Who says you have to wait until December to enjoy all the classic Christmas and holiday songs?
Plantation Lake Brass will usher in feelings of yuletide joy with its “It’s the Holiday’s” performance on Nov. 22 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Leesburg Public Library, 100 E. Main St., Leesburg.
With light classical, theater, polkas, and jazz music, guests can expect to hear the usual fan favorite tunes from the local band that has been performing in Leesburg for more than 10 years.
“I always try to do a theme while including music from the 50’s to the 70’s. For this event we will play a couple of Christmas songs,” John Miley, founder of the Plantation Lake Brass band, said. “We play songs the audience would know, like ‘Rock Around The Clock’.”
The band brings a robust sound as several members playing various instruments, including the tuba, trombone, baritone horn and the trumpet.
“I play the trumpet and compose some of the songs we perform. We have five trumpet players and a flugelhorn player. And several people in the band are members of the Lake County community,” Miley said.
The group started around 2012, after Miley acted on a suggestion to put together a local music group.
“It started as two separate quintets that I joined together. I was with the group Plantation Lake Brass and the Lake Brass Ensemble — and the groups joined together,” Miley said. “After that, it just kept growing.”
As the band grew, its popularity did, too. Standing ovations at the end of their performances became the norm.
Miley said the most encouraging feedback is that the band keeps getting invited back to perform at the Leesburg Library and other venues year after year.
“We seem to be very well-liked since they keep asking us to come back each year. I’m very happy and grateful that we’ve have this growth and response,” Miley said. “I’m proud of what I am doing and that I can do it with such a fun and talented group.”
Plantation Lake Brass has performed for a variety of community events, from festivals and library events to churches and charities events.
Although the band is always glad to take the stage and play together, Miley said performing for events that focus on the fight against cancer is an initiative close to the group’s heart.
“We’ve had six or seven members pass away from cancer over the years. I also had cancer,” he said.
While spending time with each other during rehearsals and back-to-back performances, the band members have been able to create friendships and special memories while making music the community enjoys.
“Our rehearsals are a lot of fun. Along with this band, most of us are in another band, the Lake Concert Band, so we spend a lot of time together and we’ve been able to build great friendships with each other,” Miley said.
John Landers, music director for the Lake Concert Band, has played the trumpet with Plantation Lake Brass for close to a decade and said the camaraderie built between the members after years of playing together is what elevates their performances.
“It should be fun,” Landers said of the upcoming show. “We’ll be playing some old Christmas songs and mixing composition for one or two songs that the audience will know.”
For more information or to register for the free program, which is required, visit mylakelibrary.org.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
