The Club offers its’ members, who are not part of one of the smaller groups of performers, opportunities each year to perform for the public. There will usually be 10-15 members playing their banjos and entertaining a group for an hour or more.

This year, our season led off with nine members playing with a 70-piece concert band for an event called the “Kirkwood AIM Concert”. We played four tunes for an audience of 200 and then

joined the rest of the concert band to offer a rousing

rendition of “When the Saints go Marching In”. To listen

to the recording of that song, click to the right:

On April 22nd, ten members showed up in Tower Grove Park at 8AM to participate in a pro bono concert for the Life Skills Foundation. Called the “Walk, Run & Roll”, this event helped seven organizations assist people with developmental disabilities. The event raised $13,000 to help these organizations.

Later that evening, most of the same Club members travelled downtown to the Millennium Hotel to provide after-dinner entertainment to members of the St. Vincent DePaul Society. This lively group thoroughly enjoyed themselves, even forming a “Second Line” with their table napkins.

On July 8th, 16 Club members arrived at Grant’s Farm to entertain 750 conventioneers in town for the Williams Syndrome Association gathering. This was an absolutely wonderful experience. Following are comments posted by member Ginny Luetje on an Internet list of 1,000 members. Visit this page for more photos.

Quoting from this source:

(http://www.williams-syndrome.org/teacher/music-and-williams-syndrome)

 

"People with Williams syndrome talk often about a natural feeling that music is part of their being."

 

If you ever have an opportunity to perform happy music for Williams Syndrome individuals and their families, break all other dates to be there and do that.  You will witness a crowd manifesting on their outsides what you sometimes feel on your insides when you make music.

 

Last night a dozen or so members of the St. Louis Banjo Club entertained for a Williams Syndrome Convention.  It was like performing for American Bandstand for people who were made out of music.  There is no way to put in words the joy that manifests on their faces and bodies.  But I can say it is highly contagious.  It will get their families up to dance with them.  It will energize your band to play better than you knew you could.  It will give your heart a lifetime memory.

On July 23rd, 9 members of the Club attended the FIGA (Fretted Instrument Guild of America) 2010 Convention. It was held outside of Chicago in Bloomsdale, Illinois at the beautiful Indian Lakes Hilton Resort. They performed on stage at the Friday night concert and represented the Club with musical class! Click here for a few photos.

On September 12th, 16 members performed on the St. Louis Jazz Club Picnic stage. We put the audience in the mood before the other two bands played that day. Click here for a few photos.