The Greater Shore Concert Band celebrates five-year anniversaries.
The band has toured Europe on some of these anniversaries and hosted guest instrumentalists - including principal performers from the Philadelphia Orchestra.
We have pulled out the stops for our fiftieth anniversary with a once-in-a-lifetime event by performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Our director, James Bast, conceived of the event while reviewing upcoming groups for Carnegie Hall.
A few years before the band's upcoming golden anniversay, he spotted a booking for the Naperville Community Band at the famous venue.
After a few connections, Jim was in contact with the Carnegie Hall booking staff.
Carnegie Hall vetted our band via concert recordings, website, formal paperwork, etc.
Once we were approved, then the band board voted upon pursuing this adventure.
Hear more of our story, when Jim was a guest on a local radio-blog program,
Ryan Rocks It,
in December, 2015.
Read about the band's journey in this Asbury Park Press
article published in March, 2017.
There's an old joke where someone asks a passerby on the streets of New York, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?" To which the answer is, "Practice. Practice..."
It takes more than practice. It takes money - a substantial amount - to rent the most famous concert hall in the country and possibly the world.
The band has approximately a year and a half to raise the funds.
Please visit our Carnegie Hall Fund Raising page.
Learn that $300 donors receive two complimentary tickets to our Carnegie Hall event.
Learn how your generous donation may be matched dollar-for-dollar.
There are even financial ways to help that are free.
Q&A
Who can perform at Carnegie Hall, and how can the hall be booked?
How much does it costs to rent Carnegie Hall?
Check out Carnegie Hall's Rental Overview page for answers to these questions.
This varies depending upon the time and day. Weekend evening rentals are more expensive than weekday afternoon rentals.
Our Saturday evening event will cost a minimum of $50,000.