Musicians Continue Founder’s Dream: Playing at Concerts in the Park

COURT HOUSE – “I couldn’t live a day without music,” admitted Alice Devlin, of Court House, as she prepared for band practice and tuned her clarinet. “Whether I’m playing or someone else is playing, I love music.”
Devlin’s sentiments are shared by many members of the John Walter Cape Community Band. She recently described how the band started, how it struggled some years and how it continues to entice members of all ages as it prepares to celebrate its twentieth anniversary. Devlin is a founding member.
“I hadn’t played in 25 years when I started with the band,” Devlin said. “Mr. (John) Walter gave me some confidence builders that helped me with the music before we started that first practice. It helped.”
Devlin recalled that Walter’s dream was to have a “concert-in-the-parks” band. “He thought that type of band was going away, and that’s what he wanted.”
The concert in the park is what drew Abby Russo,13, and her father, Dave, to join the band this year when they moved to Cape May full-time.
“When we would come down to Cape May, we would go to Rotary Park and listen to the band. We always said we wanted to join the band when we moved here; it’s a dream come true for us,” Russo said.
He and his daughter play the clarinet. “Dad and I have fun learning the music together,” said the teen. “It feels good to be part of this band because we always said we were going to join it when we moved here, and then it happened. It’s almost like not reality.”
As a seventh grader at Cape Trinity Catholic School, Russo is active in many activities, most recently the school’s production of “Guys and Dolls,” where she played a gambler. “It’s not always easy juggling all my activities,” she said, noting she hadn’t been at a recent band rehearsal because of play practice. “Every day I am doing something. Somehow it all glides together because I enjoy everything.”
Enjoyment is a theme that runs through the band’s membership and music. “You may not like all of what we play, but my goal is that you will like something,” Director John Curtis, of Court House, said. He became director about three years ago when he got a phone call from Devlin asking if he would be interested in conducting a band.
“I had never directed a band,” Curtis said, having moved to the area from Pennsylvania where he was a college professor and directed a chorus. “I said I’d give it a try. It’s a different twist of my career path.”
Curtis recalled having two weeks and two rehearsals to prepare for his first performance. “We got through that concert and got through the summer,” he noted. “Now, we’ve started to get a groove. I know the strengths of the band, what they can do and have really enjoyed it. I’m glad to be bringing music to people across the county.”
Because their audiences range from “70-year-olds who like Big Band to youngsters and teens,” Curtis is putting “his own stamp” on the type of music the band performs. “It’s a variety from Gershwin to Guns and Roses, the Beatles, Dixieland, The Who and jazz. We’ve been playing a lot of show tunes lately, like music from “Frozen” and “Chicago.” It’s nice that we have the instrumentation talent to support it.”
The band schedules about a dozen public performances across the county, in addition to some private events. Devlin said they charge about $400-$500 a performance, which is used by the band to buy shirts, music and fund their new scholarship, which will be given this year for the first time to a high school musician from the county.
Usually there are 25-35 band members performing, although the roster numbers near 50 when the summer-time players join. They practice weekly nearly year-round at Middle Township Elementary School No. 2. 
“Many of the members play in other bands,” said Robert “Bob” Fineberg, another founding member from Court House. He joined within the band’s first year.
Band members also come from different walks of life: Fineberg is an attorney, however, he is quick to point out that at practice, “I’m just a trumpet player.”
At one point, Fineberg’s father and son also played in the band. “We have professional to beginners here; we’re just about having fun. We enjoy playing and, as I have stayed with it, it never loses being fun. It’s great recreation and relaxation for those who are still working,” he said.
“And if you aren’t working,” Devlin added, “you can still have stress and the music takes you to a different place.”
According to Walter’s daughter, Suzann Callinan, of Court House, her father taught music in Allentown, Pa.,  before he and his wife, Mae, moved to Avalon Manor. He wanted to share his love of music with the community, providing “good, peppy music” for concert-in-the-park goers.
“He loved the idea of a high school student playing next to a seasoned musician,” Callinan recalled fondly. “It was a learning opportunity for both people.”
Walter advertised for band members in the local paper to show up for practice at the Clarence Davies Community Center, Court House. “About 30 people showed up, but my dad couldn’t because he was sick, so my mom ran that first practice. My dad was waiting at home to see if anyone would show up.”
The band practiced weekly and had its first paying gig at the former Cape May gazebo in Rotary Park on Lafayette Street. “Dad played the tuba, and he preferred that to directing. He liked to do the oom-pah-pah and as he prepared for the concert, he had a massive heart attack about 10 minutes before the concert started,” his daughter said.
Walter died that day, but the concert went on. For a while, the band was called the Middle Township Community Band but a few years later, the band decided to rename itself the John Walter Cape Community Band.
“We normally play a memorial concert for our founder on Sept. 2 at Sunset Beach,” Devlin said. “The second is the day he passed away in 1998. Ironically, we are scheduled to play at the Cape May Bandstand on Sept. 2, which is the place where Mr. Walter actually had the heart attack that took his life. That will be our memorial concert, 18 years to the day.”
After Walter’s passing, the band struggled for several years, seeking directors. “I think every music teacher in the area has directed the band at some point,” Callinan and Devlin said. “We have had very good support from the community.”
Callinan mentioned the “significant support of the governing body of Middle Township getting my dad’s dream off the ground. The mayor at that time was Mike Voll, who was very encouraging and arranged for use of the Middle Rec Center for weekly rehearsals.”
“The family has always been very supportive,” Devlin added.  
The band is expanding its community reach according to President Bill Winters, of Wildwood. In addition to awarding a scholarship to a high school musician this year, the band is collecting non-perishable items for local food banks at several concerts.
In addition to his musical interests, Walter created Middle Township’s logo. The original hangs in the municipal meeting room, and is placed on township vehicles and its stationery.
2016 Concert Series
*Collecting non-perishable items for food banks
May 30, 10 a.m. Memorial Day Ceremony, Cape May Court House
May 31, 7 p.m. St. John Neumann, North Cape May*
July 2, 2 p.m. Cold Springs Village, North Cape May
July 22, 6 p.m. 4H Fair, Cape May Court House
Aug. 5, 7 p.m. Cape May Rotary Park Bandstand
Aug. 23, 7 p.m. Birch Grove Park, Northfield
Sept. 2, 7 p.m. Cape May Rotary Park Bandstand
Sept. 5, 6 p.m. Labor Day at Sunset Beach, West Cape May
Sept. 27, 7 p.m. Ocean City Library*
Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Middle Township Performing Arts Center (PAC), Cape May Court House
Dec. 6, 7 p.m. Ocean City Library*
Dec. 13, 7 p.m. St. John Neumann, North Cape May*
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.