Mark Fischer speaks with Gary Butterworth about the Camarillo Community Band.
They discuss the history, structure, and cultural importance of community concerts in Ventura County.
Defining a Community Band
A community band is distinct from a symphonic orchestra primarily because it consists entirely of woodwind instruments (such as saxophones, flutes, and clarinets) and brass instruments (like french horns and trumpets), completely excluding stringed instruments. While they do not have strings, they often perform the same type of music as an orchestra, alongside a much wider variety of genres.
Longevity and Impact
The Camarillo Community Band serves as a vital piece of local cultural life, providing roughly 60 adult musicians an outlet to maintain their skills and share their love of performing with the public. Founded in 1986 by Kirk Raymond, the band owes its longevity to highly consistent leadership—notably band manager Dan Rimes, who has been with the group since its inception as a charter member.
Repertoire and Guest Conductors
The band maintains a library of about 300 musical pieces. Their most popular performance throughout the years is a selection medley from the hit musical Les Misérables. They also frequently play traditional marches, movie scores, and classic rock medleys featuring music from groups like the Beatles, Elton John, and Chicago.
The band coordinates 15 rehearsals ahead of their major performance seasons. Each of their concert series features a different volunteer guest conductor chosen from resident musicians who previously served as local high school band directors.
Summer Concerts and Community Engagement
Presented by the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District, the band offers a series of four free concerts held on Thursday evenings in July. These events take place at Constitution Park in the city of Camarillo. The concerts are designed as interactive, community-based experiences where attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, set up picnics on the grass, and playfully engage with the performers and conductors.
Joining the Band
The group operates as an all-volunteer organization. Rather than enforcing strict professional benchmarks, the group relies on the self-assessment of the adult musicians to maintain performance quality.
TV broadcast week beginning 05/24/26
Producer: George Alger
Sponsor: NONPROFIT FIRE, Google Ad Grants Community Building NonProfitFire.org
Sponsor: SKYWORKS MARKETING, Performance Advertising SkyworksMarketing.com