ARTS & CULTURE

The Pensacola Civic Band is a full symphonic wind ensemble performing wind literature of the highest caliber. The Pensacola Civic Band is an organization of adult instrumental musicians who want to continue performing in a band after high school and/or college. The band meets every Tuesday evening from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm in the Kennedy rehearsal hall.

The band has a full symphonic membership that runs from 80-100 members each season. PCB is an outlet for adult musicians from many walks of life including music educators, amateur/professional musicians, physicians and medical professionals, accountants, lawyers, and many more professions.

Founded in 1971 by a small group of directors and musicians, the Pensacola Civic Band began a legacy of music and education excellence that continues today. In 2002, the band received the prestigious Sudler Silver Scroll Award from the John Phillip Sousa Foundation. This award recognizes community bands in North America that consistently perform quality music at a very high level and contribute significantly to the cultural environment of their community. Since the founding of the PCB, we have been supported by Pensacola State College (formerly Pensacola Junior College). Their support throughout the years has helped propel the band to excellence known across the U.S.

For over 30 years, the band was led by Don Snowden. His leadership and direction built the band and set a solid foundation. In 2020, Mr. Snowden planned his farewell concert and was set to retire. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and forced shutdowns, we were unable to perform the last concert as scheduled. However, Don Snowden continued his plans for retirement after a distinguished music education career.

In the summer of 2021, Douglas Holsworth was hired at Pensacola State College as the band director and director of the Pensacola Civc Band. In the fall of 2021, we were able to properly say thank you to Don Snowden with a concert entitled “Passing the Baton.”

The Pensacola Civic Band performs 4 concerts a year along with several educational opportunities. The fall concert is typically held in November at the Pensacola Saenger Theatre. The Christmas Concert, Christmas at the College, is held at Ashmore Auditorium at Pensacola State College. The SpringConcert is held in April at the Pensacola Saenger Theatre and the Memorial Day Concert is on Memorial Day at the Hunter Amphitheater at Blue Wahoos Stadium.