Richmond Concert Band is honored to have such a distinguished and able a music director as Dr. Mark Poland. His musical expertise enriches the band in many ways. His conducting skills, music selection, and guidance have helped forge our image in the musical community and in the community at large for more than 25 years.
Dr. Poland envisioned and created Musical Mondays at Maymont, a
community band festival that includes all of Richmond’s different
unable to have an instrument
to study music. Last year alone, the band was able to donate over 80
instruments to the City School System. Dr. Poland will lead the band,
this year, in its twelfth Band Together for Children concert, raising
funds to support charities benefiting local children.
Mark W. Poland has been conductor of the Richmond Concert Band since 1979. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from The College of William and Mary, a Master of Science degree from Virginia State College and a Doctor of Education degree from William and Mary. Dr. Poland has been a junior high and high school band director, and has served as guest conductor and adjudicator at various events. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity.
During his years as director of the Richmond Concert Band, Dr. Poland has given of himself both to the band and to the community. In his more than 30 years of service, he has rarely missed even one or more than one rehearsal per year. Reaching out, he has established such a rapport with the community that the band has been invited to perform for a cheering crowd of 50,000 each year at the annual July 4th celebration at Dogwood Dell, where in 2004 Mayor Rudolph C. McCullom proclaimed July 4th as Mark W. Poland Day in Richmond.
Mark W. Poland has made the band more than just a bit of community band
entertainment. It is truly a gift to the city, his gift, reaching out
in many ways to touch the heart, the soul, and the ears of everyone who
has the fortune to witness his leadership.
community bands, which is holding its twelfth season this year.
He
conceived and formed Old Instruments for Young Hands, a program
where the band collects donated no-longer-used instruments and presents
them to the Richmond City Public Schools. These instruments are then
loaned to children who otherwise would be