Dodworth Saxhorn Band to take Monroe audience back to 19th century Sept. 30 at RRCA

A tuba played at President Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration will be part of the Dodworth Saxhorn Band's Monroe performance on Saturday, Sept. 30.

"We will feature a tuba solo on an instrument gifted to us by the United States Marine Band. It was used at President Lincoln's inauguration," said Monroe's Mark Felder, director/conductor of the replica 19th-century brass band.

The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St. Tickets are $20 at the door and $23 online. For tickets, call 734-242-7722, stop by the theater or visit riverraisincentre.org .

Felder has been with the band for about 10 years. He also is conductor of the College/Community Symphony Band at Monroe County Community College.

The 18-member Ann Arbor-based Dodworth Saxhorn Band also features Mark Wellman from Monroe County, who plays the horn.

"Most of our (other) players are from the Ann Arbor area," Felder said.

Members wear 19th century-inspired attire and recreate the music of the mid-19th century, when towns had community brass bands. They play only vintage brass and percussion instruments, like the "Lincoln Brass."

"All of our instruments are vintage, made prior to 1885. I believe (the audience) will be fascinated by the antique instruments. They are not used on a regular basis, as they are pitched much higher than current instruments," Felder said. "We will discuss with the audience where we get our instruments."

The band and its singer/actors also present stories from the Civil War and related social and political issues, such as women's roles, temperance and North versus South.

The Monroe performance will have four segments: Two Brothers, Maritime, Temperance and Baseball.

"Those are themes for the four stories we will be telling. There are several songs within those stories," Felder said. "I think the Monroe audience will really enjoy this event. It is not just a concert, but a trip through history."

The Dodworth Saxhorn Band began in 1985 and has played at prestigious venues, including the White House during President Bill Clinton's administration.

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"Unfortunately, I was not part of the band when it played at the White House," Felder said. "It was part of the Ken Burns documentary on baseball and 'The Roosevelts: An Intimate History.' We have provided music for several of the Ken Burns documentaries. We play regularly at Greenfield Village. We've played many times in Gettysburg. We tour many places around the country."

The Dodworth Saxhorn Band library features more than 400 arrangements. The band is modeled after the Dodworth Band of New York City, a renowned brass band in the U.S. from the 1840s to the 1880s.

For more information, visit dodworth.org , Dodworth Saxhorn Band on Facebook , @dodworthband on X, formerly Twitter, and dodworthsaxhornband on Flicker.

If you go

WHAT: Dodworth Saxhorn Band performance

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30

WHERE: River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St.

TICKETS: $20 at the door and $23 online. For tickets, call 734-242-7722, stop by the theater or visit riverraisincentre.org

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Dodworth Saxhorn Band to take Monroe audience back to 19th century