Covington Concert Band

The Sound of Community The Sound of Community

Covington Concert Band

By Carroll Devine

Like moths to a light on a summer evening, musicians of many stripes and ages have been flocking to join the Covington Concert Band. Why this phenomenal flocking? Hint: It’s not for money.

The now nearly 80 members receive no compensation for either the weekly, almost year-round rehearsals or the four public concerts they perform each year. So, what is it?

This wind and percussion ensemble of amateur and professional musicians is made up of people ages 18 to 80 who come from a variety of backgrounds, occupations and musical experiences. What’s drawn them in is pure intense love of music and passion for playing and sharing it.

But what keeps these musicians in the CCB is a shared motivation towards improvement, fed and fired by Maestro Erik Morales, worldrenowned composer and arranger.

A recipient of many accolades himself and a consummate music professional, Morales lives his art, and his work encompasses a broad spectrum of the musical world. The trumpetist has composed more than 150 published musical works in several genres.

He is also an advocate of and contributor to music education around the country. In 2016, he was honored with the lifetime achievement award from the Louisiana Association for Jazz Education and inducted into the organization’s hall of fame.

“Morales is meticulous, even demanding, but he has to be. He has a clear vision of what he wants, and he knows how to get it,” said Dr. Rory Duffour, a family practice physician, weekend musician and clarinetist with the group. “I love this group and wouldn’t give it up. I can’t give enough credit for what Morales has done,” he said.

Still, you might wonder how this conductor manages to bring musicians of different levels together to make beautiful music.

Morales said the secret is fixing musical problems, most of which are caused by differing individual interpretations. “My job is to bring everyone in line with a single thought process that is simple to achieve.” The next challenge has to do with individual retention, he said.

Another essential and ongoing task is having everyone playing their parts in tune with one another. “We spend time at the beginning of every rehearsal to make sure every instrument is in tune. The more in tune we are, the more our music resonates and becomes pleasing to the ear,” Morales said.

Morales makes this hard work sound almost easy. But there’s so much more involved.

During a rehearsal, the spacious hall is electric, abuzz with musicians coming in early, setting up and warming up their instruments in an enthusiastic cacophony. The camaraderie is contagious and spreads in anticipation of having their individual parts brought into a greater whole.

As Morales steps onto the platform to begin the work, all chatter stops. After all the preliminaries and tuning, the musicians sit totally rapt as the conductor breaks difficult parts of their next piece into smaller bites. Soon, the members’ instrumental skills were meticulously drawn out. The conductor’s ear detects the least departure from the sound he’s seeking. He corrects it, and music emerges. It’s like watching a skilled sculptor carving away at a block of stone to reveal the lovely statue inside.

At the close of the rehearsal, more musicians sing Morales’ praises. Even lifelong musicians like Terrance Mahady agree. “Even though I’ve been involved with music since a young boy, this band is musically challenging,” he said. A percussionist, Mahady is the CCB’s oldest member. Mahady has a doctorate of philosophy in musical performance and has taught at Southeastern Louisiana State University and was the band director at McNeese State. Professionally, he has also played with legendary jazz greats in the New Orleans area.

Morales continually introduces music of greater complexity, which keeps Mahady interested. “I find it exhilarating to play music of this high caliber,” he said. He’s not alone.

Val Estoque, the former band director at Slidell High School, is a clarinetist with the group. She’s also the mother of three young daughters who knows how to stretch time. Keeping up with her music is important to her. “Music is an outlet of expression, creativity and community. Being in this band is a mode of self-care for me,” she said.

Both Estoque and Lacy Blackledge are associate conductors who fill in for Morales occasionally when he has to make appearances in other states. In the group, Blacklege plays French horn. He is assistant band director at St. Paul’s Catholic School in Covington and has worked in the New Orleans area playing trumpet, keys and singing. While maintaining his “chops,” he said playing with the CCB allows him to perform with some of the best musicians on the Northshore.

As diverse as the musicians’ backgrounds are, they have something in common besides their love of music, Morales said. “The one characteristic that every band member has is that none of them are quitters. They all recognize the value of the experience and what they get from the experience – the applause. When we do a concert, it’s a big reward. My task is to keep them playing well,” he said.

There’s no shortage of talent within this band nor a shortage of community. “We all get along well and try to help each other,” Duffour said. This is especially notable for the youngest member, Austyn Akin, a 2023 high school graduate, and her grandfather, David Ohler. Akin started playing music in fifth grade as a way to relate better to her musician grandfather. She credits him with starting her on her music journey. “He taught me how to play,” she said.

Ohler, a former pilot and air traffic controller, is a trombonist with the group, and Akin has been both a trombonist and a tuba player. The two often practice together. “We push each other to improve. It’s fun,” she said.

Akin joined the CCB as a way to challenge herself and grow after years of playing in school. “Music is sometimes an escape from the rest of the world. And I know that in the moment I’m playing, it’s making something come to life,” she said.

Coming to life is truly what happens when the CCB performs concerts. Each program has a theme, and each includes pieces that are familiar to the audience as well as a few new ones that require more skills for the musicians. “This keeps both audiences and band members happy,” Morales said.

Band members agree that performing at concerts is an incentive for keeping them happy and involved. “The audience feedback is enthusiastic, and it’s very gratifying,” Mahady said.

The CCB was founded by native Meredith Berry, Jr. in Nov. 2020. It arose out of the COVID-19 shutdown, overcame a number of physical obstacles, and quickly grew in size and stature.

The goal of the band is to bring high quality concert music to the general public. Performances are always free. You can’t beat that with a timpani mallet.

With the growing popularity of the concerts, the CCB has become a cultural mainstay in the community. The biggest program of the year is Sparks in the Park, Covington’s Independence Day celebration in Bogue Falaya Park, which typically draws audiences of more than 5,000. Its performances of music such as the “Star Spangled Banner,” arranged by composer John Williams, and John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” never fail to uplift and inspire.

The CCB is supported by the Northshore Music Alliance, a non-profit organization with the goal of promoting concert and jazz music on the Northshore.