The Ponce Municipal Band (Spanish: Banda Municipal de Ponce), also known as Centenaria Banda Municipal de Ponce,Comunicado de Prensa. NOCHES DE GALERÍAS EN SEPTIEMBRE. Noticias Sur P.R. 29 August 2011. Accessed 12 April 2021. is the band of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The band is the oldest continuously performing band in the CaribbeanBanda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. Edward Zayas Torres. El Vocero. 14 March 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2012. and the oldest music group in Puerto Rico.Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades. Ponce Ciudad Museo 2001. 2001. p. 67. It has performed its open-air concerts for over 125 years. The current director is Juan García Germaín. It has 42 members between 25 and 83 years old.Edward Zayas Torres. Banda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. El Vocero. 14 March 2008. It operates within the jurisdiction of the Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural (English: Office of Cultural Development) of the autonomous municipality of Ponce. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 16 December 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011. Its headquarters are located at the Centro Integrado para el Fortalecimiento de las Artes Musicales, next to Teatro La Perla.Ponce: Mensaje del Presupuesto 2012-2013. Mayor Maria Melendez. Municipality of Ponce. Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Municipal Budget. Page 15. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
History
The history of the Ponce Municipal Band dates to its predecessor, the Ponce Firefighters' Band,Juan Morel Campos: un Beethoven boricua que antecedió a la salsa Fundación Nacional Para la Cultura Popular. 18 May 2007. a band that was already operational in 1859.Emilio Pasarell. Esculcando el Siglo XIX en Puerto Rico. Barcelona: M. Pareja. 1967. p.74. It was founded in September, 1883,Las fiestas populares de Ponce. By Ramón Marín. Page 24. by Juan Morel Campos.Edward Zayas Torres. Banda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. El Vocero. 14 March 2008. In 1953, the Band reorganized and was moved from an organization under the Ponce Firefighters Corps to an organization under the Ponce Municipal Government.Edward Zayas Torres. Banda Municipal de Ponce celebra 125 años. El Vocero. 14 March 2008. The directors of the band after its founder have been Domingo Cruz (Cocolia), Julio Alvarado, Emilio Alvarado, Eduardo Cuevas, Tomás Clavel, and Eustaquio Pujals. The current director is Juan B. García Germaín.Velada excepcional en el Panteón Nacional: El concierto de este jueves será dirigido por el profesor Juan García Germain. Ponce, Puerto Rico. La Perla del Sur. Year 35. Issue 1822. Page 16. 31 October 2018. Accessed 31 October 2018. Band master Julio Alvarado was the director of the band at the time of its 1953 reorganization. Gregorio Ledesma was the band conductor in 1859.Louis Moreau Gottschalk. S. Frederick Starr. Page 267.
In late 2010, the Ponce Municipal Government provided the Band its own location for its rehearsals. Retrieved March 26, 2010. The new location is next to the legendary Teatro La Perla at a structure named Centro Integrado para el Fortalecimiento de las Artes Musicales (Integrated Center for the Development of the Musical Arts).
Concerts
The Band originally celebrated its concerts from a since-removed second floor stage at Parque de Bombas.Imagen Ponce: Public and Private Interest in the Design of a Free Zone within the Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Hermann Ferre III. Department of Architecture, MIT. June 1989. Page 38. Photo. Retrieved 25 November 2009. It then performed from Paseo Antonio Arias (formerly, Paseo Amor),Comunicado de Prensa. NOCHES DE GALERÍAS EN SEPTIEMBRE. Noticias Sur P.R. 29 August 2011. Accessed 12 April 2021. and has also performed from Concha Acústica de Ponce and Paseo Tablado La Guancha. It also performed from the Dora Colón Clavell Urban ParkHarry S. Pariser. Explore Puerto Rico. Page 250. for some time, and it is currently performing from a removable stage at front of the Ponce City Hall.Visita Ponce. Concerts are every Sunday evening. In September, 2011, the Band adopted a new venue philosophy called Retretas en la Comunidad, whereby it started to bring its stage to the various communities of Ponce. 9 September 2011. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
