The Columbia Community Concert Band was founded in 1981. We are an all-volunteer, adult, nonprofit organization that has grown from 14 members at its initial rehearsal to its present size of over 80 musicians. The band presents an average of five concerts each season, which runs from September until June. We play a pretty wide range of music; you can view our performance history and our repertoire history beginning with the 2005-2006 season.

Band members come from all walks of life, representing a full gamut of occupations. Though very few are professional musicians, the majority were members of their all-state bands in high school, and many performed in college or military bands. Our membership directory lists our members, their hometowns, and their occupations.

The band has performed for the South Carolina Music Educators Association three times and has also performed for national conventions of the American School Band Directors Association and the Association of Concert Bands. The band also performs yearly at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC.

You may enjoy reading an article about the band that appeared in the Columbia Star. Also, our assistant conductor has written a series of articles.

The Columbia Community Concert Band is a member of the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties and the Association of Concert Bands, Inc. and is partially funded through grants from the Cultural Council and the South Carolina Arts Commission. The band is grateful to Lexington County School District Two, Venus Holland, Superintendent, Airport High School principal Frank Jovanelly, and Airport High School band director Kevin Shealy for the use of their facilities and equipment. Thanks also to Jeff Thompson and South Carolina Bandlink for providing website hosting. Special thanks to all who volunteer their time, talents, and resources to make the band possible.

Featured Member

Ken Howell, Lexington, Percussion

Ken began playing drums in high school and was an active member of the Dothan High School (AL) marching & concert bands and a student dance band. He played in the Auburn University marching band, symphonic band, and orchestra in 1950 - 51. After a tour of duty in the Air Force, he re-joined the Auburn Band from 1953 - 55, until he transferred to Texas Tech, where he earned his degree in Animal Science. Following graduation, he began a career in real estate appraisal, which he pursued until retirement in 1994. The last 20 years of his career were equally divided as Chief Real Estate Appraiser for the Florida Department of Natural Resources, and as Appraiser Administrator for Florida DOT. He held the professional appraisal designations of Senior Real Estate Appraiser, and Member, Appraisal Institute. He was active in teaching appraisal theory for both organizations and for the Florida DOT. Along with his wife Sylvia he was a founding member of the Big Bend Community Orchestra in Tallahassee, FL, and after moving to Lexington, SC, of the Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra. He is active in the LMSO, Wild Irish Marching Band, the summer band, and Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church Choir and Orchestra. Much of his time is also devoted to organizations advocating for the mentally ill, and to Habitat for Humanity where he recently completed work on his 58th home-build. Ken and Sylvia have two children and one grandson.

View Former Featured Members

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