The founder of the Plant City Community Choir is seeking a few good musicians.
Founder and University of South Florida graduate student Joseph Mendolia is working to launch a Plant City community band. So far, he has about 10 musicians interested. He hopes to start with about 20 members and have it grow to 50 or 60 members.
The idea for a community band came following the choir’s 2012 Christmas concert. The popular event featured the choir performing with a live band — but hiring those musicians cost $4,500, even with the help of some of Mendolia’s musically gifted friends.
This year, Mendolia hopes to have a band of his own to perform with the choir.
“We have a community choir,” Mendolia said. “Why can’t we have an orchestra, too?”
Mendolia launched the community choir in 2008, with only 12 singers. Since then, it has grown to 35. He expects use the same model to launch the band. After spending the summer recruiting members, Mendolia hopes to start weekly practices in August.
“(That) will give them enough time to rehearse and to get the word out to their friends about the Christmas concert,” Mendolia said.
Any instruments are welcome. Mendolia is looking for strings, winds and percussion instruments. With percussion, there are some challenges, because most percussionists don’t own their own instruments. Instead, they use what the band supplies. Mendolia is looking into borrowing equipment from schools or churches.
If all goes well, Mendolia is also thinking about adding a Fourth of July appearance, as well.
“There is tons of music for Christmas and Fourth of July that brings together the choir and orchestra,” Mendolia said.
The style of music played will be more pop and upbeat, rather than classical.
“It’s the Broadway style of Christmas music,” Mendolia said.
Besides the money issue, Mendolia wants to start the concert band to expand on blooming talent. He invites musicians as young as eighth-graders to join.
“Students at that age don’t really get a lot of experience outside of the classroom,” Mendolia said. “We’d really love to give them that experience outside their regular ensembles. It would be a supplement.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
WANT TO PLAY?
Interested in becoming a member of the Plant City concert band? Contact Joe Mendolia at (813) 444-TUNE or email him with your name, instrument and contact information at director@pccommunitychoir.com.