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A message from the Hot Springs Concert Band...On Thursday evening, December 12, the Hot Springs Concert Band completed its 49th year with its annual Christmas concert at the Woodlands Auditorium in Hot Springs Village. It was a near sell-out house and a fantastic audience. For almost an hour and a half, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Jim Lloyd not only conducted a beautiful concert but also brightened the evening with his own brand of stories and humor to complement the music. It was a fantastic finish to a year of great music and a year of change. The year 2024 did indeed see significant change in the Hot Springs Concert Band, especially with Jim Lloyd taking the reins as principal conductor upon Craig Hamilton’s retirement in April. The transition was a smooth and seamless one, and the band didn’t miss a beat… so to speak! The band now also has an executive director in Mr. Claude Smith. Among other duties, Claude will be arranging some additional concert venues for the band as well as securing sponsorships to ensure the band can remain financially solvent enough to continue performing at a level commensurate with what the public has grown accustomed to. Now, as 2025 approaches, the band looks forward to another wonderful year of making music, including a full slate of concerts. This will include a 50th anniversary concert, which will most likely be the fall concert in October at the Woodlands Auditorium. In addition, the band will be performing at the Association of Concert Bands convention in Fort Smith in June. The band thanks everyone who attended its concerts and donated toward its expenses in 2024 and looks forward to seeing you in 2025! May your Christmas be merry and the New Year a blessed one for each of you and your families. |
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