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While the current Huntington Beach Concert Band
formed in 1973, the tradition of concerts and
music dates back 100 years to Huntington Beach's
first band concert at the Pavilion near the
Huntington Beach Pier. Here's the newspaper
account of that first concert event. What a day
it must have been!
Dateline: April 1914
Sunday Band Concert was
Favorably Received
Director Neilson and his
Boys Donate Their Services
Just to show the citizens of Huntington Beach
what they can do in the way of open air
concert work the Huntington Beach band, under
the direction of Ernest A. Neilson, gave a free
concert in the pavilion Sunday afternoon, from 3
to 5 o'clock.
Old timers agree on the matter of attendance
Sunday afternoon being larger than any day in
the history of the city when there was no
special entertainment. And to give some idea as
to how the band music was appreciated it might
be stated that following the rendition of
Overture "Poet and Peasant" the attention had
been so marked that the audience was almost
silent enough to have allowed one to hear a pin
drop on the floor of the pavilion. There were
musicians present from Anaheim and Long Beach,
who praised the work and the band, and the band
boys are certainly to be commended for their
good work, as there is nothing that the general
public is more interested in than band music;
and the impression left on the visitors here
Sunday afternoon is worth more than many may
suppose it is.
The Huntington Beach Municipal Band under the
direction of C.H. "Pop" Endicott was said to have
enlivened many events. Picture was taken in the
1920s.
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March for Pier Day.
Richard Menzel, the bass player will compose a
march which the band will play Pier Celebration
Day. Mr. Menzel has been a member of bands at
San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Long Beach.
Only Three More Required: Director Neilson
states that but three more players, a clarinet,
cornet, and baritone are required for the band
to be able to put on any kind of concert work.
Today as you attend free concerts in Huntington
Beach think about the many people who have stood
in the same place, listening to concert band
sounds and having the times of their lives, just
like you!
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