About Us:
In 1982 a small group of Dexter residents started the Dexter Community Band. Dave Angus, a professor of education at the University of Michigan, was the conductor. The band included Milford Wolpoff, Nick Wagner, and Pat Wier on clarinet, Marian North, Karla Linkner, and Raynette Kempf on flute, Phyllis Risdon, Les Sapsford, and Mary Jane Trustdorf on trumpet, Pam McAllsiter on French Horn, and Linda Burby on percussion.

The beginning was modest, but through word of mouth and exposure at a few concerts, the band began to grow. By 1984 the band had nearly doubled in size and performed three or four concerts a year. It took another six years for the band to again double in size and have a fairly well rounded instrumentation. In 1998, William Gourley began conducting the band and brought it to the high level it is today. Now at the ripe old age of 24, the band has 90 members and a full complement of instruments.

The band is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all the members are volunteers from the local area. Even though an amateur organization, the band performs on a professional level in the area and has even toured Europe.

Thanksgiving and Holiday concerts were part of the band’s repertoire from the beginning. The Thanksgiving concert has since been retired, but additionally we now perform a Halloween concert, a winter concert, and a spring concert. There are alsoseveral “Evening of Ensembles” featuring numerous small groups from the band, one in January and the others in February.