Welcome everybody to Midday Magazine for this June 7th, 2024.
Have your host James with you and I'm being joined right now by our Wisconsin Rapid City Band.
First up, we have Keith Olson, Director with us and Keith is on the phone right now.
Keith, good, thanks for joining us.
Thanks so much for having us, James.
Appreciate the time as always. We also have Tria Kimball with us.
Tria, thanks for being here.
You bad.
And we have Priscilla Kite with us. Priscilla, good to see you.
Happy to be here.
If you can pull the microphone just a little,
thank you, Priscilla, appreciate that.
So guys, I want to talk a little bit about the history of the Wisconsin Rapid City Band first
and some of the members of it and then we'll get into this amazing schedule you all have
that's kicking off on June 18th.
Let's talk a little bit about the history of the city band and how long this has been going on
because I have the data and I have the number in front of me,
but it's still just surprising to see that number.
It's a big number. That's a beautiful number Tria.
It is. It's wonderful. 161 years is what we're celebrating this year.
That's beautiful.
That is pretty cool. That is pretty awesome.
Keith, what was it like in the first show?
No, I'm kidding.
Keith, what is it?
It was very small and had really, really bad instruments.
Yeah, yeah.
The brass section, very, very, very different.
Keith, when it comes to like keeping a tradition that's been alive that long,
I can't imagine how you put in the words what that means.
You really can't.
I mean, something that's been going on that long.
I played with the band 20 years ago or whatever,
25 years ago and just having been able to take over for the likes of Wally Ives and Don
Cheesebro and Bob Kaiser, people that in the last 40 years have kept it going.
Going back 161, it's crazy and looking at some of the pictures from the turn of the
previous century and it really is a little overwhelming when you start thinking about it and
talking about it.
Yeah, I'm not even a part of the band in it's humbling to me.
Like, I can't imagine for you all what it's like and everything.
Trio, what does it mean for you to be a part of something like that?
Well, city bands run in my family going all the way back to my great, great grandfather.
Not here in Wisconsin Rapids but elsewhere and I have photos going back almost that far and
it's just the history of families getting together in the park to listen to concerts,
to watch their family and friends on stage performing, to hear some great patriotic music,
to hear some popular tunes.
It's just a nice way to spend an evening unplugged away from technology.
Priscilla, Keith and Trio covered a lot of bases there.
It's always tough.
The third person that's going to answer these but what it means to you?
I joined the band in around 1990 I believe and from that time forward my family
and we picked Nick before the band concert and then enjoyed it.
My parents drove from out of town every week for the concert and
and so that's really an important piece every year I say to my husband,
is should I stop playing this year?
And he's like, no, it's a tradition in the family.
We just do this.
Yeah, and we'd miss you if you weren't there too.
And just speaking to that, you being a member of Priscilla and so many of our other locals
a part of this, that's what the city band is made of.
Can we talk about the members of the band and where they come from
and where they're made up of?
If we don't mind Trio, I'll start with you.
We have members that are teenagers.
We have members that are almost 80 or near 80 or something.
And we have every occupation possible
and it's just a great variety of members.
Some have been in it for their whole lives.
Some have been in it for maybe just a year or two.
And we're always welcoming new members.
And we have about, oh, I don't know, between 45 and 55 on stage most nights.
So it's a pretty nice size group.
Yeah. Keith, one of the things that I enjoy about acting, about working as an entertainer,
I like, you know, I will like my professional gigs and it's fun.
But you know, get a paycheck, that's pretty nice.
But my favorite thing to do is teaching and working with second city or
being able to do community theater and some of that.
It's the, it's why I keep going forward.
It's a big part of it for me.
If I didn't have one, I wouldn't want the other.
I would rather be able to do community theater than work professionally at this point in my life.
Because of how much it means to me.
I'm curious of how it is for you, Keith.
You put so much of your heart and soul and time into this.
When you do work with, and I don't mean this in a bad way, but unprofessionals, if you will.
And not people, their talent is professional, but maybe they don't do this for a living.
So there's a different approach to it.
How do you balance that?
How do you, how do you enjoy that, Keith?
Well, last, there are two years ago, I retired from teaching music and started a business.
And so I've been, I've been very overwhelmed.
I will be honest with, with keeping the business afloat and learning a bunch of new stuff there.
But one of the, one of the deal breakers for starting or not starting this business
was whether I would be able to keep doing Citiband and some of my other, my other playing gigs
that I do. And it's absolutely imperative to me that I'm able to continue to do it.
