Carving out two hours a week from myriad other summer temptations and commitments, 45 young musicians have been gathering for rehearsals.
Since June, the Summer Band has been meeting every Friday morning, usually at Traverse City West Junior High School. In the band room there, with the rest of the school hushed and vacant, these band, orchestra and other musicians in grades five through 12 make fun music together.
Led by volunteer conductor and Summer Band founder Jeremy Treadwell, the band will conclude its fourth season next Tuesday at 5 p.m. with a concert at Lars Hockstad Auditorium. From "Soul Man" to "Crunchy Granola Suite" to "Hit the Road, Jack", the Summer Band will present a line up of rock, classical and pop tunes that showcases their versatility and vitality. The free public concert will also accept donations to support the Traverse City Music Boosters.
"It's a rock 'n' roll orchestra," said Treadwell, whose two children are members of the band. "It's sort of an opportunity for these kids to come together in an ensemble they don't usually have in school."
Students also get a chance to swing out from their school year instrument or style, with one musician singing and a vocalist playing electric bass.
"A lot of time you get kids who wish they could do choir but because of school schedules can't," said Treadwell, a longtime Music Booster volunteer. "This lets a kid stand up in front of a microphone and front their band."
Sam Appold joined the band this year at the urging of his brother, Jake. A 2006 graduate of Traverse City West High School, Jake joined the band even though he left for Michigan Tech before the concert. Sam, who will be a ninth grade student at West High School this fall, plays percussion and has enjoyed his stint with the Summer Band.
"It's fun, I probably wouldn't have gone out and played in a band this summer," he said. "It's fun music because I know it, my mom listens to oldies."
Treadwell began the band in 2002 with just a few students and a good idea. The majority of the students over the years have been of junior high age and he selects tunes and arranges them for that age. He knows many of the students because both of his children play instruments, Jamie the clarinet and Mitch the alto sax.
Thanks to Treadwell's recruiting, Summer Band enrollment jumped this year from 25 to 45. After four years, he is also starting to have a number of sibling groups, many times students whose ages would normally have them in different schools so they could never play together.
Treadwell networks with the Traverse City Area Public Schools band leaders to get the word out to students. The $20 fee for the summer just covers the cost of the building use with a little left over for the junior high school programs.
"It's really growing and next year I figure it will grow a little bit more," he said. "It's a very affordable summer camp and they really do stay busy and get an opportunity to play."
A self-taught conductor serious about both art and science of leading young musicians, Treadwell has been learning over the years along with the band.
"This is my way of going to band leader school," he said. "It gives me the enjoyment of doing what I want to do anyway."
The public is welcome to attend the Summer Band's concert on Tuesday, September 5, at 5 p.m. at Lars Hockstad Auditorium at Central Grade School. Admission is free and donations will be accepted to benefit the Traverse City Music Boosters.