Many members of the North Oakland Concert Band are taking their work home with them, literally.
A large group of the 70-member band are in fact family members, ranging from married couples to parent and child members. Dave Lesko, tuba player from Lake Orion, was recruited by his wife Debra, a bass clarinet player in the band for nearly 10 years.
“I was an official groupie of the band before,” joked Lesko.
Barbara Engler, bassoon player, travels from Warren with her daughter Amy Haslam, also a bassoon player, to practice with the band once a week. Kris Libstaff, percussionist, comes from Rochester with his wife Roberta, flute player.
“I was in it before Roberta, and I was out for a year or so and she brought me back in again,” said Libstaff.
Giselle Crothers, clarinet, and her son Jonathan, french horn player, have been in the band together for five years since Jonathan joined, with Giselle in the band since 1980.
“I’ve had three of my kids in the band,” said Giselle.
Rob Schadel, buphonium player, and son Scott, trumpet, are both in their second year of the band. Bob Bowman, bass trombone and band personnel manager, recruited daughter Mira, a french horn player, four years ago.
Members of the band come from all over Oakland County, including Clarkston, where Sue Gessford and husband Dave travel from every week. Both trombone players, they joined the band about 18 months ago after moving from Ohio.
Tom and Kelly Smith are husband and wife clarinet players in the band, and tenor sax player Bob Cafmeyer plays in the band with daughter Clarice Gallagher, a clarinet player. Fred and Lil Hargrove, tuba and oboe respectively, are husband and wife in the band.
“We also have a dating couple, Penny Brandt on flute and Tim Gaylord on percussion, in the band,” said Bowman.
The band is in its 25th year, and plays concerts six-seven times a year. A performance is planned for Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lake Orion High School Performing Arts Center.
The concert will feature a “Spooky Theme,” in honor of Halloween, with performances of The Harry Potter Symphonic Suite, Night on Bald Mountain, In the Hall of the Mountain King, as well as other favorites like the William Tell Overture, music from the movie Chicken Run, and Sousa marches.
For more information, contact George Sinnott at 391-0240.