“Sounds of Dreams” was an apt theme for the Brown County Community Band’s concert last month, because in the audience sat the man who had dreamed up the band 20 years ago.
Chet Kylander was a surprise honoree at the June 22 concert at the Brown County Playhouse.
In 1999, Kylander placed an ad in the Brown County Democrat asking “all music men, women and children” to come out and be a part of a Brown County Community Band.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Only six people showed up at the first meeting that fall, plus members of the German band Kylander had started in the ‘80s. But that group soon grew to 24 musicians, according to the program for this anniversary concert.
Kylander was relentless about recruiting.
“He’d ask, ‘Hey — do you play an instrument?’” read the piece about him in the program. “The response was generally along the lines of, ‘Well, I used to back in high school, but I haven’t played for years!’ Chet would smile, get that twinkle in his eye, and say, ‘You should come be a part of the band! Playing an instrument is like riding a bike. It just comes back to you.’
“… And before that poor, unsuspecting community member would know what had happened, he or she would be the newest Brown County Community Band recruit.”
Alumni of the band were encouraged to come and be recognized at the June 22 show.
“If it wasn’t for Mr. Kylander, we probably wouldn’t have this group here tonight,” said alumnus Bob Kirlin from stage.
“The community owes Chet a lot.”
Kylander, a Brown County resident since 1971, has a history of taking initiative when he saw a community need.
He volunteered as a Scout Cubmaster when his son’s troop needed one.
He founded the Trevlac Volunteer Fire Department, which later moved to Helmsburg and is now known as the Jackson Township Fire Department.
He and his fellow volunteers trained as medical first responders, then Kylander went on to become an emergency medical trainer. He later won the contract to operate the county’s ambulance service. He only stepped away when he became concerned about his ability to physically do the work, Kylander told The Democrat in 2016.
“If something needed to be done, as a citizen of the area, I thought it was my responsibility to do my part,” he said.
Kylander, accompanied by his family, accepted a standing ovation and a Lawrence Family Glassblowers creation at the concert with a plaque that read: “To our leader of the band, Chet Kylander.”
He likely would have been on stage playing his tuba were it not for a stroke he suffered two years ago, which left him unable to play an instrument.
“But (he) continues to integrate music into his life as much as he can, still singing lines from songs in daily conversations and interactions,” the concert program read, “still with that twinkle in his bright blue eyes.”
