Hamilton County Community Band will honor late member with original composition at Spring Concert
Submitted by Brian Wuerch
Mark your calendars for 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 17 for the annual Hamilton County Community Band (HCCB) Spring Concert. The free concert will be held at the Noblesville High School Auditorium.
As the band’s season opener, the Spring Concert will include some more challenging pieces and feature various soloists and guest conductors.
A newly commissioned piece by prolific composer Sean Sumwalt will be debuted. The piece, titled “Chorale for Carl” was written to honor late band member Carl Hungerford, who was an original member and performed in the percussion section. He was well loved by band members and known for his role as Santa Claus at Christmas concerts.
Sadly, Hungerford passed away suddenly on Dec. 13, 2023. He and his wife Susan (bass clarinet player) had recently moved to California to be closer to family.
Sumwalt will conduct the new work. A well-known composer especially in the arena of independent filmmakers, his works have been featured in the California Independent Film Festival, The Catalina Film Festival, the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, the Indie Gathering, The Cleveland International Film Fest, the Terror Film Festival, and the Big Island Film Festival, among many others.
Sumwalt holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Butler University and a Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television Graduate Certificate from The University of Southern California. He is a member of ASCAP as both a composer and publisher. He is also an adjudicator with the Central States Judges Association (CSJA).
HCCB, with its more than 80 volunteer members, was formed on Feb. 25, 2018, with a meeting between current Director Brian Swart, Noblesville Schools Band Director Eric Thornbury, and Director of the Fishers Community Chorus Marc Feeney. These three men saw a need for a true community concert band in Hamilton County.
“Our mission is to have a ‘FUN’ atmosphere that is inviting to all musicians,” Swart said.
HCCB performs multiple concerts in and around the Hamilton County area. Rehearsals are held weekly on Sunday evenings at Noblesville High School.
Bring the whole family to experience the band’s spring season opener with Lead Director Brian Swart and Assistant Director Joe Pio at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 17 in the Noblesville High School Auditorium. A free-will offering will be collected to help with the purchase of new music and equipment.
HCCB also welcomes corporate sponsors. Information can be found at HamiltonCountyCommunityBand.com.