Ponce Municipal Band

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Ponce Municipal Band

Banda Municipal de Ponce
Background information
Origin Ponce, Puerto Rico
Genres danza, Classical
Occupations Band
Years active 1883-present
Members

Music Director
Rubén Colón Tarrats (conductor, 2003-2013[1])

Founder
Juan Morel Campos
Past Directors
Domingo Cruz "Cocolia"
Eustaquio Pujals
Past members Other past directors
Julio Alvarado
Emilio Alvarado
Eduardo Cuevas
Tomás Clavel

The Ponce Municipal Band (Spanish: Banda Municipal de Ponce) is the band of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The band is the oldest continuously-performing band in the Caribbean.[2] It has performed its open-air concerts for over 125 years. The current director is Rubén Colón Tarrats. It has 42 members between 25 and 83 years old.[3] It operates within the jurisdiction of the Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural (English: Office of Cultural Development) of the autonomous municipality of Ponce.[4] Its headquarters are located at the Centro Integrado para el Fortalecimiento de las Artes Musicales, next to Teatro La Perla.[5]

History

The history of the Ponce Municipal Band dates to its predecessor, the Ponce Firefighters' Band.[6] It was founded in September, 1883,[7] by Juan Morel Campos.[8] In 1953, the Band reorganized and was moved from an organization under the Ponce Firefighters Corps to an organization under the Ponce Municipal Government.[9] The directors of the band after its founder have been Domingo Cruz (Cocolia), Julio Alvarado, Emilio Alvarado, Eduardo Cuevas, Tomás Clavel, and Eustaquio Pujols. The current director is Rubén Colón Tarrats.[10] Master Julio Alvarado was the director of the band at the time of its 1953 reorganization.[11] Gregorio Ledesma was the band conductor in 1859.[12]

In late 2010, the Ponce Municipal Government provided the Band its own location for its rehearsals.[13] The new location is next to the legendary Teatro La Perla at a structure named Centro Integrado para el Fortalecimiento de las Artes Musicales (Integrated Center for the Development of the Musical Arts).

Concerts

The Band originally celebrated its concerts from a since-removed second floor stage at Parque de Bombas.[14] It was then moved to Concha Acústica de Ponce, and later to Paseo Tablado La Guancha, where it performed for a while. It also performed from the Dora Colón Clavell Urban Park[15] for some time, and it is currently performing from a removable stage at front of the Ponce City Hall.[16] Concerts are every Sunday evening. In September, 2011, the Band adopted a new venue philosophy, called Retretas en la Comunidad, whereby it started to bring its stage to the various communities of Ponce.[17]

Directors and their terms

  • Juan Morel Campos (1883-1886)–(1893-1896)
  • "Various directors" (1898- ca. 1900)[18]
  • Domingo Cruz ("Cocolia") (ca.1900–1916)[22]
  • Eustaquio Pujals (ca. 1916-1924)[23]
  • Tomás Clavel (ca. 1924- ?)[24]
  • Rubén Colón Tarrats (2003 - 2013) - Incumbent.

Current members

As of March 2011, the Ponce Municipal Band had 42 members as follows:[25]

  • Flute
    • Carlos Torres, Marines Aviles, Jose Rentas
  • Clarinet
    • Ada I. Rodriguez, Ricardo Velazquez, Julio Alvarado, Ramon Galindo, Juan Garcia, Estrella Cruz, Feliz Varela, Hector Lopez de Victoria, Cynthia Rodriguez, Nilda Cruz, Guillermo Silvagnoli
  • Saxophone
    • Leslie Pagan, Moises Ortiz, Jorge L. Torres, Jose P. Santiago, Jose R. Santiago
  • Bassoon
    • Jesus Acevedo
  • Trumpet
    • Jose M. Ruiz, Jose Quiñones, Victor Caquias, Edgardo Ruiz, Elder Arroyo, Victor Rodriguez
  • Horn
    • Hector I. Maldonado, Felipe Gonzalez, Rohel Ortiz, Orlando Zayas
  • Trombone
    • David Perez, Israel Negron, Irving Gonzalez
  • Euphonium
    • Angel Santos, Lester Perez Cancel
  • Tuba
    • Lester Perez Flores, Arnaldo Tarrio
  • Perdussion
    • Dimas Rodriguez, Luis M. Valentin, Sergio Gonzalez, Jose Alvarado

References

  1. ↑ Se despide Rubén Colón Tarrats. Reinaldo Millán. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 November 2013. Year 31. (Actual printed version mistakingly states "Año 32/Year 32") Issue 1562. Page 23. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Banda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. Edward Zayas Torres. El Vocero. 14 March 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  3. ↑ Edward Zayas Torres. Banda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. El Vocero. 14 March 2008.
  4. ↑ Concierto de Navidad Banda Municipal de Ponce. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 16 December 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  5. ↑ Ponce: Mensaje del Presupuesto 2012-2013. Mayor Maria Melendez. Municipality of Ponce. Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Municipal Budget. Page 15. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  6. ↑ Juan Morel Campos: un Beethoven boricua que antecedió a la salsa Fundacion Nacional Para la Cultura Popular. 18 May 2007.
  7. ↑ Las fiestas populares de Ponce. By Ramón Marín. Page 24.
  8. ↑ Edward Zayas Torres. Banda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. El Vocero. 14 March 2008.
  9. ↑ Edward Zayas Torres. Banda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. El Vocero. 14 March 2008.
  10. ↑ Edward Zayas Torres. Banda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. El Vocero. 14 March 2008.
  11. ↑ Concierto de clausura aniversario 125 de la Banda Municipal de Ponce. El Sur a la Vista. (Portada » Arte y Cultura, Ponce.) 17 Dec 2009.
  12. ↑ Louis Moreau Gottschalk. S. Frederick Starr. Page 267.
  13. ↑ Con nueva casa la centenaria Banda Municipal de Ponce. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
  14. ↑ Imagen Ponce: Public and Private Interest in the Design of a Free Zone within the Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Hermann Ferre III. Department of Architecture, MIT. June 1989. Page 38. Photo. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  15. ↑ Harry S. Pariser. Explore Puerto Rico. Page 250.
  16. ↑ Visita Ponce.
  17. ↑ Retreta especial en la Playa de Ponce por la Banda Municipal de Ponce. 9 September 2011. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  18. ↑ Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico.
  19. ↑ Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico.
  20. ↑ Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico.
  21. ↑ Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico.
  22. ↑ Don Domingo Cruz (Cocolia). Museo del Parque de Bombas de Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. March 2, 2011.
  23. ↑ Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico.
  24. ↑ Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico.
  25. ↑ "La Retreta: Banda Municipal de Ponce", brochure. Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Office of Cultural Development. March 2010.

See also

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