The San Diego City Guard Band
About the City Guard Band
The City Guard Band was organized in 1980 by a group of former musicians from high school and college bands and Armed Forces bands. Their desire was to continue playing the old traditional band literature of Sousa, Fillmore, King and others.
To establish the band’s style, it was determined to take the name of the original City Guard Band, formed a hundred years earlier by Jack Dodge, and which was active until 1923.
Our particular niche in the world of community bands is to perform music from the historical period contemporary to John Philip Sousa's band, roughly 1890 to 1935. Although we are known to stray from this goal on occasion, most of our repertoire is drawn from the band music library of our parent organization, The Heritage Band Society.
Philosophy
We are an all-volunteer community band, whose members meet in rehearsal once a week in a collegial environment. In addition to our primary objective of preserving the heritage of band music, our secondary objective is to provide an enhancing, amicable and supportive environment for members of our community to exercise their musical skills, at what ever that level might be.
Membership in the Band
As a rule, individuals who play woodwind, brass or percussion instruments are welcome to attend our weekly rehearsal. This is of course tempered within the limits of a need to maintain a balance between the instrumental sections of the band. No audition is required for membership; however, members must agree to subscribe to the above stated goals.
While the City Guard Band is an adult organization, membership is open to high school age students with the consent of their parents.
At present there are no dues or fees.
Rehearsals
The band rehearses each Tuesday evening 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the Recital Hall in Balboa Park. Parking is free and an easy quick and level walk to the Recital Hall.
Visitors
Our rehearsals are open to the public and visitors are welcome to come in and listen.
Directions to the Recital Hall
From Park Boulevard, enter Balboa Park at Presidents Way. Proceed .2 miles to the large parking lot at Pan American Plaza. The Recital Hall is on the west side of the parking lot next to the Puppet Theater.
Please contact cityguardband@gmail.com with any questions.
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T.H. Rollinson, a well-known cornetist and composer from Boston wrote the San Diego March "Dedicated to the City Guard Band, San Diego, Cal. In commemoration of it’s visit to Boston, Sept. 1887"