I wouldn't be able to do it without people like Tria and Priscilla,
genals and my wife, the band director at Lincoln High School, some of the student
interns and volunteers that we have being able to do the logistics of the band, because I just
don't have time to do it. But it's vastly important to me to be able to continue working with,
like Tria said, those, those people that are in their 80s that have way more experience at
this than I do, being able to work with them and draw from them, being able to continue to
do a little bit of teaching with some of those younger students that are playing in the group.
It's just, it's really everything to me. We have a Citiband that's starting on the 18th,
but for me Citiband starts in February and it doesn't end until October.
So it's, it's a big part of my life and it's really important that I keep doing it for all
the same reasons that you just said community theater and, and whatnot is important to you.
Keith, I was hoping I could chew horn this in. I got to take in a link and concert this year.
Your wife is good. She's great, man. Those kids were amazing. She did an amazing job.
She's one of the best, right? The state of Wisconsin is pretty lucky to have her.
Shout out to her. A big thank you to her for those kids. Great show.
I want to, we do have a bunch of those kids playing with us this summer as well. We do open it up to
the, to the students that do well at solo and ensemble or where they want to work on site reading
skills or whatever we invite them to come in. And as long as they make the commitment to be in
there as many Tuesdays as possible, preferably all of them, we allow them to come in and play in
the band and sit next to those people that have that vast experience. And at the end of the season,
many of them have told me it's one of the highlights of their year and it's outside of their
normal school performances. You know, Keith, we've been doing this a while together a couple of years
at least. And we're already building such great chemistry because that's exactly where I wanted
to go. I wanted to not only encouraging people to take in these shows and certainly getting some
great entertainment, some great music, what you all have touched on already, but you are also
supporting local, you're supporting our local and our, our local musicians, our kids with some
of them kids, some of the kids are seniors and going on some are not. And being able to support
that is also a great advantage and something that I know means a lot to our central Wisconsinites
out there. It's having a good time and also being able to support a good cause at the same time.
But nobody does it like we do in this state. And it's such a fun opportunity to be able to do that.
You're out, you're taking these shows in and you're not only outdoors and visiting one of our
most, I'm very biased about this, but my favorite park in this whole town. But you're also getting
a chance to support local, you know, when we talk about buying local, supporting local, we mean
mom and pop businesses, but we also mean the arts. And I will mention this until it changes,
Wisconsin finished dead last in funding the arts this year. Like that can't happen. I know how proud
Wisconsinites are. Let's support the arts. Let's make sure that we have things like the Wisconsin
Revit City band and band in school and some of these things continuing on. We do that by celebrating
these kind of things and showing up and attending these events and it all kicks off to you in 18th
you guys. You guys ready for this? You're feeling good about it? We absolutely are. We have some wonderful
sponsors this year from the city of Wisconsin Rapids and Dom Tar and Hyde Music Company and Renaissance
Learning. We have the Cheryl Tire and Service People, Solaris, the swing doctors, the village of
Beeren, Waterworks and Lighting Commission and one thing we'd like to highlight this year is a long
time band member who passed away this past year. He was 95 when he passed. He had dedicated decades
to the arts in Wisconsin Rapids and that was Earl Garber and his family is sponsoring one of our
concerts and memory of Earl. We are absolutely excited for this season. That's beautiful. That's
awesome. A great way to continue that legacy of his. That is awesome. We appreciate him and his
family doing that. Absolutely. I mentioned June 18th is the first performance. It'll be 730
over at Robinson Park. Let's talk a little bit about the first show of the year. How does that
feel? Does it take a little getting your bearings used or you just go and roll in and go,
let's do this. You're all set. You're ready to go. Keith, how is it for you?
Well, since I don't conduct and I'm not teaching music every day anymore, there is a
little bit of blowing off the dust and getting back into the swing of things. This year we
actually did schedule a rehearsal for the 11th to be able to get everybody together and there's
a ton of logistics that has to happen at the beginning of the year, getting shirts, everybody,
getting the music out to them. We just didn't want to have to waste time with that first night
taking care of a bunch of that. We're going to get as much of that out of the way on the 11th
and then do a little playing together the week before. This coming Tuesday is actually our
first rehearsal at Lincoln. For me, it's sitting down over the last couple of weekends and certainly
this weekend and looking over scores and putting final touches on concerts where we maybe
have had to sub a piece of music in because something didn't exist anymore or we lost parts or
whatever. So it's really some of the logistics and one of my favorite things I get to listen to
most of what we're going to do for this year and refresh my memory on some of the scores and what
not. So that's the big thing for me is I get to spend some time doing that.
