The Kittanning Firemen’s Band practiced yesterday for their big gig this coming weekend in Penn Hills.
The Kittanning Firemen’s Band spent a warm Sunday afternoon yesterday prepping for a competition this coming weekend at the Pennsylvania Volunteer Firemen’s Association State Convention.
The Convention this year is being held in Penn Hills, less than an hour away. Josh Julius said the band enters the competition with another fire department from Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia).
“It’s the culmination of our entire summer that ends with this parade. We practiced all summer just to perform well enough to compete and win at this parade. There are bands from all over the state that show up to compete against us. We look forward to that kind of competition.”
In the past 60 years, the band has often taken first place in their division at the parade.
Julius explained the relationship between the Kittanning Firemen’s Band and Sharon Hill.
“We’re their musical accompaniment. So they have their firefighters march. They usually have three or four trucks. Sometimes their Ladies Auxiliary marches also. Each individual part gets judged on its own, and then the entire unit as a whole. So Kittanning Firemen’s Band, the firefighters, the auxiliary, and each truck altogether as a unit get judged also.”
As the Band practiced in the Fourth Ward parking lot, there were many special maneuvers not seen in regular performances.
“We only do this particular maneuver one time a year with them. We take our normal block formation and we split it in half to flank each side of the road. Then we face center and play a song towards them as they march through the band flanking them. Then the Band forms back up, they go off to the side of the road, and then we march through them, playing “In Heaven There is No Beer. It’s kinda like the end of the end of summer for us. It’s the last time we play any song that summer as a unit on the street and it’s the last thing they do for their summer also.”
For Julius, who has been with the band since he was 16, said it is a brotherhood of musicians.
“I love these guys. I have known them over half my life. It’s literally a group of my brothers and uncles. Some of the guys are older than my parents and some of them are like sons - 16 or 17 years old - but we all come together and play music for the love of playing music. To have a group of guys that feel that strongly about it is pretty rare.”
The pride of the Band can be seen with every step.
“We are representing this community. We are representing our families, because most of our families live in this community. Putting your best foot forward at all times is the most important thing to represent Armstrong County, and Kittanning in particular. We don’t just have guys from Kittanning. I don’t live in Kittanning - I’m from Rural Valley. There are guys that live in Armstrong County but outside the city. So we are representing this area. Any time we can do that, it’s pretty important to put that best effort in.”
Julius said there is a resurgence of the band with 9 new members - most from Armstrong High School. He is impressed with their commitment.
“It’s easy to go play in a garage with a guitar, but it’s really hard to pick up a wind instrument and be accountable with men. Some of these guys don’t even have driver’s license yet, and we are expecting them to behave like a man when they are with us.”
Julius said the biggest expenses come from refurbishing instruments and travel. Occasionally, they receive grants, but mostly their revenue comes from honorariums when they play at events.
If anyone is interested in joining the band or making a donation, visit the website at kfband.com.
The Kittanning Firemen’s Band has won numerous first place awards over the years they have been performing at the Pennsylvania Volunteer Firemen’s Association State Convention Parade.