Celebrating 135 Years of Claremont American Band History

By Mary Carter
EAGLE TIMES CORRESPONDENT
CLAREMONT, N.H. — Take a stroll downtown on any Thursday night in summer and the sounds of music will lure you toward Broad Street Park.

You may be amazed by the talented musicians performing in the bandstand. You may be even more amazed to learn that the American Band has been a Claremont treasure since the late 1800s.

The Cornet Band was a fixture in Claremont, mentioned as early as the 1850s. Mergers with other bands and name changes happened along the way.

In the Dec. 15, 1888, edition of the National Eagle, it was noted that Claremont’s Brass Band would soon be offering an oyster supper and dance at the town hall. The receipts would go toward purchasing new instruments which were “greatly in need.” By January of 1889, a new name was decided for the group. Because they were no longer solely military or brass, they would be known as the American Band.

By the spring of 1889, the American Band, with a membership of 23, advertised its availability for hire. Summer concerts were offered in the park under the direction of Claremont’s Arthur F. Nevers. The band was engaged for parades, ball games and outings at Sunapee Harbor. They also performed benefit concerts, such as they did for Mr. Jenkins, when his North Street home was lost in a fire. In 1890, the American Band reported total expenses of $1,490 for instruments, uniforms and band leaders, $643 of which band members contributed themselves.

Nevers, a cornetist, would go on to conduct Nevers’ Second Regiment Band in Concord, N.H., for an astonishing 56 years. Like the American Band, Nevers’ Band is still in operation today.

In Claremont, the American Band continued to entertain audiences in the park. In 1906 and 1911, John Philip Sousa, composer of marches such as “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” led a few performances.

During World War II, female musicians stepped in to cover for Claremont’s men at war. A lead trumpet player from Windsor, Vt., was one such woman. Her son, Ed Evensen, is now the band’s director.

Beginning on trumpet, Evensen studied clarinet in the sixth grade. A year later, he joined the Claremont American Band. Evensen recalls rehearsing summers on the third floor of the old VFW, where it felt like it was “150 degrees.” Performances were held in Broad Street Park’s older bandstand, which stood where the military memorial is now.

Becoming a music teacher after college, Evensen dedicated his talents to less fortunate towns where promising young musicians could be encouraged. Over the years, he also played a variety of instruments in many local bands. Evensen has conducted the Claremont American Band, with a few gaps, since 1968, which puts him in fine company with Arthur Nevers’ 56 years of service.

At Thursday’s event, Evensen’s family was present, performing and, for one number, conducting. Other talented band members included local business owners, artists and students from Stevens and Newport high schools. The eldest musician, “and not by much,” Evensen said with a smile, is 83.

A Claremont Parks and Recreation program, performances by the American Band are from 7 to 8 p.m., Thursdays in Broad Street Park (or inside the Claremont Opera House if the weather is inclement) through Aug. 22. Concerts are free. So bring a lawn chair and settle in for some entertainment on a fine summer night.