HOLSTEIN, Iowa (Iowa Media Wire) — For more than 50 years, the Holstein German Band has brought joy to their community with their musical performances.
“This generation of it was started back in 1970 by Don Vollmar. He was asked to get a band together for Oktoberfest,” said Tom Galvin, director of the Holstein German Band.
Tom Galvin first joined the German Band in 1982.
“Somebody dropped out so he needed somebody else to take the dropout place and he thought of me. And after a couple of practices I got it polished up good enough to perform,” said Glavin.
In 1998, Galvin was promoted to the director of the band and has since led practices with 16 to 20 musicians showing up. Galvin plays the trumpet, but there are a variety of instruments in the band.
“I had three trumpets, we had four clarinets, we had four trombones, a drummer, a piano player, and now we have at least an accordion. We played basically polkas and waltzes and a couple of marches, so a little variety, but not it’s basically 100% old-time music, you know,” said Galvin.
Galvin said the Holstein German Band comprises mostly people around his age, but he hopes to grow the band’s numbers and encourage the younger generation to join.
“We’ve been, you know, continually bringing new blood in, and as long as you keep your ears open and ask people if they know of anybody. You know, you go to the school and ask the teachers if there’s anybody new that might be interested,” said Galvin.
Galvin said that he has “no plans on stopping until he can’t no more.”
For more information on Holstein’s 2024 Kinderfest, click here.