The DeKalb Municipal Band marks 160 years with a concert of holiday music Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Egyptian Theatre. Proceeds from the concert go to the Palmer Family Music Education Fund. Kirk Lundbeck succeeded the band’s longtime leader, the late Dee Palmer, as director three years ago. WNIJ's Guy Stephens spoke with Lundbeck recently about the concert and the anniversary.
GS: Most people think of the band as a summer band. So why a holiday concert?
KL: Well, with it being our 160th year, I decided in February of this year to do something special to culminate the season. And in order to do that I wanted to do something that the band has never done before, break from tradition, move the concert indoors. And the only place to really do that, to have an iconic band play, an historic band play, would be at the historic Egyptian Theatre. So we decided that the Egyptian was the place to hold the concert.
GS: When you talk about historic, in one sense, the band is older than the city.
KL: Yeah. The Inception of the band was in 1854, and it was called the Silver Cornet Band. From that point on, the band has never stopped performing every summer. And so we are the oldest continuous running band in Illinois, and one of the oldest in the United States. And what makes it special is we did not stop for wars, we did not stop for the Depression, we did not stop for economic conditions, we played on. And we continue to play on.
GS: To what do you attribute that?
KL: The support of the community. In the early 20s we actually had a bill passed in the state of Illinois that allowed us to tax the community for a certain amount of money every year to go towards the municipal band. And that tax is still in the system, so that keeps us going. But the community support is really what has made the difference for us.
GS: Is there a highlight or highlights? Or is the anniversary itself the highlight?
KL: Well, that alone, Guy, is real important, but also, you know, think where the band has come. We used to play at Huntley Park and Liberty Park and it was a very small gazebo. And when we moved to Hopkins Park, and we had a stage, but no shell. And as time grew, we had a wooden shell made by the support of the community. And in the early 1960s the current shell was actually built, and then in the 80s it became the Dee Palmer Band Shell after the former director Dee Palmer.
GS: And that’s another thing, following in the footsteps of someone who was at the head of the band for so long. And his family was actually involved in the band over the years. Are you aware of that heritage, or do you just raise a baton and carry on?
KL: Absolutely not. Dee Palmer was a very, very good friend of mine. And I was the principal trombone player in the band, and I was in the band for 34 years before I became the conductor. And you can’t follow in Dee Palmer’s footsteps. He conducted the band for 63 years. And then I was selected the new conductor in 2012. And it’s very special for me. Everyone time I step on the podium I think of Dee. Every time I raise the baton, I think of Dee, and all the friends that I’ve made by playing in the band so many years. So, it’s something that I cherish, but every day that I’m a part of this band, I remember the importance and the iconic nature of the band, as well as Dee Palmer.
GS: And the future of the band?
KL: We will continue to play on. I think it’s very important. Since I’ve taken over as the conductor, what I’ve tried to do is bring in some new music. Still play some traditional music that we’ve always done, Guy, but we always try to add something new. Maybe from “Frozen,” for example. And we’re developing a new audience, which we need to do over time.
