Photo of Rochelle Jimenez

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (Bridges Arts Council) – Getting the Valley City community band back together.

There’s music in the air in Valley City as local music teacher Rochelle Jimenez finalizes her plans to restart the Valley City Community Band. The ensemble, which has been inactive for several years, will start rehearsing Thursday, September 15 at 6:30 PM in the state-of-the-art Band Rehearsal Hall at Valley City State University.

VCSU alumna Jimenez is excited to begin work with the band. “The Community Band is something that our area has desperately needed,” she stated, adding that “music is a lifelong pursuit, and my goal is to create a fun and welcoming environment where everyone can pursue and develop — or redevelop — their musical skills.”

Jimenez has a strong musical pedigree. Everyone in her immediate family studied music after high school, and her parents and several siblings are still active musicians in the area. At present, Jimenez teaches music at Maple Valley Public School in Tower City, where she directs band, choir, and instructs general music classes. She also serves as a worship leader in her church. Although she has a multitude of musical skills, directing band is her passion. “I love seeing the learning process in action,’ Jimenez said, “and I love seeing the joy it brings them when they realize how far they’ve progressed.”

Future plans for the ensemble include performances at Valley City State University and at the City Park Bandshell. Jimenez intends for the group to perform a wide variety of music, from the marches and overtures that are staples of band repertoire to arrangements of popular songs and film soundtracks. “It’s important to me that the Community Band plays music that’s accessible to everyone.” Jimenez stated. “Popular music has been integral to band repertoire for decades, and I want to respect that tradition. At the same time, there is a wealth of music written specifically for band, and I want our community to experience the same joy that I do when I get to play classics from the band repertoire.”

Participation is open to community members of any age. Interested parties can contact Jimenez via e-mail at valleycitycommunityband@gmail.com or Nick Lee (Bridges Arts Council Administrator and Director for the Community School for the Arts) at administrator@bridgesarts.org. The community band will be run through the VCSU Community School for the Arts. The cost for the semester is $35. If the registration fee is an issue please contact, Nick Lee. The Community School for the Arts is now being administered by the Bridges Arts Council through an agreement with VCSU.