That's very cool. We're excited for you guys to be able to hit the stage and get this going and
I should mention Robinson Park. Journalistically, I am a little biased about this one but I'm also
right. It's one of the best stages, one of the best areas to be able to see anything. The acoustics,
the way it is over there, the setup. I've not only been on that stage but I've sat in just about
everywhere in that area and there's not a bad spot. So you're going to really enjoy this. It's
going to be a great one. We want to say a big thank you to Waterworks and Light and Renaissance
learning sponsoring that first show. June 25th, another show of Robinson Park at 730. This one
a little more a little special as well going to be sponsored by the City of Wisconsin Rapids with
opening remarks from Mayor Zachary. It's going to be his first chance to be able to talk to the
audience with a city band. That's going to be fun. It will. I haven't met him yet. I'm looking
forward to this. I'm a little spoiled in this job. I get to be all of our representatives in
such and Matt is off air on air the same guy. You know, a good person. Just a good soul. Good person.
They're going to have fun meeting him and certainly I'm sure he'll have fun being able to take
in the show. I know he loves music. I know he's going to enjoy that one. That'll be a great show.
And then one of the bigger ones signature events really for you guys I would say is July 4th
celebration. It takes place at that Centrelia Center at 7. This one sponsored by Engle Fellowship
Lodge and local in love in it. Very cool. We appreciate them doing this. This 4th of July's
show every year. You guys knock it out the park. It's a beautiful show. I would think that your show
is bigger than the fireworks. That's how much I enjoy it. Is there anything unique or different
that you guys are going to be doing this year? Are we going to wait and see? Because I'm not a good
journalist. I don't ask that question, but it's kind of it's kind of our
I don't want to say usual show, but it's a lot of the patriotic music that we that we have done
throughout the years. I do have one piece that's on order that I'm really hoping is going to be
here soon. And it's a sing along, but I'm not going to say too much more just in case it doesn't come
in. Yeah, that's great. That was great. That was good. The nice thing is about music is one
the sheet music doesn't spoil and two of the 4th of July will come around one more time.
All right, exactly. Yeah, but yeah, it's it is a great show. It's it's so much fun to do that show.
And the the various tunes. There's so much music that we that we can program for it. That it
it doesn't it doesn't really get stale. It's it's really nice. So that one's a lot of fun.
Hopefully Mother Nature cooperates this year last year. I think we had to cancel the 4th of July
because we got a storm that rolled in. So now I since you mentioned that I will I will mention
one of the things that I noted going over the show and your website and again the website
everybody WR city band dot org WR city band dot org will put that out there again before we wrap
up. If there is increment whether you guys have a location you can go to I don't know if the 4th
you'll be able to but other shows I see that link in high school the pack auditorium you'll be
able to do shows there if there is bad weather. Yeah, there's only one show and I think it's the 25th
of June. I'd have to check my calendar one more time. But the kids in Wisconsin will be in
during that week. And so we wouldn't be able to use the facility that night otherwise our rain
rain location is the PAC and we simply start 15 minutes later so it'd be 745 I think instead of
730. It's great to have a backup you know and that's really nice especially for many of us to
look forward to these shows and everything to be able to have a kind of secondary location is
wonderful. Again the July 4th show will be at the Centrelius Center at 7 and a big thank you to
the sponsors for that one Engle Fellowship Lodge and local and leveling it. Loving it. July 9th
you got a busy week for you guys that week. July 9th back at it over at Robinson Park at 730
with Cheryl Tire sponsoring that one. It's going to be a really fun show I imagine and July 16th
you'll have Salaris and Engle Fellowship Lodge sponsoring that one again 730 show at Robinson Park.
So you get into the middle of July you guys have been doing this for a little while and everything.
Do you have to rehearse as much? Do you get the opportunity to rehearse as much? Do you need to?
We have different music every single week we play. We do the same on court at the end of the night
but all of the other music is different so we get there at 530 open our folders and practice
this music for the first time and then the concert happens at 730 so you think that's so impressive.
That's awesome. It's a little bit like improv comedy you know you just get up there you have an
idea of what you're going to do and then the audience claps at the end and everybody's happy when it
goes well. It's the first thing I thought of that's hilarious yeah yeah that's that's a great
account for it. July 16th 730 show Salaris and Engle Fellowship Lodge sponsoring that one again
then July 23rd be a Robinson Park 730 show and this one is a really unique one I like this.
