website  watertownhistory.org

    ebook  History of Watertown, Wisconsin

 

First Brigade Band

 

Heritage Military Music Foundation (HMMF)

1st Brigade Band

 

 

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2002

2002 ice cream social at Octagon (1 of 2)

2002 ice cream social at Octagon (2 of 2)

 

2004

09 25       40th ANNIVERSARY

The 1st Brigade Band will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a free concert as part of Watertown’s three-day Fall Festival which begins Friday night. The renowned Civil War band, headquartered in Watertown, will give a concert in a large tent in the North First Street parking lot on Saturday beginning at 3:30 p.m. Directed by David Woolpert, the band members will be wearing Civil War clothing while performing with vintage instruments. Sponsors of the concert are River City Distributing Co. and Seven-Up Bottling Co. The concert is one of numerous activities planned in conjunction with the festival, according to Gail MacAskill, director of the Main Street Program, sponsoring the festival.

 

2005

Civil War books as well as instruments in Heritage Hall of Watertown, Wisconsin.

 

A collection of Civil War books was the inspiration for the creation of a library and museum in Heritage Hall in Watertown, Wisconsin, home of the 1st Brigade Band.

 

The Civil War books, with an estimated value of $18,000, were a gift to the Heritage Military Music Foundation from the late William “Bill” Kwapil, a Watertown businessman who was a staunch supporter of the foundation’s legendary 1st Brigade Band.  The Civil War books are now displayed in renovated rooms in Heritage Hall, which houses the foundation’s collections.

 

For more information about the band, its history, pictures of instruments, sound clips of its music recordings, or its schedule, see the Web site www.1stbrigadeband.org .

 

Read the full article about Heritage Hall in the May 7, 2005 edition of the Watertown Daily Times.

 

2006

02 06       NEW BANDMASTER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR

Heritage Military Music Foundation has announced the appointments of two members of the 1st Brigade Band to the positions of bandmaster and managing director. Effective March 1, Jon Condon will be the new bandmaster and David Woolpert will be the managing director of the 1st Brigade Band.  Condon will replace retiring bandmaster Dan Woolpert, who plans to continue active involvement with the band by performing, arranging music and serving as instrument curator and goodwill ambassador.

 

2022

09 18       FIRST BRIGADE BAND SERVICE AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

A video recording 

 

2023

02 18       DAN G. WOOLPERT  (1935-2023)

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Dan began playing Bb Bass horn with the 1st Brigade Band in 1976.  He was appointed Bandmaster of the group in 1983, and continued until 2007, directing more than 400 performances.    Online obit  

 

09 06       1st BRIGADE BAND MURAL (N Fourth and E Main)

being restored by original artist Gail Towers Nolan

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Cross References:

Chapter on Heritage Hall [former First Congregational Church]

Website, First Brigade Band

 

Chapter on Bands

 

 

 

Table of Contents 

History of Watertown, Wisconsin

Index