Band conductor passing baton after 41 years

When Richard Doede lays down his baton at the end of today’s Capital City Community Band concert, it will be the end an era.

After 41 years, Doede is retiring as conductor of the band.

“Funny thing about music, it makes time pass faster,” he said. “It doesn’t do anything to the clock, but the time just goes by.”

The Capital City Community Band will present its annual Nevada Day free concert at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Capitol Amphitheater. The concert will feature a variety of music from Dixieland to marches to patriotic songs.

In honor of Nevada Day, the band will play a special arrangement of “Home Means Nevada” by Marine Band arranger Sgt. Scott Ninmer. Doug Thunder, a 41-year member of the band, will be featured on the euphonium.

During the concert, Doede will pass the baton to new conductor, Nick Jacques, who is the band director at Carson Middle School.

Doede founded the band in 1978 at the continuous urging of some of the parents of his elementary and middle school band students.

The band now has 53 members, ranging in age from early teens to 70s.

“I only have one rule,” Doede said. “You actually need to learn to play music.”

And the best way to do that is to “put your feet flat on the floor, sit up straight and hold your horn up,” he said. “It will play for you.”

Doede has taken the group to perform in Australia and Switzerland, as well as, concerts in Carson City, Dayton, Gardnerville, Minden, Lake Tahoe and Reno.

“We were a fun group,” Doede said. “They would come into a rehearsal with the idea of let’s do better than we did last week, and we would.”

Doede taught band in the Carson City School District covering students from fifth grade through 12th grade from 1974 until his retirement in 1999.

He also performed with the Reno Municipal for 30 years. Jacques is the current band director at Carson Middle School. He is a graduate of the University of Nevada-Reno with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting.

He is a talented performer in several groups in Carson City, Reno and surrounding areas and was awarded New Music Educator of the Year by the Nevada Music Educators Association.

The concert is free and open to the public. Parents are encouraged to bring their children to enjoy this concert. Bring a lawn chair or blanket on which to sit.

For more information, call Doede at (775) 883-2219.