The Columbia Community Band was formed in 1981 by Butch Antal. It consisted of 15 members and was part of the Columbia Public Schools Adult Education program. It has since grown to 72 members, and the changes go far beyond membership size.
Jerry Kent, who has been playing trumpet with the band since its inception, is also the webmaster. To him, the music is all about the audience.
“We perform free concerts,” Kent said. “It’s important to us to support the community with free music.”
The band also had the opportunity to showcase its talents outside of Columbia.
“We toured in England and Scotland,” said Kent of the group’s 1999 journey. “It was a phenomenal experience.” The band has had performances in surrounding mid-Missouri cities as well.

Contact:  ccb.coin.org/
(573) 446-2263

Thirty-eight years ago, Huge and Lucy Vianello had a dream of starting a youth symphony. Today, the Missouri Symphony Society is one of many musical groups, playing instruments such as strings and saxophones that entertain thousands of Columbians each year.
Now retired, Vianello is proud of his contribution to the city’s musical culture. “Being a musician is like having a calling to a gathering of people and ideals,” said Vianello of his long career. “All through my life, I have never said ‘Darn it, I have to get to work.’”
One of Columbia’s oldest and most accomplished musical organizations is the Missouri Symphony Society.
The Vianellos started the society to give young people an opportunity to perform during the summer. Before he retired in 1998, the symphony had evolved into the organization that he had once envisioned. It is now the sponsor of mid-Missouri’s only professional resident symphony orchestra: the Missouri Symphony Orchestra.
It also sponsors many different youth organizations, including the Missouri Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Missouri Youth Band and the Missouri Youth Chorus.

Contact:   motheatre.org/missouri_symphony/
(573) 875-0600

The Community Music Program, founded in 1998, serves the younger musical community.
Erica Manzo took over the program three years ago. “It is a youth community outreach program,” said Manzo, who is also an adjunct assistant professor of music at MU.
“The program offers one-on-one lessons, as well as chamber-music coaching, to students of all skill levels,” Manzo said. Students range from 5-year-olds to retired adults.
The program is unique in that it offers more individualized feedback, instead of group lessons. All of the teachers are undergraduate or graduate students at MU who are studying music. The teachers are recommended to the program by their professors.
When Manzo started, the program had about 50 students. It now has 122.

Contact:  music.missouri.edu/cmp/index.html
(573) 882-0934

The Missouri String Project, founded in 1977, is another university-sponsored program designed to jump-start musical interest. Much like the Community Music Program, MU students teach the String Project, but it is the only organization that teaches string instruments in a group setting in Columbia while training teachers at the same time.
The goals are “to teach young students, to train future teachers and to help community outreach,” Director Leslie Perna said. The String Project offers lessons to third- and fourth-grade students, which are usually the ages before public school districts offer music programs.
The String Project educates between 70 and 80 children each semester, who are offered a chance to show off their skills in a culminating performance for the community.

Contact:  music.missouri.edu/MissouriStringProject/msp.html
(573) 882-2748

One of the most unusual groups in Columbia is the Boonslick Chordbusters. The group was formed 12 years ago, and the 25 members sing barbershop-quartet style in four-part harmony.
Roy Rogers has been with the group since 2005.
“We are just people who like to sing,” Rogers said. “We sing at churches, anniversaries and perform Christmas carols at the mall. We also do singing valentines, where we provide flowers, a card and a couple songs.”
The music performed is all pre-1960, but that doesn’t mean the members are. The group has artists enrolled at MU as well as some entering their 90s.

Contact:  chordbusters.com/
info@chordbusters.com

Another adult musical group is the Columbia Civic Orchestra. Founded in 1993 by Anthony Addison, the group performs symphonic music.
“I’ve been a musician my whole life,” Addison said. “One day, we decided we should have an orchestra. We got a board together and started recruiting.”
The group holds several children’s concerts and collaborates with the Columbia Chorale and some dance groups.

Contact:  http://cco.missouri.org/
(573) 815-9799

The Columbia Chorale is another passionate group of community musicians.
The chorale will celebrate its 30th anniversary this season. Alex Innecco has been director for five years.
“When I came, I changed the vision,” Innecco said. “The chorale used to have 25 people who did mainly pieces from the Renaissance. Now we have 90 people and do much larger works with orchestra.”
The chorale has a simple audition process and welcomes almost everyone who tries out.
“We were able to gather people who are completely different, from all walks of life, who get together and achieve a common goal,” Innecco said.
“There is a sense in Columbia that we can go much beyond a small, mid-Missouri town,” Innecco said. “This is a creative, cultural environment.”

Contact:http://www.columbiachorale.com/
(573) 449-7464

University Concert Series has offered medley of music for 100 years