Since 1982, Carver County residents have been lucky to have a local gem in their midst: the Minnesota Valley Community Band (MVCB). Performing approximately 10 times a year, the band features band directors, music educators, students, professional soloists and vocalists.
A story of growth
Barry Fox, the original MVCB director, formed the band as a result of a bet he accepted from family and friends. At the time, Fox was a school band teacher, and original members (approximately a dozen) included some of his colleagues and several people from the DuToit family.
Growing steadily, approximately 30 members gathered to rehearse at Chaska Middle School East and eventually moved to Chanhassen High School. Several original musicians continue to play in the band. Other members range in age from 20s to 80s.
The MVCB has played at Chaska’s River City Days celebration for over 20 years. As they grew, the band also began hosting holiday, spring and outdoor summer concerts. Several smaller volunteer ensembles have grown from members of the band, including a brass quintet, flute ensemble, Dixieland jazz group, saxophone ensemble, and woodwind quintet. These groups perform along with and independently from the band. The current concert band — 65 members — has grown in numbers so much that, for most sections, there is a waiting list for musicians interested in joining.
The band was incorporated in 2023, becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and operating with a board of directors.
Band Director Fox, who led the group for 38 years, retired last year. The board formed a search committee and held interviews and auditions to name a new music director/conductor. Nick Hansberry, band director at Waconia High School and member of the tuba section in the MVCB, was named music director. Sam Khwice, a Twin Cities public school band director and a MVCB trumpet player, was named associate music director.
Upcoming performances
The band will hold a concert at Huber Park in Shakopee on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m., and at the Belle Plaine Fall Festival on Sept. 20 (time to be announced). The band is also planning an annual holiday concert in December.
Future outlook
Looking ahead, MVCB Public Relations Lead Lucy Davis shares some thoughts.
“Community bands used to be very common, even in very small towns, and while that has changed over the decades, Minnesota is still a leader with a high number of community bands,” she said. “With approximately 1,000 community bands in the U.S. today, Minnesota is home to at least 68 and is the only state to still maintain a state band, performing since 1898,” she said.
“We look forward to playing some combined concerts with high school band students in the upcoming season and hope that will become a bigger part of our regular season schedule — demonstrating that making and hearing quality music is a valuable life-long pursuit is central to our purpose,” Davis continued. “We also wish to expand our performance venues to reach more communities and students, and to provide more opportunities for sharing music with seniors.”
Learn more about the MVCB at:
- Website: www.mvcb.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theMVCB
- Email: minnesotavalleycommunityband@gmail.com
