Coshocton Community Band returns June 5

The Coshocton Community Band free concert series will return to Court Square beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, June 5.

Christie Cochran has been the director for the Coshocton Community Band the past 18 years.

“We average about 40 members, and we're blessed to have some Coshocton High School band members join us,” she said. “So we have all ages from some in their 80s down to teenagers.

"One of my favorite things about this group is that the kids get to experience playing beside someone who has played this same instrument for 60 years. Every year we come up with new themes. We always do a patriotic one; that’s a given. And we usually do a March Concert (a musical performance consisting of marching, common in military).”

This year, however, they are putting marches into all of the concerts.

“We come up with different themes every year and play music that goes along with our theme,” Cochran said. “We have six concerts scheduled, and there is a different theme for every concert. We start the first Friday in June, and we play every other week. We always play at the Court Square, and now that they have the beautiful cement pad for us, we don't have to worry about the tubas putting their chairs into a hole. It is so nice.

"A lot of the band members haven’t played in a number of years, and they come back and pick it up again. We have quite a few members that play in different bands around the area, and they just love to play. This is one of those things that you can do your whole life. It’s a good outlet, plus it is good entertainment and free entertainment on the square.”

The band members are hoping more people will come this year with their lawn chairs to watch the shows.

“It’s a nice audience, but we are hoping to get some of the younger ones to come,” Cochran said. “That will help some of the high school kids that play with us.”

The band could really use some more percussionists and woodwinds.

“Anyone that has an interest in becoming a band member can just show up to a practice with people who have like interests,” Cochran said. “They can come to Kids America on a Tuesday evening and play just to make music. We don’t have tryouts. Just come, sit and play the parts you are comfortable playing. We have a good time, and it is nice to be around other musicians.”

The band plays every other week until the second week of August.

“We do a concert at the Court Square gazebo every year in August. We like to play at the gazebo every year,” Cochran said.

“This is our 60th year on the Court Square," said Tim Vance, past president of Coshocton Community Band. "We have been providing entertainment from musicals to marches. The first concerts were in the summer of 1966.

"The tradition of having a community band started back 100 and some years ago when there wasn’t a ton of community bands. Now there are about 2,500 nationwide. Some are younger than us, and many are far older, but they provide a tradition for the audience to enjoy march music and that kind of thing. Also, it gives an opportunity for people in the band to play, and playing music is a lifelong experience.”

Vance said they have had people in their 90s still playing and people as young as 14 or 15.

“Several years ago when I was president of the band, I would go to area high schools and get acquainted with the band directors to schedule an opportunity to talk with the kids about playing in the summer,” he said. “A lot of the kids were busy with other activities, and area high schools would start marching band rehearsals in July. But this is not a huge commitment in terms of time. We do six concerts every other Friday. It was canceled a year because of COVID, but when we reconvened in 2021, they decided to do four concerts over the summer.”

The Coshocton Community Band is an extension of the old Coshocton Boy Scout Band (no connection with Boy Scouts of America), founded by Jack Beatty in the 1920s, followed by Dick McCluggage in 1965, who directed until 1980 when John Hutson became director for 20 years. In 2000 Don Kason, a trumpet player, became director until 2007, and Chad Roberts directed in 2008. Christie Cochran became director in 2009, and this is her 18th year with that position. The band has members from several counties from teen to octogenarians.

The 2026 Coshocton Community Band Concert schedule is as follows: Friday, June 5 with Around the USA; Friday, June 19 with All That Jazz; Friday, July 3 with Celebrate 250; Friday, July 17 with Digits and Decibels; Friday, July 31 with Conjuring Swearingen featuring James Swearingen; and Friday, Aug. 14 with Voices on Display featuring Ron Barkett. Concerts will be at 7 p.m. on Court Square.

The community band is a 501(c)(3) organization and appreciates all donations. Its address is P.O. Box 121, Coshocton, OH 43812.