Dust Off Your Instrument and Make New Friends

The Kalamazoo Valley Community College Campus Band was created in the fall of 2003 by its former conductor Christopher Garrett. From the original band of 20 members, it has grown over the years to an average of 50 members. “There is a committed group of people playing in the band,” said Director Mark Greer. “All of our musicians are very comfortable with each other.”

The band presents a mini-concert in the middle of each semester, a formal concert at the end of each semester and provides the music for Kalamazoo Valley commencement ceremonies. When Garrett retired at the end of the 2019 spring semester, Greer was hired as the new band director. While he’s pleased with the band’s abilities, he’s surprised that so few students and community members are aware of its existence. Greer was a band director at Mattawan High School and Middle School for 17 years. Prior to Mattawan, Greer spent a combined 11 years as a college band instructor at North Dakota State University, Clemson University, South Dakota State University and Fort Lewis College in Colorado. Today, the band includes six Kalamazoo Valley students, college employees, Western Michigan University students, home-schooled students and community members. About half of the band members are community members who travel to the college for the enjoyment of playing with the group. “As a community college, we want to serve the community and we’re definitely doing that,” Greer said. “I love that the band is made up of adults who are continuing to play, but would also love to see more people join.”

Delia Baker, program coordinator at Kalamazoo Valley’s Groves Campus, plays the saxophone in the band. “Music is a huge passion of mine,” she said. “For as long as I can remember, music has played an active role in my life.” She started playing the saxophone in sixth grade. “I played in a variety of bands throughout middle school and high school including concert band, symphonic band, marching band, jazz band and an indoor brass and percussion ensemble.”

Baker has been a member of the campus band since January 2004 and said it’s like a second family. “The thing that makes this band so unique is the wide array of people and talents that participate. We have high school students who participate in the band while they attend other classes at Kalamazoo Valley, we have community college students of a variety of ages, we have professionals like me who enjoy a break in their work day to do something they love and we even have retired individuals who never want their love of music to fade away.”

Baker said music enhances her life in many ways. “Music made me a better student and makes me a better employee - there are tons of scholarly articles that prove music improves one’s IQ and ability to learn and apply new knowledge. Music is my stress outlet as well as my time to relax. Music is my therapy to soothe an overactive mind. Music is a way to express myself in ways that words fail. Music makes me who I am,” she said.

Students who want to join the band should enroll in MUS 110 Campus Band. Community members can also participate. The band rehearses on Wednesdays from noon to 1:50 p.m. This fall, the Music Department’s semester band concert will be held in the Dale B. Lake Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13. All concerts are free and open to the public. Greer is also exploring the idea of hosting additional concerts throughout the academic year. Greer’s main focus right now is to spread the word that the Campus Band is alive and well.

He’s starting an outreach effort with area high school band directors. He also welcomes email messages and visits to campus from interested musicians. For more information about the band, contact Greer at mgreer@kvcc.edu.

Students and community members can also participate in the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Community Chorus. Michelle Bauman serves as the director of the non-audition, multi-age choir. Members are Kalamazoo Valley students as well as area residents. The group performs in local events and participates in ACDA Community Choir choral festivals. The choir will be performing during the Art Hop on Dec. 6 at the Center for New Media.

Rehearsals are held on Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30 to 3:25 p.m. in Dale B. Lake Auditorium. For more information contact Michelle Bauman at 269.488.4430 or mbauman@kvcc.edu.