Eagles Community BandTM
The Eagles Band was founded in 1936 and is the oldest continuing performance ensemble in the Berkshires. The band was originally sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #358, but traces its roots to the 390th Field Artillery Band (1918). The 390th disbanded in the late 1920’s (there was no longer a need for a Field Artillery in the Berkshires) and many of its members formed the Pittsfield American Legion Band, which begat a “renegade” group that started rehearsing at the Eagles hall in 1936.
The FOE sponsorship ended when the Pittsfield Aerie folded in 1982. For 10 years, the band rehearsed without an official sponsor, moving from rehearsal space to rehearsal space and seeking co-sponsors for Music Performance Trust Fund money, as the band was a Musicians’ Union organization. Funding the band, attracting new members, and finding rehearsal and storage space became increasingly difficult with each passing year.
The early activities of the band included performing at Williams College (which the Legion group did in 1935 and which the Eagles took over in 1936, though not under the Eagles name until 1939), many state FOE band and parade competitions (in which our band took several “first prizes”), and concerts in all kinds of parks and events throughout the Berkshires.
Only during the summer seasons, though. Up until 1993, we were a “summers only” band. Also, many of our band’s musicians played send-offs and welcomes for our WWII soldiers at Union Station. When the end of the war seemed imminent, our musicians would bring their axes to work with them, waiting for the official announcement. When Victory (E & J) came, our guys played and partied in the streets with the rest of the city.
In 1993, the Eagles Band reorganized and made a decision to become a non-profit community band, in which performers donated their time for the love of playing, and which opened up new possibilities for funding the band. Mayor Reilly proclaimed the Eagles Band “the official band of the City of Pittsfield,” the band fundraised for new uniforms, new music and equipment such as music stands and percussion. The summer “Concerts in the Park” series was resurrected and has been taking place at Springside Park since 1994. Conductors Lyndon Moors, Dana Swanson and Neil Freebern, Bob Salzman and now Carl Jenkins provided musical direction which increased the band’s popularity with audiences and increased the membership from 12 musicians in 1993 to an average of 65 active members in 2024.
Recognizing that the full concert band of 65 members was too big for some venues, several smaller ensembles were formed: the Trombone Ensemble of 18-20 members, the Stage Band with 18 members, and the Brass Ensemble with 10-12 members. Even those groups are too big for some places, so the Eagles Brass Quintet was formed a few years ago to fit the smaller niche.
The Eagles Brass Ensemble has been around for over 30 years. Early on, it rehearsed and performed sporadically. Under the leadership of Deanna Fraher, the group has become a permanent ensemble in the organization and performs throughout Berkshire County and beyond.
David Diggs, Principal Conductor
Because of their love of the Berkshires, David and Grace moved to Pittsfield in July 2022 following his retirement from Lehigh University, where hr taught for 24 years. As Director of Bands, he was responsible for the three bands at Lehigh, directing the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, and supervising The Marching 97. In addition to conducting, he also taught harmony classes and oboe, and performed with the East Winds Quintet.
During his time at Lehigh, he began working with the bands of the Household Division (Wellington Barracks/Buckingham Palace) in 2001 as an historian, arranger, and oboist. His arrangements have been played at State events for Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and most recently for King Charles’ III Trooping the Colour (Birthday Parade) in 2023. With the Regimental Band of H.M Coldstream Guards, he developed a 5-CD set of the royal ceremonial music from 1785 through Queen Elizabeth’s II reign.
Prior to teaching at Lehigh, he had a career as an oboist and woodwind specialist in New York City performing regularly with the NYC Ballet Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the NYC Opera Orchestra, and in numerous Broadway shows as well as a guest artist on Saturday Night Live. He was also active in the commercial recording business, with many recordings for TV, films and commercials.
Conductor Emeritus
Carl Jenkins, Conductor Emeritus
Mr. Jenkins was the Principal Conductor of the Eagles Band from 2014 to 2025.
Carl Jenkins, conductor and oboist, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Montclair State University in New Jersey and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University. He has studied with oboists of the New Jersey Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and Humbert Lucarelli of New York City; and conducting with Malcolm Rowell of U. Mass and Larry Rachleff of Rice University. Mr. Jenkins was a member of the West Point Band. His orchestral experience has been with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, the Albany Symphony and he continues to perform as principal oboist with the Berkshire Symphony (a position he has held since 1973). He performs chamber and solo recitals frequently in the area. He is the Artist Associate of Oboe at Williams College. He was the founding conductor of the Williams College Symphonic Winds, directing the ensemble for nine years.
He was Director of Music and instrumental instructor at Drury High School. He was the conductor of the Drury High School Bands from 1976 – 2009. Mr. Jenkins was the recipient of the 2002 Lowell Mason Music Award and was the 2004 recipient of the “Distinguished Service Award for Music” in the state of Massachusetts. In 2009 he received the Western District Music Educator Award. He has served as double reed adjudicator for many music festivals throughout New England and recently was guest conductor at the Cohoes Music Festival.
Ensembles
Eagles Stage BandTM
Dr. James Stakenas, Conductor
Photo by John Starsja, Photographer
The Eagles Stage BandTM was founded by Dick Carmel in 2000. Dick, a self-taught, talented musician and arranger, lead the band from 2000 to May, 2015 when he retired. Under his leadership, the band built a large library of dance band era tunes as well as an appreciative audience in the area. Playing swing, ballads and other big band era favorites, the 18 piece Eagles Stage BandTM has regularly performed at senior centers around the county and for events such as Pittsfield’s Ethnic Fair and Third Thursdays. For many years it opened the Eagles Community BandTM concert at the Colonial on the first Friday of November. Dr. Stephen Sanborn, who performed with many dance and jazz bands in the area including the Berkshire Big Band, took over the leadership of the band following the retirement and subsequent passing of long-time leader Dick Carmel. Under Steve’s leadership, the Eagles Stage BandTM explored a wider variety of dance and jazz music while maintaining its primary focus of performing great music from the big band era. Dr. James Stakenas took on the role of conductor in the fall of 2018 and is currently working with the band to expand it’s musical repertoire and to reach a wider audience.
Eagles Brass EnsembleTM
Deanna Fraher, Conductor
Eagles Brass EnsembleTM
The Eagles Brass EnsembleTM, a part of the Eagles Concert Band that has been performing in the Berkshires since 1936, consists of brass players from the band and has, itself, been playing together for nearly 30 years. The group’s repertoire covers music from the classical era to modern day swing, jazz and contemporary arrangements. Members of the ensemble come from the area and include former music instructors, professional musicians and amateur musicians with a passion for playing brass repertoire.
An Eagles Brass QuintetTMt was introduced in 2022 to fulfill smaller venue requirements and has performed for commencement at Simon’s Rock College in Great Barrignton and for other intimate settings for events such as Holiday concerts.
Eagles Trombone EnsembleTM
Mike Oft, Director
The Eagles Trombone EnsembleTM, under the direction of Mike Oft, was established in 2012 and has appeared as the opening act for the Eagles Community BandTM, at the Great Barrington Bandstand Concert Series, Third Thursdays in Pittsfield, Sundays @ Four Concert Series in Dalton, the Rhubarb Festival in Lenox, in the lobby of the Colonial Theatre as a prelude to the annual Eagles Community BandTM concert there, at the Adams Free Library’s annual holiday concert and many other locations throughout the Berkshires and Eastern New York.
Members include professional trombonists, music educators, and music majors. We are proud to have Ron Barron, retired Principal Trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as lead trombone.