South Holland Municipal Band (SHMB) is celebrating its 75th year in 2018. The SHMB, as we know it today, came into existence in 1943 in an effort to raise the spirits of the south Chicago suburb during the conflict of World War II. However, the history of a band in South Holland doesn’t start there. The earliest record of a South Holland band is from 1907. The band was simply known as “The South Holland Concert Band”. That band’s motivation for playing was closely related to that of the current band: Community spirit and good taste in music. While the South Holland Concert Band had great enthusiasm, they had little organization. Along with the concert band, South Holland saw a fair share of bands forming and disbanding in the years before 1943.

Under the management of Joe Van Schowen, Sr. and the direction of Haskel Harr, the SHMB was formed. Joe was a South Holland barber who enjoyed playing the tuba. He had enrolled his 9 year old son in Drum classes with Haskel Harr, a nationally known drummer, teacher and publisher, who had just retired as an Army band director. Mr. Harr directed the band for 24 years (1943-1967). When Joe died in 1977, his son became the manager. He recalled, “We used to play our concerts downtown on farm trucks. We’d put three trucks together on South Park Avenue, string up a few lights and play for an hour or more – five or six times each summer.” He remembered in 1945, on the day the war ended, how his father got the band together and with the Boy Scouts and American Legion members, they led a parade down South Park Avenue.

In 1967, Lyle Hopkins began directing the band. He directed the band for over 20 years. Lyle taught music at Thornton High School for 30 years. When Lyle’s wife became ill, Jack Wonnell became the director. Jack had been Band director at the Thornton Fractional High Schools (North and South). Jack said “I really wanted to direct this band. We don’t do anything complicated because we only rehearse once before a concert. We perform half-time show music and songs from Broadway that people recognize. We’re not playing orchestra hall concerts, we play for families at a cookout in the park for fun—they love the sing alongs!”

In 1992, Jack returned to the clarinet section of the band and Al Bilyeu became the director. Al taught at Illiana Christian High School. Darrell Dalton became the next director in 1998. Darrell taught in Matteson Scholl District 162 and directed several elementary school bands. In 2016, Roland Rose took on the mantle of director. Roland had been a band director at Bloom and Eisenhower High Schools.

The dedication of the directors and the players of the SHMB played an important role in the staying power of the band. While the band is now financed by the Village of South Holland, this was not the case in the beginning. It was the enthusiasm and desire to perform that kept the band intact through all the years. The same holds true today. While today’s band members get a small amount to perform, their enthusiasm comes from enriching the lives of the citizens of South Holland through music. The SHMB promotes the values and educational needs of the community that supports it: South Holland.

In conjunction with its 50th season of music in 1993, the SHMB entered a new era. That year, the band uniform changed from the traditional black and white. The town and the band wanted a more unique approach. The band members now wear red and white which coincides with the village’s colors. The band’s mission today is much the same as it was in 1943: “to enhance the cultural landscape of the town and promote the strength and excellence of South Holland.”

The band rehearses on Thursday evenings. They perform in the Memorial Day parade on South Park Avenue, on July 4th at Veterans Park, and at Paarlberg Farm on Labor Day. Additional concerts are divided between the Holland Home and Veterans Park. SHMB is proud of its 75 year history. We are confident in our future as well and ask you, whether as a spectator or a musician desiring to audition, to come out and enjoy the South Holland Municipal Band!