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Timeline

If you have additional historical information (including photographs and recordings) please contact us at municipalband@gmail.com


1887 St. Cloud's City Band first mentioned in the St. Cloud Times Newspaper.

1889 St. Cloud has a band now called the Union Band. L.J. Romdenne is the bandleader and Martin Molitor is the manager. The January 3rd paper notes that St. Cloud has one of the very best silver cornet bands in the state.

1891 The city of St. Cloud provides $600 per year to support the Union Band.

1903 The May 26th paper announces the St. Cloud City Band and Granite City Band will combine under the name St. Cloud City Band. Arthur J. Hollensworth is elected director and Joseph Wegler assistant director and manager. The city pledges $400 support from its contingent fund.

1904 The St. Cloud "Granite City Band" is directed by Hubert Gans, performing in park concerts as well as area county fairs.

1915 The band changes its name from "Granite City Band" to "Granite City Military Band." The name change reflects a change in style and code of conduct rather than to any military affiliation.

1923 Mr. G. Oliver Riggs is invited to St. Cloud to form a boy's band. Starting with 100 members, the band grows to 233 members by 1927 and is billed as the largest band in the world. They earn the title "National Junior Chamber of Commerce Band" at the 1933 convention in Des Moines, IA and take first place at the American Legion convention in Duluth a year later.

1926 The city of St. Cloud is unable to support the city band, so the American Legion sponsors the band for the next ten years.

1927 The City of St. Cloud passes a levy to support the band.

1930 The St. Cloud Kiwanis replaces money in the band bank account when the banks close.

1931 The St. Cloud Boys Band is split into three parts: beginner, junior and senior bands. The senior band later attended the International Junior Chamber of Commerce convention in Des Moines, Iowa.

1936 G. Oliver Riggs forms an adult band from his Boys Band "graduates." 

1940 The Eagles take over sponsorship of the band.

1944 Erwin Hertz, band director at St. Cloud Technical High School, replaces G. Oliver Riggs as director of the St. Cloud Municipal Band. Women are allowed to join the band for the first time. Further debate continues until 1948 as seen in the St. Cloud Observer Times Newspaper Article from May 29th.

1947 During the administration of Mayor Math Malisheski, today's St. Cloud Municipal Band comes into existence. Supported by the city, a budget was established, uniforms purchased, rehearsal facilities arranged and Eugene Neri is hired as director.

1952 Eugene Neri dies and Roger Barrett becomes director of the band.

1956 Frank Herring serves as director while Roger Barrett is on sabbatical earning his doctorate degree.

1961 Roger Barrett returns as director of the band.

1964 The band performs for the opening ceremony of the Benedicta Arts Center on the campus of the College of St. Benedict and St. Joseph.

1965 Frank Herring becomes director of the band.

1974 Marv Pearson becomes director of the band.

1983 Richard Hansen becomes director of the band.

1984 The band performs for the retirement dinner of Roger Barrett from St. Cloud State University as well as the dedication ceremony of the new Stearn's County Historical Society Heritage Center.

1985 Lowell Larson and Bob Wig become co-directors of the band.

1996 Kathleen Johnson becomes director of the band.

1999 The band travels to Beijing, China to celebrate 20 years of normalized relations.

2000 David Haedt becomes director of the band.

2002 Gordon Schlichting becomes director of the band.

2005 The band goes on tour to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with David Haedt conducting. Later in the year the band also performs for the deployment ceremony of the St. Cloud National Guard as they depart for their assignment in Iraq.

2006 Glen Tuomaala becomes director of the band. During the summer the band performs for the city sesquicentennial, rededication of the Barden Park fountain, and the Stanley Cup Festival at the National Hockey Center. 

 
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