One of the big fundraisers for the Batavia Concert Band for the past several years has been the "Taste of Western New York" raffle. This raffle has featured gift certificates from several generous donor restaurants around the area. We have continued this tradition in 2009 with a twist, extending the reach beyond restaurants to include other local businesses. So for 2009, the raffle is now called the "Sample of Western New York" raffle.

There are also minor changes to the way the certificates are dispersed. As with past raffles, there will be 4 winners. Instead of having the winners take turns picking certificates, there will be 4 "gift baskets" to choose from.

The Batavia Concert Band is announcing the winners of their “Taste of Western New York” restaurant gift certificate raffle. The winners pick from a grab bag of mostly donated gift certificates from restaurants in the Western New York area.

First Place: Jim Griggs won 12 gift certificates.
Second Place: Ronald Vanderlaan won 10 gift certificates.
Third Place: Sue Fay Allen won 8 certificates.
Fourth place: Crystal Crossett won 4 certificates.
Finance Director Bob Pastecki presented the winners with their gift certificates.

This raffle is the main fundraiser the Batavia Concert Band does each year. The band performs free concerts over the summer on Wednesday nights at 7pm in Centennial Park. The funds raised by the raffle go towards offsetting the cost of the concerts.

The Batavia Concert Band congratulates Albion graduate David Hollenbeck, the winner of this year's Batavia Concert Band Scholarship. This $250 scholarship is awarded yearly to graduating students preparing to pursue a college degree in a music-related field. The scholarship is funded by snack sales at Batavia Concert Band performances, and is awarded based on applications submitted by students.

Mr. Hollenbeck, who has played with the Batavia Concert Band since the 2007 season, is an accomplished tuba, bass trombone, baritone and trumpet player. He has played in the 2007 NYSSMA Conference All State Symphonic Band, 2007 Zone 2 Area All State Orchestra, and was named co-best jazz soloist at the 2008 Batavia Pageant of Bands. He is currently pursuing a Music Education degree at SUNY Fredonia.

The Batavia Concert Band will again make music in Centennial Park during its summer season of free concerts, 7:00pm every Wednesday, from June through August, plus additional concerts at Jackson Square, and area parades.

The Band marched in the Memorial Day parade and will lead off an afternoon of musical performance during this year's Independence Day Picnic in the Park.

The Batavia Concert Band's musical repertoire is wide-ranging in origin, style and period. In any concert audiences are likely to hear a mix of Sousa-style marches, Broadway show tunes, big-band numbers from the 30's and 40's, favorites from hit musicals and movies, pop, jazz and even rock numbers arranged for band, and everything in between.