Naugatuck Community Band

On Thursday, September 25, the Naugatuck Community Band will be continuing its 9th season. With an expanded rehearsal schedule it looks to be one of our best seasons ever. We look forward to performing many more concerts this year and hope you will come join us in doing so.

Sponsored by the Naugatuck Arts Commission, the Naugatuck Community Band provides instrumentalists from the entire valley region and opportunity to get together and make beautiful music. Naugatuck native, Charles Marenghi will be their conductor for the 2007 - 2008 season. Rehearsals will take place on Thursday nights at City Hill Middle School from 7 - 9:30 PM. Members are asked to pay dues of $20 each season; ($10 for high school students) twice yearly.

The Naugatuck Community Band is open to all Connecticut musicians, aged 14 and older. You do not need to be a resident of Naugatuck to participate in the band. Currently, the band has a desperate need for clarinet, brass and percussion players. Yet all players, regardless of skill level or instrument are encouraged to come join us. If you are interested in joining us: stop by any rehearsal or call Robert Delagrange (729-8471), Mary Schmelcke (729-8750) or Charles Marenghi (723-2005) for more information.

For most of the last century the Naugatuck Community Band entertained town residents with summer concerts at all the parks in town and with periodic concerts at Baummer's Pond for winter ice skaters. This all ended in the 1970's.

After an almost thirty year absence the community band returned in the fall of 1999 with their first concert in the spring of 2000. On the evening of June 21 a Naugatuck tradition returned. A free concert was performed at the gazebo on the Green by the newly re-formed Naugatuck Community Band. Since then, that concert has become a yearly tradition for the band, as well as performing in the Memorial Day Salute to Veterans Concert.

In addition to giving annual concerts on the Naugatuck Town Green the NCB presents a holiday concert each December, Sounds of the Season. In the past 5 years the band's song list has grown to include over 100 songs. The NCB prides itself on being involved in the community and has performed in support of The mayor's inauguration, The Harvest Moon Festival, support our troops functions, various church fairs, and civic ceremonies including the recent 50th anniversary of the Flood of 55 ceremony held on the Waterbury Green. The band has performed in several local concert series including the towns of Naugatuck, Woodbury, Ansonia, and Bristol Connecticut.

The NCB is an open and inclusive organization. Our membership ranges in age from 14 - 75 years of age. Nearly 25% of the membership is made up of musicians from outside of Naugatuck. There are no auditions or residency restrictions required to join. The only requirement we have is that members have access to their own instruments and that they have a genuine love of performing instrumental music.

The NCB plays a blend of popular, patriotic, and classical concert band music. The NCB now has a big band as well that plays stage band standards as well. There are also opportunities to perform with small ensembles depending upon the performance venue.

Charles Marenghi, a Naugatuck native and resident has been involved in music for most of his life. He has been involved in the arts as a student, instructor, and organizer. He studied trombone at WCSU, CCSU, and UCONN. In addition Mr. Marenghi served in the United States Army Band as a trombone player and in the Connecticut Army National Guard Band as a bass trombonist and assistance conductor. As a member of the Army Band he has toured the northeast region of the United States and performed in the 50th anniversary celebration of the liberation of the Philippines by American forces. Furthermore Mr. Marenghi has an extensive background in performance. He has marched as a member of the Connecticut Hurricanes, played in a wide array of pit orchestras for local musicals, and has been a member of several local swing bands. As an instructor he has tutored several local low brass students, worked as a brass instructor for the award winning Naugatuck High School Marching Band, brass instructor at Laurel Music Camp, and as a brass performance clinician at several Connecticut High Schools.