About Carlisle Town Band
Who We are
The Carlisle Town Band members come from Carlisle and the surrounding areas. The ensemble with members who range from teens to senior citizens include: music educators, teachers, business people, doctors, nurses, engineers, college students and high school students - basically members from all walks of life!
New members are always welcome and any musician may join. There are no auditions or fees. Many members had not played their instrument in years but. through involvement in the organization, they have rediscovered the enjoyment of playing in a fully instrumented concert band.
The band's repertiore includes Patriotic music, marches, broadway, movie show tunes, polkas, waltzes, overtures, old time songs, comedy numbers-- there's something for everyone!
Members of the band are all volunteers and come from a multitude of different occupations. The Carlisle Band has a strong sense of community purpose and provides musical entertainment at community events. Admission is always free.
In particular, The Carlisle Town Band performs at retirement centers and nursing homes bringing musical entertainment to this special audience.
Dave Rohrer, Band Director
Dave received the Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from Susquehanna University, the Master of Music in Music Education degree from West Chester University, and Supervisory Certification in Music from Millersville University. His thirty-six year career as a public school music educator included six years in the East Pennsboro Area School District as Band Director and instrumental music teacher at all levels and his final thirty years in the Carlisle Area School District where he was the Band Director and Music Department Supervisor with teaching responsibilities including the Concert and Symphonic Bands, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, and Music Theory. Since retiring in 2012, Dave has been an Adjunct Music Instructor at Messiah University where he teaches Brass Methods class and supervises student teachers in music. He has also been an adjunct faculty member at Gettysburg College and has served as the Interim Director for the Susquehanna University Symphonic Band during the fall semesters of 2014 and 2022.
Dave has an extensive background in drum and bugle corps and is a past horn-line instructor for the Harrisburg (PA) Westshoremen Senior Drum and Bugle Corps, the Westshoremen Alumni Corps, the U.S. Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Bluecoats Junior Drum and Bugle Corps (Canton, Ohio). In addition, he has served as the Band Director for the Pennsylvania American Legion Keystone Boys State, the Pennsylvania State Lions Marching Band, and has been a past Guest Conductor for the West Shore School District’s High School Honors Band, the 2001 and 2013 Grand Sousa Concert, Susquehanna University’s 2013 High School Honors Band, and has performed with the Greater Harrisburg Concert Band. During the summer of 2022, Dave was a brass instructor for the Bluecoats Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, a four hundred forty member alumni corps assembled to recognize the 50th Anniversary of the Bluecoats. The alumni corps was honored to perform in exhibition at the 2022 DCI Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. Dave also served as Guest Conductor for the Spires Brass Band (Frederick, MD) March through June, 2023.
Dave is currently the PMEA District 7 Retiree Representative and is a past recipient of the PMEA District 7 Citation of Excellence and the PMEA District 7 Rodney S. Miller Distinguished Service Award. In 2020, he was honored to be inducted into the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s Hall of Fame.
Band Officers, 2006. Front Row (Left to Right): Reinhard Beel, Don Roeder, Marge Creasy, Joyce Shatto, Second Row: Ted Cramer, Jim Shufelt, Bob Loy, John McHugh, Buz Taylor
2023 Officers
Director: Dave Rohrer
President: Jim Shufelt
Vice President: John Fritz
Secretary: Ted Cramer
Treasurer: Reinhard Beel
Librarian: Sheri Snyder
Program: Manager John McHugh
Webmaster: Cecelia Guttendorf
Public Relations: Cecelia Guttendorf
TRUSTEES
Al Trapani
Veronica Ebert
Karin Apgar
Web Management donated by Mike Macchioni at The Web Experience, Hershey, PA
The Carlisle Brass Band
The Carlisle Brass Band, a recent outgrowth of the Town Band, is under the direction of David Knott.
Learn more about the Brass Band here!