You're going to be featuring the swing doctors with this one. What are you excited about with that
Keith? Well first of all I've been the bass trombone player for that group for 25 years so
I will conduct four tunes and then I get to sit down and play. Oh very cool which is always
exciting. The dance concert the annual we we call that our dance concert that annual dance concert
is something that a vast majority of our of our audience looks forward to and it was
I don't know Priscilla correct me if I'm wrong but it's been at least six years that the swing
doctors have been doing sponsoring that concert and then also playing on that concert. I think that's
correct and a huge shout out to the other 16 people in that group that come and volunteer their time
as well as the sponsorship for it but it's it's a chance for the community to see a little bit
different kind of live music that if they don't get out to see river cities jazz and Steven's
point or the swing doctors as bullseye they get a chance to see that that there are even more
forms of musical art being done on a regular basis in our area. Oh yeah well set. July 30th
you last show at Robinson Park a big thank you to a village of Björn and Dom Tar for sponsoring
that one make sure to attend that one especially with it being the last one at Robinson Park
we're not your last show because then a little bit later August 6th you'll be wrapping up this
even the season at the performing arts center the city band benefit concert this is sponsored by
Peg Garber in memory of Earl W Garber which you were touching on earlier trio which I appreciate
you mentioning this is certainly an important show because of the fundraising aspect of it but
I imagine it's going to hit home really really to the to the hearts of all of you with this one
and who it's in honor of and Priscilla did you want to touch on that at all well what it means
one of the special things from my in my memory of being in band is I remember Earl my first
season there he along with a number of other older people playing he was much younger than
I was much younger than and that was I just remember him playing in it being so very faithful
when the city band went out on its own away from being part of the Wisconsin Rapids Park and
all creation Peg Garber was very instrumental in being a beginning board member and she was on
the board for many many years so not they they were both hugely supportive of the band and I think
we wouldn't be where we are today if it wasn't for that couple yeah well said and and certainly
an opportunity to not only honor him and honor that family but and keep it going and keep
in that honor going that legacy going as wrapping up you all I wanted to make sure that we noted a
couple of things one this is we're making the audience we're telling them how fun this is how
exciting it is it would be cruel to not allow them to join the band we want to encourage you to
join the band be a part of the band if you'd like you can do so we also encourage you if you
don't have an instrument you don't have a talent like that I play a mean air guitar but I haven't
played trumpet or coordinate in 20 years so outside of that but I can sponsor I can be a part of
things that way and and reaching out and being a part of the band that way there's lots of ways
that you can incorporate and work with the band uh as certainly volunteering we we always look
forward to that too could always use volunteers when it comes to this there are many different ways
that you can interact and be a part of things that the Wisconsin Revit City Band and most of all
taking in the shows take in these shows everybody absolutely you can find us on Facebook also at WR
City Band and that's where if we do have a rain issue or a weather issue you can find out up to date
current information there um and we're always looking for people to just sit on the sit in the
in the audience clap support the local arts support live music it's a free show everybody and you
can't do you you can't ask for much better entertainment uh then you're gonna get even if you were
they were charging uh it's a great show it's a really really fun show any last words uh before
I felt like I cut you off for Silasar families should come and enjoy it there Robinson Park if you
said it's a wonderful park right within hearing distance there's playground equipment there's the
shelter where you can bring a picnic for your family um it's not a necessarily just sit down and
sit quietly with your hands folded kind of concert you know people come and read during the concert
children play during the concert um the dance concert kids can come up and dance with their parents
so parents and grandparents bring your families it's just a wonderful um evening out
and if you have older friends and relatives who maybe are in assisted living or senior centers
and they don't drive anymore offer them a ride because i'm sure they'd love to come and hear the
concerts as well and people do sit in their cars and listen and walk their horns at the end
well that's awesome uh a great idea tree about bringing people down there and stuff that's really
good uh i cannot thank you all enough not only for uh putting up with me and my questions on the
air as you do every year but what you bring to our community every year you guys are amazing thank
you so much have a great run a great season we'll be talking about this on our morning shows
and everything and making sure that you guys have a great crowd every show thank you James thank
you thank you thank you for the time and key thank you again for joining us yeah thanks James
you guys have a great run and we'll have more midday magazine for you next week right here at
97.5 FM 13.20 AM WFHR we are locally grown radio
