Getting the band back together: Iberia Community Band starting from scratch

Published 3:00 am Saturday, September 3, 2022

The Iberia Community Band were forced to shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic, but now that normalcy is returning to the Teche Area band members are excited to once again start from the ground up.

President of the Iberia Community Band Martha Bryant said the group of about 20 members or so are working to reestablish themselves in the community, and for the first time since the pandemic the group will be rehearsing at Westgate High School starting in mid-September.

“We want to build an awareness in the community that we exist,” Bryant said. “Most of us are musicians by hobby and we want to give back to the community.”

The Iberia Community Band first formed in 1987 by two members, Tim Farnsworth and Tony Atkins. Atkins had participated in bands in Lake Charles and when he moved to Iberia Parish decided to start a similar group here.

Local residents had been recruited through the years, and for a long time the Iberia Community Band held rehearsals near Paul’s Flower Shop in downtown New Iberia.

“We started very small, but it grew and we had a lot of community support,” Bryant said. “The number of people eventually started to wane to the point where we’re down to just the core group.”

Bryant said the community band has had support from local middle and high schools, and many students “have added a lot over the years” to give expression to a different type of music.

Now that the band is getting back together, Bryant said the group is interested in having any local musicians as well as middle and high school students interested in taking part in the Iberia Community Band reach out and join the group’s activities.

“We’re starting from scratch and working with a lot of community organizations to spread awareness that we’re here and we want to help the community,” Bryant said.

Those interested in participating in the Iberia Community Band can call Bryant at 280-9401 or by e-mail at bryant.martha@gmail.com.