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Citrus Heights-based Capitol Pops Concert Band traces roots to cityhood

Capitol Pops
Citrus Heights resident Linda Glover is shown playing her trumpet during a Capitol Pops Concert Band performance in 2018. // Image credit: Melissa Hardin

By Thomas J. Sullivan–
Longtime Citrus Heights resident and trumpet player Linda Glover serves as band manager of the Capitol Pops Concert Band, a locally based band that traces its local roots back to cityhood.

“We started in February 1997, just one month after the City of Citrus Heights was incorporated,” Glover told The Sentinel in an interview. “Some of us were sent letters asking if we were interested in joining a community band, and after that first rehearsal, we were playing music and eager to get started.”

Glover said the CPCB is a fully instrumental band of volunteer musicians and workers. The Citrus Heights-based, self-supporting, nonprofit community band of about 50 current members represent a wide cross-section of the Sacramento area, ranging in age from high school to the 80s.

Twenty-two years later, the CPCB is proudly bringing Boston Pops-style popular music to the Citrus Heights community for free and steadily building its audience, Glover said. “We’re in it to celebrate the joy of playing music for our audience.”

Under the baton of Director Judith Steinle, the concert band regularly performs in the Sacramento region.

“The most rewarding part about being music director is hearing the band play music that they worked hard to learn well and seeing both players and audiences enjoying themselves,” Steinle told The Sentinel. “We play music that is both fun to play, and fun to listen to. There are plenty of opportunities for soloists, and also for returning players who want to brush up on old skills.”

Glover says some of the band’s members have been with the group since the very beginning, but the band is always looking for more players.

“We really need more brass players, especially those who play trumpet, trombone and baritone horn,” said Glover. “We used to have about 72 band members but we’re down to between 45-50. We would certainly welcome more.”

The Capitol Pops Concert Band membership dues are $50 annually. Guest musicians are always welcome to “sit in” and play. The band meets Thursday evenings in Fellowship Hall at the Christ the King Lutheran Church, at 5811 Walnut Ave. in Orangevale.

The band had previously used concert space at San Juan High School on Greenback Lane to rehearse, but that space became no longer available. Glover said the concert band would like to return to dedicated rehearsal space of its own in Citrus Heights.

“I’ve always been a strong advocate that the city of Citrus Heights needs a dedicated performing arts center,” Glover said.

“Many in the arts community here in our city share that dream of a performing arts center, I’ll never stop bringing it up to members of the city council and community leaders to help see that dream come true,” Glover said.

Tax-deductible donations to the Capitol Pops scholarship fund provide private music lessons for interested student members. Contributions to a special memorial fund helps in the purchase of new music for the band.

If you would like to join the Capitol Pops Concert Band call (916) 725-5214 for more information. Visit their web site at www.capitolpops.org or their Facebook page to view the latest performance schedule.

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