Douglas L. Osborne Retires as Conductor

Douglas “Doug” Osborne has been an active member of Nevers’ Band since high school.  Doug played clarinet when he first joined the band and “apprenticed” under Paul Giles, solo clarinetist.  Doug was fortunate to have family members playing with him in the late 1970’s. His brother Dean and sister in law, Martha Evans Osborne also played clarinet in the band.

Doug has been the band’s “unofficial interim conductor” filling in during conductor absences for both Paul Giles and Jiffi Rainie.  Doug stepped up to the podium and became conductor, in his own right, from 1985 – 1989.  He filled in as interim conductor once again during the 2001 season and more recently from 2003 until 2008.

Doug has also held many offices on the Nevers’ Band executive board such as Secretary and Treasurer and additionally is a current member of the Conductor Search Committee.  In addition to being an active member of the executive board of the American Federation of Musicians Local #374, Doug has served many years on the board of directors and as President of the Concord Music Club.

Doug has had a distinguished 30 year career in music education where he spent the bulk of his time in the Merrimack Valley School District.  He holds a B.A. and Masters Degree in Music Education as well as degrees in public school and business administration.

During his “retirement”, Doug has returned to real estate sales with the Masiello Wiita Family/Con Corp Group and has been a long term substitute music teacher in Northwood, NH.  Doug also enjoys gardening, spending time with family and traveling with fiancée Donna Howland.

We cannot thank Doug enough for his tireless work over the past decades.  Recently, band members have joked that Doug has literally become,”the glue that holds the band together.” Many thanks to Doug for all he has done and continues to do for Nevers’ Band.

Nevers Band Remembers Bill Fifield

Long time Nevers’ Band member William “Bill” Fifield passed away last fall on October 21, 2008.

Bill served our country as a sergeant in the Marines and he fought in WW II and the Korean War.  Bill worked for the railroad for several years and then went on to work for Dictaphone Corporation for 30 years.  Bill was an avid sportsman, fisherman and hunter and when he wasn’t playing  Nevers’ Band  concerts, he could be found fishing most lakes and ponds or hunting across the state.

Bill played trombone and baritone with the band for over 40 years. He studied at the New England Conservatory in his early years and later played with many area bands such as the Freese Brothers Big Band and the 39th Alumni Army Band out of Manchester.   Bill retired from Nevers’ Band in 2002 allowing him the time to pursue his sporting interests.  We thank Bill’s  wife Jeanette and son Mark for allowing him to spend all those evenings away from home as he played Nevers’ Band concerts for over 40 years!

In 1905, the forerunner of today’s Nevers' Band, marched in the welcome parade which wound its way through Portsmouth's streets among decorated buildings, gun salutes, enthusiastic U.S. dignitaries and masses of cheering citizens. Portsmouth set the scene to host the Russian and Japanese delegations as they began the month long process of crafting the Treaty of Portsmouth, thus ending the 1904 war between the two nations.

Nevers’ Band performed, this past September in Portsmouth NH, celebrating the 100th anniversary of this historic event. The Band performed in the morning at the South Church for the "Service of Peace"; again at 12:00 noon for the Wentworth by the Sea’s Centennial Brunch and finally at 3:00pm, where they presented a concert of popular 1905 music at the Christ Episcopal Church on Lafayette Road. Rich Spicer, former Nevers’ conductor and Peace Treaty music historian, presented accompanying narrations explaining the importance of music throughout the peace process.

The Band has a long and distinguished history in New Hampshire. The beginnings of the band can be traced back to the last half of the 1800's when the majority of its members were associated with the 2nd Regiment of the NH National Guard. It is this National Guard organization that marched in the Peace Treaty parade in 1904. It is also believed that prior to it’s National Guard involvement, certain band members are linked to the 3rd Regt. NH Volunteers, which served in at Hilton Head, South Carolina during the Civil War.

Some of the band’s other historic NH performances include, playing for the dedication of the battleship USS Alabama, turn of the century political rallies, State Fairs, Dartmouth College Commencements, the dedication of the original Tramway and its replacement, the Tram II at Cannon Mountain. In 1981 a prominent Japanese film company invited the band to play for their "docu-drama" recreating the Peace Treaty signing called "Flags Over Portsmouth."

This past summer, the Band was pleased to perform at the Franconia Notch State Park. The concert concluded the summer long concert series, sponsored by the General Federation of Women’s clubs and supported The Old Man of the Mountain Legacy Fund.