The West Jordan Community Band has been bringing people together through the joy of music for more than 30 years. While several directors have led the band, it’s now under the direction of Erik Wieben and Brandon Larsen who have conducted the nearly 100-member group since 2023. 

“It’s a unique situation that we have an ensemble that’s as strong as ours is,” Larsen said. “Any investment in the arts in West Jordan is worth it and that’s why this ensemble is pretty incredible. I’m really excited about the level of music. Several band members are music educators from Jordan School District and other districts in the county. Wieben is the band and orchestra director at Sunset Ridge Middle School and Larsen directed bands at Herriman, Fremont and Grantsville high schools before taking the job as an assistant principal at Elk Ridge Middle School. 

Larsen said the band provides an outlet, away from the daily grind, where people can disconnect from stressful situations and plug into the energy of live music. The musicians’ talent and dedication have helped the band grow since its inception in 1991. 

Sarah Wright’s grandfather gave her a saxophone when she was 8 years old, and she’s been playing ever since. Now, Wright works as a music teacher at Fox Hills Elementary in the Granite School District. She saw a flyer about the West Jordan Community Band and decided to sign up.

“It’s a lovely place to come and hang out with like-minded people and make music,” Wright said. “Music doesn’t judge you. Music makes you feel something that nothing else does…If you play by yourself, it’s fine, but when you play with the group and you make harmonies together, I mean, you can feel it.”

Funded partially through the Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts and Parks program, the volunteer-based band holds five concerts each year. The Winter Concert, held Feb. 22 at the Viridian Event Center featured four pieces including “Radioactive Brilliance,” a song composed by band member Kalysha Chandler as a dedication to Marie Curie, the Polish-born physicist who spent her life researching radioactivity. 

Chandler’s piece featured dissonant moments symbolizing the negative side effects of Curie’s work in the scientific community, the difficulties she faced in her career and the resulting health issues. 

“Midway through the piece, I feature the French horns. I felt that the French horn was the instrument that best captured the essence of Marie Curie’s life,” Chandler said. “Marie Curie was an intelligent and driven woman with a conviction to stand her ground when needed. The French horn embodies these qualities.”

Larsen calls the band’s performances “dad concerts” because they only last about 30 minutes; not too long, but long enough to leave the audience wanting more. The next concert will be held at the Viridian Event Center (8030 S. 1825 West) on Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m. All concerts are free to the public. 

“A community band is the epitome of community,” Larsen said. “There are 100 people who live in our communities who come every Thursday night to rehearse and make music together with their friends. It’s been fun to watch that grow and develop.”

For information about joining the band, or for upcoming performances, visit Westjordancommunityband.com.

“These bands are important because, since it’s free, more people will come and be exposed to classical music or interesting music that they normally wouldn’t hear, because the symphony can be expensive,” Wright said. “But if people get a taste for it here, I think they might be more willing to go and listen to more classical music.” λ