PEOPLE PLEASERS

WASILLA — It started 25 years ago with a handful of musicians playing borrowed music in Hank Hartman’s basement.

Today, the Mat-Su Concert Band is 55 players strong and tackling more complex, sophisticated tunes from a variety of genres, promising something for every taste.

Under the direction of professional trumpet player and music teacher Gleo Huyck, the group of brass, reed, wind and percussion musicians is looking forward to treating Valley audiences to its free spring concert “Movies, Marches and Musicals” at Teeland Middle School at 7:30 p.m., Thursday.

Hartman, owner of Matanuska Music in Wasilla, said that although he only plays in the concert band on rare occasions anymore, he still follows it fondly and helps Huyck whenever he can.

But he feels the band is in very capable hands these days.

“My standards are very, very high,” said Huyck, who became the band’s conductor three years ago when it was still part of Mat-Su College. “We work very hard to achieve the excellence I think they’re capable of. There are many fine musicians in the Valley.”

During a rehearsal at Teeland Monday night, Huyck’s perfectionist personality was in fine form as he worked dynamics, synchronization, tempo and other minor details of a Disney medley and “Wizard of Oz” favorites.

Teeland music teacher Charles Carte has a great appreciation for how far the Mat-Su Concert Band has come since he started playing trumpet with a group of 12 band members in 1989 in the building now housing Wasilla City Hall.

“We would just sit in a circle in a room there and just played for our own enjoyment,” Carte said. “It wasn’t a performance band, but as time went on, more and more members joined and we went through several directors before Gleo. Through recruiting and high standards, he’s really brought the band to a higher level.”

Having started in the fifth grade and continuing under the tutelage of inspirational music teachers, Carte knew he wanted to be one of those music teachers, too, and now plays in the Mat-Su Concert Band alongside some of this former students.

“One of my former students from 1990 now has a family of her own,” Carte said with a laugh. “I’ll feel even older when her kids start playing with the band.”

One of those former students, Dylan Rosevear, now 22, plays trombone in the concert band. He said Carte had been his music teacher in elementary school and at Wasilla Middle School.

“It’s fun being in the same band with Carte,” the Loyola graduate said. “And Gleo has really helped the band progress in the last few years. He helps attract better players and bigger audiences.”

Alto sax player Steve Frati of Wasilla said he’d played in Boston bands when he was younger, then took 20 years off before joining the concert band a couple of years ago.

The Federal Express pilot said he likes the fact that Huyck pushes everyone to do their best.

“Gleo is so awesome,” said the father of four, who found out about the band from one of his daughters’ elementary teachers who happens to be in the band. “He’s had so much patience with me, but he also expects a lot, which is good.”

As last-minute arrivers scurry to find their seats before Huyck raises his baton at 7 p.m. sharp, clarinet player Ron Dalby warms up.

Dalby, a local writer and former managing editor of the Frontiersman, has played his instrument since he was 10 in 1958 and his mother is still one of his greatest fans, he said.

“My mother’s 87 years old and she’ll be at the band concert Thursday,” said Dalby, who moved to Palmer 30 years ago.

French horn player Bev Earley said she found the concert band almost immediately after moving to Palmer from Columbus, Ind., about three years ago.

She had played in a concert band in Columbus that was the same size and had rehearsals on Monday nights at the same time.

“I came in and there was a little spot just waiting for me,” said Earley, who has been playing French horn since she was in high school about 35 years ago. “This band is more than just a musical outlet for me, though. The friends I’ve made here are like my best friends. It feels like home.”

For more information on the Mat-Su Concert Band, visit the group on Facebook.

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.McKee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.