Directors and their terms As "Banda del Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos de Ponce":The Ponce Municipal Band. Travel-Ponce. Accessed 2 May 2016. Juan Morel Campos (1883–1886)–(1893–1896) Eduardo Cuevas (1896? - 1900?)Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico. Domingo Cruz ("Cocolia") (ca.1900–1916)Don Domingo Cruz (Cocolia). Museo del Parque de Bombas de Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. March 2, 2011. Eustaquio Pujals (ca. 1916–1924)Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico. Tomás Clavell (ca. 1924Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico. - 1928Museo Parque de Bombas. Primer Piso. Sala de Exhibicion. "Cronologia del Cuerpo de Bomberos Municipal de Ponce." Hoja 4. Año 1924. Accessed 2 Marzo 2011.) As "Banda Municipal de Ponce":The Ponce Municipal Band. Travel-Ponce. Accessed 2 May 2016. Julio Alvarado (1929-1953?)Arturo Pasarell y La Sinfonica: Pilares del Renacer Musical Ponceño. Nestor Murray Irizarry. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 35. Issue 1792. 4 to 10 April 2018. Page 8. Accessed 4 April 2018.Julio Alvarado: Biografía. Asociacion de Autores, Compositores y Editores de Música Latino Americana (ACEMLA). Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Autores, Compositores y Editores de Música, (SPACEM). San Juan, Puerto Rico. Accessed 12 April 2025. Archived. Julio Alvarado Tricoche (1953–1970)Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico.¿Quien es Don Julio Alvarado Tricoche?. Biblioteca Elemental Julio Alvarado Tricoche - Ponce. 2016. Accessed 2 May 2016 Emilio Alvarado (1970 - 1978?)Luis Fortuño Janeiro. "Album Historico de Ponce (1692-1963)". Page 38. 1963. Imprenta Fortuño Ponce, Puerto Rico.Julito Alvarado. Fundacion Nacional para la Cultura Popular. Accessed 3 May 2016. Luis Osvaldo Pino Valdivieso (1978–2001)Ordenanza Numero 32 (Serie 2010-2011): Para Autorizar a la Alcaldesa de Ponce, Hon. Maria Melendez Altieri Designar Al Edificio Anexo Al Teatro La Perla de Ponce con el Nombre de "Centro Integrado Para el Fortalecimiento de las Artes Musicales Luis Osvaldo Pino Valdivieso". Legislatura Municipal. Ponce Municipal Government. 7 December 2010. Accessed 2 May 2016. Jorge Figueroa (2001 - 2003?)The Ponce Municipal Band. Travel-Ponce. 2016. Accessed 2 May 2016. Rubén Colón Tarrats (2003 - 2013)Se despide Rubén Colón Tarrats. Reinaldo Millán. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 November 2013. Year 31. (Note: The printed version mistakenly states "Año 32/Year 32") Issue 1562. Page 23. Retrieved 6 November 2013. Juan García Germaín - (2014 - Incumbent.)Velada excepcional en el Panteón Nacional: El concierto de este jueves será dirigido por el profesor Juan García Germain. Ponce, Puerto Rico. La Perla del Sur. Year 35. Issue 1822. Page 16. 31 October 2018. Accessed 31 October 2018.
Current members As of March 2011, the Ponce Municipal Band had 42 members as follows:"La Retreta: Banda Municipal de Ponce", brochure. Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Office of Cultural Development. March 2010. Flute Carlos Torres, Marines Aviles, Jose Rentas Clarinet Ada I. Rodriguez, Ricardo Velazquez, Julio Alvarado, Ramon Galindo, Juan Garcia, Estrella Cruz, Feliz Varela, Hector Lopez de Victoria, Cynthia Rodriguez, Nilda Cruz, Guillermo Silvagnoli, Edanette Tirado Saxophone Leslie Pagan, Moises Ortiz, Jorge L. Torres, Jose P. Santiago, Jose R. Santiago Bassoon Jesus Acevedo Trumpet Jose M. Ruiz, Jose Quiñones, Victor Caquias, Edgardo Ruiz, Elder Arroyo, Victor Rodriguez Horn Hector I. Maldonado, Felipe Gonzalez, Rohel Ortiz, Orlando Zayas Trombone David Perez, Israel Negron, Irving Gonzalez Euphonium Angel Santos, Lester Perez Cancel Tuba Lester Perez Flores, Arnaldo Tarrio Percussion Dimas Rodriguez, Luis M. Valentin, Sergio Gonzalez, Jose Alvarado
References
External links Luciano Quiñones Photo Album Orchestra 'La Lira Ponceña' 2007 Danza Week Banda Municipal at Travel-Ponce