; Asheville, North Carolina
![Concert Schedule](tcktsbutton.gif"){kind=small}
The Band History
| The Asheville Community Band, formerly known as the University of North Carolina-Asheville Community Band, was organized in October, 1979 as a concert band for musicians of all ages, walks of life and professions. Now composed of over 100 musicians, their purpose is to perform a wide variety of quality band literature for their listeners, and to broaden an appreciation for the excitement, style and sounds of the concert band. |
Over its rich history the band has performed across the Carolinas, Hawaii, Germany and Austria. They have also performed at two American School Band Director's Association National Conventions, for the Women's Band Director International Convention, and twice for the North Carolina Band Association at the state NCMEA Convention. The Asheville Community Band has commissioned several new works for concert band, including "Fanfare Theme and Variations on a Southern Hymn" by composer Bill Locklear on the occasion of the bands twenty fifth anniversary. |
Our Director Emeritus, Patricia L. Garren, was the band’s founder and directed the band for seventeen years. In 1996 the baton was passed to our present director, Michael L. Robinson. In 1998 a scholarship program was started by the Asheville Community Band to encourage and aide students going into instrumental music education. The band has presented over twenty $1,000.00 scholarships since that time.
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DIRECTOR
Michael L. Robinson is the Director of Bands at Mars Hill College. He received his Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Mars Hill College and has taught for 30 years in the North Carolina Public Schools. He recently retired from Asheville High School, where his bands have performed in New York, Florida, the Bahamas, and in 1985 and 1999 for the North Carolina Music Educators Conference. Asheville High School Bands have received Superior ratings at the North Carolina Band Festival in the grade VI level of music for the past 37 years.
Mike received the “Award of Excellence” from the North Carolina Band Masters Association in 1984 and 2006, the Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association in 1986, and the Outstanding Band Alumni Award from Mars Hill College in 1988. In 1989-90, he was selected as the Asheville City School System’s “Teacher of the Year,” and was selected again in 1993-94 as the Asheville High School “Teacher of the Year.” He served as Chairman of the Western North Carolina Band Directors Association in 1984-85, Contest Chairman for WNCBDA 1982-93, North Carolina State Contest Chairman 1986-88, President of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association 1988-90, State Chairman of Phi Beta Mu in 1993 and State Chairman of the National Band Association 1991-94. Mike belongs to numerous professional and honorary organizations including, NCMEA, MENC, NCBA, WNCBA, PHI MU ALPHA, PHI BETA MU, ASBDA, AND NBA.
In 2000 at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, Mike received the Bandworld Legion of Honor, and the Sudler Order of Merit administered by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He was featured in the “Bandworld Magazine” during the 1999-2000 school year. In 2005 he was selected by his peers and was inducted into the North Carolina Bandmasters Hall of Fame at the 2006 NCMEA Conference.
Mike has been a church music director for the past 25 years, and the director of the Asheville Community Band since 1996. He is married to Jennifer Plemmons Robinson, a percussion instructor, and a percussionist in the band. They have three children: Christopher age 29, a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corp, and father of their first grand daughter Madelyn Grace; Andrea age 23, is studying alternative remedies and holistic health in Asheville and plans to pursue a degree in biology from Mars Hill College, and Brandon age 22, who is a bandsman in the United States Marine Corp. Mike is in demand as an adjudicator and clinician throughout the Southeastern United States.
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ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR
| William Talley III received his Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Western Carolina University in 1999. He started his professional career at Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva, NC, and after teaching at Smoky Mountain High for a year, he took the opportunity to move to Asheville, NC in 2000 to become the Assistant Director of Bands at Asheville High School. In 2007, Mr. Talley moved up to the head band director position after the retirement of Mike Robinson. The bands under his direction have received superior ratings at various contests and festivals. Individual students in his bands are successful as well as they consistently earn spots in the NC All-District Band and NC All-State Band. Mr. Talley is an active member of the faculty at Asheville High School. He serves as a member of the AHS Awards Committee, the School Planning and Management Team, and the school’s technology committee.
In addition to his work at Asheville High School, Mr. Talley is a regular performing musician in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. For the past six years he has performed as a tubist in the Asheville Community Band, and for four of those he has also served as the ensembles assistant director. He has also performed with the Blue Ridge Civic Orchestra and the Smoky Mountain Brass Band. In 2005 Mr. Talley received the NC Band Director’s Association Award of Excellence for the Western District.
Mr. Talley arranges music for his own concert and marching bands as well as other area bands, and he also writes the drill for his marching band. Mr. Talley has participated in the North Carolina Bandmasters Association’s Marching Band Adjudication Seminar for the past three years at Western Carolina University, and has served as an adjudicator for marching and concert events.
Mr. Talley teaches private tuba lessons to students in the area, and has hosted a workshop on music technology for Asheville City School’s employees. He also assists in teaching a section of Advanced Placement Music Theory at his high school. |
Chairperson: Doris Welch
Charperson Elect: Stephanie Lyon
Past Chairperson: Carol Talbot
Secretary/Treasurer: Judy Roper
Members At Large:
Richard Bowman
Suzanne Brown
Elaine Grella
Jim Freeman
Ages of the Band:
Under 20-----------15
20 to 40-----------35
40 to 60-----------25
60 to 80-----------29
Over 80------------3
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Band Director...............8 Teachers....................8 College Students............7 High School Students.......18 Medical Field...............7 Para Legal or Secretaries..13 Lawyers.....................2 Sales......................10 Librarians..................2 Farmers.....................2 Housewives..................3 Engineers...................4 Funeral Service.............1 |
Weaver/Spinner..............1 Retired.....................4 Ret. College Prof...........3 Postman.....................1 Web Designer................2 Video Control...............1 Ret. Estate Adj.............1 Bus Driver..................1 Custodian...................1 CPA.........................1 Heavy Equip. Oper...........1 Chaplain....................1 Freelance Musician..........2 |
