The St. Petersburg Community Band was founded in 1975, and we are still going strong. We are a registered non-profit
organization of 75-plus volunteer musicians of all ages. We play a wide variety of music from Blues to Big Band,
Classical to Sousa, and just about everything in-between.
We are supported by donations or sponsorships. We purchase music or large instruments with donations.
However, we play for many local activities at no charge, such as the Special Olympics, Sheriff’s Youth Ranch and the
Veterans Administration Hospital. We also play for the city of St. Petersburg Christmas Tree Lighting, many large retirement
homes and churches throughout the community.
Want to join the band? Send us a note and let us know! Click here for details or send an e-mail to president@stpeteband.com.
We normally rehearse on Monday evenings at 7pm September through May.
Joe Berkowitz, founder, created the St. Petersburg Community Band on January 15, 1975. The band was under the direction of Paul Nicholson,
who was then the band director at St. Petersburg High School. The Band used the Band Room at St. Petersburg High School and their music
until 1976 when Mr. Nicholson unfortunately could no longer devote the time. Dr. George Westcott, a member of the band and former director
of music at Eastern Illinois University for 25 years, led the band for the next 10 years using facilities at Boca Ciega High School.
In 1988 Dr. Westcott gave up conducting and Don MacTavish, director of the Festival of States took over the baton for six years. Mr. Don MacTavish
was transferred to Orlando in 1994 and Rob Romeyn became the director. Rob who is a writer and arranger directed the Band until 2013, with
one year off to get his Master’s Degree. Larry Patterson directed during the interim.
In 2013 after directing the band for approximately 18 years, Rob wanted to devote more time to his writing and arranging and he turned the
baton over to Dr. John Bannon, Principle Timpanist of The Florida Orchestra.
The Band plays approximately 18 concerts a year, playing for Special Olympics, Bay Pines VA Hospital, Sheriff’s Youth Ranch, St. Petersburg
Christmas Tree Lighting, Festival of Community Bands and many Condominiums and Churches in the area. The current membership is approximately
90 members. The Band has non-profit status and is funded by donations of sponsors.
Bob Fritz, Band Historian, joined the band one week after it was founded and has been a member since 1975. He is very knowledgeable about our history.
The Band has grown in size so in 2015 we moved to Allendale Methodist Church, 3803 Haines Road, St. Petersburg, FL for rehearsals. Now in 2023 the band
has moved to the Riviera United Methodist Church, 75 62nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL.
We are appreciative to Riviera United Methodist Church for their hospitality and to Allendale Methodist Church in helping us find this new rehearsal location.