Hill Country Community Band Played Pops and Marches for Fun

by Oda Lisa, published in The Wimberley View 5/24/18

On Sunday, May 20, the Hill Country Community Band (HCCB) presented A Spring Concert: April Showers, May Flowers at the Wimberley Community Center. Director, James Malik, aptly led the all-volunteer musicians, attesting to his many years of experience as a band conductor. The free, hour-long concert was an entertaining combination of classic pop-music and toe-tapping marches. Besides instrumentals from popular Broadway musicals, arrangements of well-known Beatles and Stevie Wonder songs showed off the band’s versatility and ability.

The HCCB’s strongest performance piece was a medley from Porgy and Bess featuring “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin'” and “Summertime”. The band sounded their most confident and comfortable on that particular medley. The trumpet and alto saxophone solos were seamless and seductive.

Of course, the HCCB excels in playing marches, and they proved that fact once again with “Nobles of the Mystic Shrine March” by John Philip Sousa,  and “March: Grandioso” by Roland Forrest Seitz. The latter received rousing applause from an attentive and enthusiastic audience, especially from UT alumni. Among the hundred or so audience members, one enthused concert fan tried his best to sing along during the Beatles’ medley. His penchant to participate was understandable. This spring concert was definitely done all in good fun.