City band says goodbye to longtime director

Published 3:50 pm Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Sunday’s city band concert will be pretty much business as usual: music in the park, concertgoers on blankets and in folding lawn chairs enjoying the tunes and hopefully, a nice, sunny day.

But there will be something different at this particular concert. The Sequim City Band’s founder and longtime director will step to the podium for the last time.

Chuck Swisher had the idea for the band when he moved to the Olympic Peninsula. He had had a career as a professional musician and later as an educator with the Pullman Public Schools.

Now, he says, he is ready to hang up his baton and enjoy retirement.

“Without Chuck’s dedication to the band, many musicians living on the peninsula would not have had a place to expand their interest in music,” says Patricia Mattingley, president of the band. “It is with great regret we announce (Chuck’s) retirement.”

Mattingley speaks for the entire band when she says band members and audiences will miss Chuck’s presence.

However, he will continue to arrange music for the band and will be seen from time to time playing the clarinet or saxophone.

New conductor Sanford Feibus will raise his baton at Sunday’s concert, which begins at 3 p.m., at the James Center for the Performing Arts north of Carrie Blake Park.

On tap is patriotic music, 1940s big band music and songs from the group The Association. In keeping with the Independence Day theme, “Stars and Stripes” will be featured.

Sequim City Band concert

3 p.m. Sunday, July 20, James Center for the Performing Arts, Carrie Blake Park.