Chandler’s Band, a historic gem from Maine since 1833, will play a concert in Standish, in honor of our Veterans on June 27th at 6:30 PM at Standish Memorial Park on Route 25 including free admission. Anyone wishing to learn more about the band and its history of their strong ties to the military are encouraged to visit their web page   www.chandlersband.com  which is maintained by Janet Heggeman and her Son-in Law. I had the privilege of speaking with her about some of Chandler’s struggles to keep the band alive. To give some background, I first heard about the obstacles faced by the band from a common acquaintance, a woman with whom I played in the High School Band back in the late 1970’s. She relayed to me that she was a member of Chandler’s Band and they had concerns that it may not be able to continue. Soon, however, a meeting of board members would follow to make that decision. After speaking with Janet, she told me that tight city budgets and getting commitments were a concern, and had an overall effect on whether the band could continue. Maine Historical also has put together an exciting history of the early bands which all had military affiliations. To view this historical collection “Strike up the Band”, visit  www.mainememory.net , part of Maine Historical Society’s website , which includes a section about Chandler’s Band.
             A new slate of officers was elected for the band and they are working very hard to keep the tradition of their music alive and the name Chandler’s Band in the forefront. Of interest was Chandler’s Band website which included an excellent collection of newspaper clippings regarding the band’s origins dating from 1848-1902 which were original artifacts from the Chandler family’s scrapbooks. They are full of detailed descriptions of the early years including biographies of the various band members who were very committed to keeping the band going. It was not unusual to read about a person who dedicated 50 or more years to being a member of Chandler’s Band. There are two current members who played during the Bicentennial in Concord, Massachusetts named Agnes Racine and Stan Watson. Their dedication and commitment to the band is synonymous with the Chandler tradition. There are between 12-15 members of the band who have been members for 20 years or more, including Janet who plays the clarinet.
             One early band member, Phineas Wiley who played the E flat tuba in the late 1800’s, had the foresight to preserve the tradition of Chandler’s Band, when he left a trust fund to pay for one concert each year. This tradition has been kept alive for over 100 years. Chandler’s Band used to play before the fireworks on the Eastern Promenade each year in Portland. Unfortunately, the city trimmed its budget and the cost of 750 dollars per concert was too much. Previous to the budget constraints, Chandler’s Band could be seen once a week at Fort Allen Park entertaining large crowds, many of them families. This was quite popular from the 1920’s until about 1985.
             A few other long time members included a man named Charles M. Brooks who conducted for forty years and another man named Maurice Lane. Mr. Lane passed away in 2003 and a Memorial Concert Fund has been set up in his honor. He was a dedicated member for 69 years and conductor for 20 of those years. He was the last charter member of the Portland Symphony Orchestra.
             Chandler’s Band has lead the Yarmouth Clam Festival Parade since the 1950’s each year and will do so again this year. The band is still looking to book more concerts, last year enjoying concerts in Gorham and Falmouth. This year, Portland will be host to two concerts, The Wiley Concert and another one which will be paid for by the city. Check the website for a complete schedule. Hopefully, Mainers will continue to appreciate the significance of having one of the oldest bands in the U.S. still in existence.