborough Park in Edina on Sunday, October 22. Our performance begins at 7pm, and this is a great venue for the whole family.

Sanford Middle – Friday, November 3

The Seward Concert Band invites our community to our formal, season opening concert on Friday, November 3 at Sanford Middle School in Minneapolis. Our performance begins at 7:30 PM in the auditorium. Suggested donations are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 students and children.

Tentative Program

  • Thunder and Blazes  (or Entry of the Gladiators) by Julius Fučík
  • Hobbits from “Lord of the Rings Symphony” by Johan de Meij
  • Cinderella Waltz by Richard Rogers
  • Irish Tune from County Derry by Percy Aldridge Grainger
  • Suite of Old American Dances Robert Russell Bennett
  • Apollo March by Anton Bruckner

Rehearsals Begin September 7

The Seward Concert Band is excited to welcome everyone back for another fantastic season!

Please join us at Bethel Lutheran Church in Minneapolis on Thursday, September 7 at 6:50 PM. Please bring a music stand with you as there will be limited shared stands available.

Due to construction at several local high schools, the Seward Concert Band board of directors is still working to finalize rehearsal venues for the season. The board is evaluating options for the rest of the year, and they will keep the band posted as news develops.

Our new director, Cassandra Bechard has an exciting season for us, taking the band through music both familiar and new. Please join us and help us create a fabulous forty-first season!

Seward Concert Band’s New Director

The Seward Concert Band is thrilled to welcome Cassandra Bechard as our director, beginning with our 41st season this fall.

Cassandra is excited to create beautiful music with the Seward Concert Band. She is hopeful to give back to the Seward Community by taking portions of our concerts to local schools, nursing homes, and local hospitals. It is her goal to create an environment that encourages beauty through music for both the performers and the audience. Outside of the musical world, Cassandra enjoys spending time catching Pokémon with her husband, son and two dogs.

Cassandra Bechard, a native of Detroit, Michigan, is a graduate instructor and a doctoral student in Wind Band Conducting at the University of Minnesota. Cassandra holds a Masters Degree in Bassoon Performance from Bowling Green State University (2011) and Undergraduate Degrees in Music Education and Music Performance from Central Michigan University (2009). From 2011 – 2016 Cassandra taught band at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and held the position of Adjunct Bassoon Professor at Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa (2013 – 2015). Cassandra is a member of College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Educators, South Dakota Bandmasters, Phi Beta Mu, and Kappa Kappa Psi.

Celebrating the Close of our 40th Season

Founded in 1977, the Seward Concert Band has had a wonderful year strolling down memory lane. Now it’s time to close out our 40th Anniversary Season with four opportunities to share our music with our community.

The Seward Concert Band extends a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has performed with us or supported us over our last forty years. We would not be here without you. Please continue joining us for this concert series as well as those in our next forty years.

Memorial Day

The Seward Concert Band welcomes you to join us for our traditional, Memorial Day performance at Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery on Monday, May 29. The band will play a collection of patriotic pieces to remember those who gave their lives for our country and community.

The Seward Concert Band will begin playing at 9:40 AM, followed by a short program.

Season Finale Concert

Please join us for our formal season finale on Friday, June 2 at 7:30 PM at Washburn High School in Minneapolis. Our repertoire for the evening includes favorite pieces from our 40 year history, patriotic pieces featured at our Memorial Day concert, and we will play some new pieces as well.

Our performance begins at 7:30 PM in the auditorium. Suggested donations are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 students and children.

Minnehaha Falls Performance

Bring the whole family to hear the Seward Concert Band play in this beautiful venue. The Seward Concert Band performs on Wednesday, June 7 at 7pm at the Minnehaha Falls Bandshell (next to SeaSalt). This performance is free to the public, and it’s a great event for even our youngest fans.

St. Joan of Arc Performance

The Seward Concert is venturing to a new venue in the final performance of our 40th season. Join us at St. Joan of Arc Church in Minneapolis on Sunday, June 11 at 3 PM. The band looks forward to sharing their music and mission in this new venue and community.

Tentative Program

  • March from Symphonic Metamorphosis by Paul Hindemith
  • Children’s March by Percy Aldridge Grainger
  • Cape Brenton Postcard by Catherine McMichael
  •  Toccata by Girolamo Frescobaldi
  • The Symphonic Duke arranged by Tommy Newsom
  • Acrostic Song by David Del Tredici
  • The Minnesota March by John Philip Sousa
  • If Thou Be Near* by Johann Sebastian Bach
  •  Concord Village* by Charles Ives
  • The Star Spangled Banner* by Francis Scott Key
  • Armed Forces Salute* by Bob Lowen
  • America, the Beautiful* by Samuel Augustus Ward
  • God Bless America* by Irving Berlin

* Only likely at the Memorial Day performance