Event/Site: Salem Band Summer Concert Series at Salem Square in Old Salem

Date: Every other Tuesday - June 14 - August 23, 8:00pm - 9:15pm.

Type: Bimonthly concerts of band music performed in a public square by the oldest
continuing mixed-wind ensemble in the nation.

Location: Salem Square is located in the center of Old Salem in Winston-Salem, near Home Moravian Church at 529 S. Church St. Look for brown Old Salem exit signs off I-40 (exit 193B), US 52 (exit 108C), and Business 40 (exit 5D at Main Street heading east or exit 6A heading west). The main entrance to Old Salem is located at the intersection of Old Salem Road and Academy Street. Click here for a map.

Cost: Free.

Web Site: www.visitwinstonsalem.com

Parking: Free parking is available in parking lots at the main entrance to Old Salem at Old Salem Road and Academy Street. Parking adequate for bus tours.

Special Needs Access: Venue is fully accessible. Visitor Center restrooms are open for the summer concert series from 7:00pm until the concert ends.

Signage: Signs at location and en route.

Sponsor: The Salem Band

Contact: Jeff Whitsett, Salem Band Director
(336) 659-8100 (w); (336) 659-7648 (fax)
jwhitset@jwpepper.com

Description of Event: The Salem Band concert series is a popular event, with hundreds of people of all ages in attendance. The Salem Band consists of 65-70 mixed-wind instruments directed for the past 11 years by Jeff Whitsett. Its members, all volunteers, are some of the best musicians from area Moravian churches and also include players from the community at large. The band plays a combination of musical genres, including Moravian hymns, traditional band marches and overtures, Broadway tunes, as well as other popular music from the 20s until today. People bring lawn chairs and picnics, and there is plenty of room for children to play. Concerts are not cancelled for inclement weather earlier than 1/2 hour before concert time.

History of Event: The Salem Band is recognized today as the oldest continuing mixed-wind ensemble in the country. The Salem Band has been in existence since 1772 when the early Moravian settlement's first trombones arrived from Germany. Mixed-wind instruments were added to the ensemble, and the band early on gained a reputation for good musicianship. During the mid-1800s, band members began wanting to play more worldly music and hand-copied music from other bands, usually military groups that passed through the town. When the Civil War tore through the country Salem Moravians sent musicians to form the 11th and the 26th Regimental Bands. Band members learned more tunes from their travels during the Civil War. They returned to Salem with a large collection of handwritten band books (archived in the Moravian Music Foundation). The band has been playing continuously since after the Civil War.

Description/History of Site: Old Salem is an authentic 18th century living history village established in 1766. At its heart is Salem Square where the Band concerts are performed on a grassy, partially shaded lawn area.

Significance of Site/Event to the Community: Music is given prominence in the Moravian church for its cultural value and as an aid in the expression and development of religious life. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of the band, which contributes significantly in the outdoor services, on festival occasions, and in the Moravian funeral service. The Salem Band is not a church band, although at least half of its members belong to Moravian church bands. (All 33 of the area Moravian churches have a band.) Some Band members have played in the Band for decades, mentoring young band members and creating lasting intergenerational friendships. Members of the Salem Band make a commitment to practice together weekly and to participate in the concerts the Band presents during the summer.