AirVenture Brass Band Marches Into Its Twelfth Year

By: Maria Morrison

While a large white tent blocks out the late morning sun, a brass band blasts out marching tunes across Pioneer Field. Paperclips hold down sheet music that threatens to blow away as the helicopters land and take off every five minutes. Remote-controlled aircraft buzz and whir 50 feet away from the tent. Shouts from children enjoying KidVenture echo just a block away. But through the noise, the band plays on.

Elton Eisele conducted the first AirVenture band thirteen years ago. With tentative backing from EAA, he was given the green light to recruit people who wanted to perform in a brass band at AirVenture 2006. That year, 95 people packed their instruments to Oshkosh and performed.

This marks the twelfth year of performing for the group, whose numbers have stayed rather constant through the years. This year, weather at the beginning of Oshkosh reduced attendance, resulting in 76 members taking the stage Wednesday night at the Theater in the Woods.

About two dozen of the band members have participated all 12 years, and there have been over 500 people in the band. Players contact Eisele around February, and by May the final number has been decided. There are no auditions, but Eisele said that the players typically sort themselves into groups based on skill.

He then sends out the music six weeks before AirVenture, giving the players enough time to practice the pieces on their own and have them ready by the time they arrive at KOSH. They only get three hours of rehearsal all together before they perform, so they need to make the time count. “This isn't practice, this is putting things together,” Eisele said.

That said, the time the band spends together is kept enjoyable for everyone.

“Alright, how many people adjusted their instruments before the start?” Eisele asked the group after stopping them halfway through a piece.

A few hands went up.

“How many people think they’re always in tune no matter what they do?”

Considerably more hands went up.

Among the hands were those of 12-year-old Nathan Jones, who plays alto saxophone, and the three nonagenarians that play in the band.

This year, the band is playing traditional favorites like “Sousa Symphony” and a medley of the armed forces’ songs, as well as scores from the Avengers and The Greatest Showman. “I want to find music that I know the audience will like,” Eisele said, “If I can inspire kids and adults and entertain everyone, that’s what this is all about.”

(Image provided by the author)

FMI: www.band.eaachapter.org