Indianapolis Municipal Band Organizational Summary

The Indianapolis Municipal Band (IMB) is an active community organization, which began in 1949 as an employee activity for members of the Allison Division of General Motors.  In 1983, the IMB incorporated as an independent organization.  The IMB operates as a not-for-profit organization under the governance of a Board of Governors elected by members of the band.  Edgar Axsom served as Music Director from 1973 until 2007.  In recent years, the Board has become more active in the governance of and planning for the IMB.  In addition, IMB members have assumed a number of responsibilities previously assumed by the Music Director.

The IMB’s current Mission Statement is: To provide an enjoyable and beneficial musical experience for members and audiences in the greater Indianapolis community through preparation and performance of a varied repertoire of concert band music.

The IMB practices from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. most Monday evenings from late January through mid-December.  The location of these practices as well as the IMB’s address is the Music Department of Ben Davis High School Ninth Grade Center (BDNGC).  This location also provides storage space for IMB files.  BDNGC provides these facilities without charge and the interaction between the IMB and BDNGC appears excellent at this time.

The IMB has performed ten to twelve concerts annually in recent years.  It is scheduled to perform ten concerts in 2007.  The first concert of the year was a formal concert, at Ben Davis High School, followed by the Marian College Commencement.  This summer the IMB’s schedule includes a Memorial Day Concert, a concert at Meadowood Park in Speedway, a concert at the Indiana Historical Society on July 4th and two concerts at Garfield Park in connection with the Indianapolis Parks Department, and one at Noblesville, Indiana as part of the town’s Summer Concert Series.  The IMB is scheduled to close its 2007 season with a Veterans’ Day Concert at the Indiana State Museum on November 11 and a Holiday Concert at the Arts Garden on December 15.

IMB concerts typically last about forty-five to sixty minutes.  The spring concert is generally the musically most challenging—certainly to the IMB musicians and probably to its audiences as well.  Summer concerts often have a theme—circus music, marches, British music, and South American music as examples.

The IMB is financially solvent.  Its primary income is from the City of Indianapolis for the Garfield park performances and from other organizations at other venues.  The IMB regularly receives contributions from interested individuals in the community.  Many musician members of the IMB also choose to make financial contributions to the band in addition to contributing their musical time and talent. 

New music purchase accounts for the largest expense.  Other expense items include insurance, advertising, programs, soloists, and licenses, dues and fees.  The IMB is an all-volunteer organization at this time. Guest soloists and conductors do receive an honorarium.

IMB members are primarily adults ranging in age from mid-twenties through sixties.  Some members have been with the band more than twenty years. Probably four to eight years would be the most common duration of membership in the IMB.  There are a few high school and college students who are members.  Perhaps ten percent of the band members were music majors in college.  A number of the band members hold professional (non-musical) positions in the community.  Approximate section numbers are:

Flutes-6
Oboe-1
Bassoon-1
Clarinet- 8
Bass Clarinet-3
Saxophones- 6
Horn-7
Trumpet- 8
Trombone- 6
Euphonium-5
Tuba-4
Percussion-5