He reached out to young people, too, holding a series of public concerts in conjunction with area schools. The members include students, teachers, professional musicians, and people from all walks of life. All play for love of music, because there is no remuneration for individual members. The Band's concert honoraria are paid by the sponsoring organization or grants. Rather than competing with other local musical groups, such as the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, Williamsport Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Scottish Rite Imperial Teteque Band, and the excellent programs in our county's schools, the Repasz Band supports and benefits from them.
Many members play in more than one organization, and groups arrange schedules to avoid conflicts.
This is another of the Band's outreach efforts to raise awareness in the community of our organization and to continue to recruit new members. Earl Williams was honored in 1988 for half a century with the Band, the tenth such member to be recognized since 1960. Ironically, he instituted the award 28 years ago. Having been with the Band for a third of its long life, Williams has become its unofficial historian. Hazel also composed more than 70 pieces of music, and directed the Repasz Band in a performance for his close friend, John Philip Sousa, that won the master's praise.