An Interview with a Music Man

I was so busy during the Vintage Band Festival, trying to hear as many concerts as possible, that I wasn’t able to spend much time talking to musicians and directors.  Fortunately, through the modern wonder that is Facebook, I have had the opportunity to become better acquainted with one of the band directors who attended, William L. Reynolds, of the Independent Silver Band of Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

William L. Reynolds with G. Oliver Riggs at the Vintage Band Festival in August.

Reynolds and I share an interest in researching band history, and an appreciation for how community bands of the late 19th and early 20th centuries played the soundtrack of our country’s history.  He is making history come alive through his work with the Independent Silver Band, a recreation of a town band from the late 1880s.

A photo of the original Independent Silver Band of Mt. Vernon, Ill.

Reynolds also directs the same group of musicians performing as a Civil War band, the 48th Illinois Volunteer Regimental Band.  He teaches music in the public schools, and he also spent several years performing in circus bands.

My great-grandfather, G. Oliver Riggs, directed his first band in 1885 in Esbon, Kansas, at about the same time that the original Independent Silver Band formed.  I never had the chance to interview G. Oliver about what it was like to be a real-life music man.  So it’s with great pleasure that I present a Q and A with Reynolds about his work. 

Why do you think it’s important for people of this century to hear and perform music from the late 19th and early 20th centuries?
Most important to me is the beautiful music that has been virtually ignored by the musical community.  In the many courses I have taken in music history, none has mentioned John Philip Sousa.  If they don’t mention the most famous of the period conductors/composers, one can only imagine the vast store of resources untapped.  Fortunately, due to the efforts of people such as Paul Niemisto and his crew of the Vintage Band Festival, and members of the participating groups, some of this music is once again hitting the musical scene.

We of the Independent Silver Band try to use music that is not played by other groups, and try to emphasize music with a connection to Southern Illinois. 

How many members do you have?  What qualifications do they need to join the band?
We perform with 2 E flat cornets, four B flat Cornets, two E flat alto horns, two trombones (or tenors) one baritone, two tubas, two percussionists, one vocalist, and moi.  Sixteen in all.  I arrange most of the music we perform specifically for our instrumentation.  The original ISB used one E flat clarinet, and three B flats, and one more alto.

Our requirements would come more under the category of philosophical than musical.  We are trying to portray, as accurately as we are able, music of the period, and these instruments do have eccentricities.  These are a part of that portrayal.  Our musicians must have a command of their instruments.  A willingness to spend time learning some difficult music.  A willingness to spend money for instruments, and a desire to keep this music alive.  We have a large network of players in our area, and we draw on them for our performances. 

How often do you rehearse, and how often do you perform?
We rehearse twice a month, on the second and fourth Sundays, at the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Vernon.  The members of the original ISB were all members of this same church.

We play primarily in the Southern Illinois area, and St. Louis, Missouri. We play concerts, balls, church services, reenactments, Chautauquas, memorial services, patriotic celebrations, and many other venues.  Two years ago, we played several Lincoln-Douglas debates.  We also perform as the 48th Illinois Volunteer Regimental Band, which is also a historic group from the area.

I saw on your website that you work as a music teacher in the schools.  What age of students do you teach?
I am the instrumental teacher for grades 5-12, and chorus for grades 9-12.  I have taught every age from kindergarten through college.  I was the adjunct low brass instructor for Kaskaskia College for six years.

Your parents were both musicians and music teachers.  What did they play?  Did they influence your choice of profession?
My father’s primary instrument was trombone.  He was a big band trombone player, and played with the Springfield Illinois Symphony.  He was a music teacher until I was about three years of age.  He dropped teaching for the insurance business, then resumed teaching (band director) my senior year in high school.  My mother played French horn in the school band, but piano, and organ were her major instruments.  She taught elementary music and attended the Orff Institute in Europe.  She and I graduated the same year.  We all gravitated to the circus around 1977.  In 1980, I became the band master on Carson and Barnes, and I hired them in the band.  My mother also became the school teacher on the show.  My parents did not push me into a career in music, but they did have to force me to start.  I didn’t want to play, but I was hooked by my sophomore year in high school.

My great-grandfather was described by some former band students as a martinet.  What’s your directing style?
I really don’t know if I have a style of conducting.  I do not consider myself a good conductor technically.  I am not a “pretty’’ conductor.  I really would rather play.  At the festival, I played very little.

Does your band have groupies?
We do have some people that show at virtually every performance, but it is mostly relatives of my young tuba player.  Several wives of players have been making period clothing and coming to the performances.

What did you enjoy most about performing at the Vintage Band Festival in Northfield?
It is difficult to pinpoint a single, or even a few levels of importance.  I would have to say that one high ranking item would be fraternizing with people of like passions.  The Contented Cow's contribution of serving lunch to the participants gave us an opportunity to “schmooze” and exchange ideas, music, and swap lies (the food was great, too).

The only negative part would be the lack of time to listen to other groups.

What is next for your band?
We have played a number of events since the festival, and have several upcoming.  We played at the Historic Village here in Mt. Vernon, and yesterday we played at the Public Library in a program they have on history.  We will be doing two sessions for the teachers conference in Mt. Vernon on Oct. 29th.  We will be playing a Christmas Concert at the historic Sesser Opera House in Sesser, Illinois, and the magnificent “Great and Fancy Ball” at the Old Courthouse (where the Dred Scott decision was argued) in St. Louis, Missouri.

Is there anything I haven’t asked that you think people would be interested to know? 
I would like to invite everyone to visit the website and see pictures of some of these events.