Conductor Sharon Still steps down from Rehoboth Concert Band podium

Sharon Still, the Rehoboth Concert Band’s founding music director, stepped down from the podium for the last time at the recent winter concert of the ensemble she co-created with founding Executive Director Kay Creech.

As the snare player held a sustained drumroll, Still was reluctant to give the final downbeat. She turned to the Holiday Peace audience while musicians watched her baton with anticipation and said, “I’m not ready for this last note. Give me a minute.” As she finally gave the downbeat for the final chord, the audience burst into applause and was soon on its feet, showing appreciation and love for Still and the immeasurable contribution she has made to the beach community in creating Rehoboth’s own concert band.

Still retired to Delaware in June 2012, having served as a school band director for more than 35 years in Virginia. She had participated in a variety of musical ensembles, either conducting or playing trombone. When she moved to Rehoboth, she noticed one thing lacking – a local community concert band. With Still’s musical expertise and Creech’s background in business, they decided to find out if anyone else was interested in forming a band.

They submitted information to the Cape Gazette, and a short article appeared in the paper Aug. 24, 2012, announcing the planned formation of a concert band and inviting musicians of all ages and skill levels to email Still if interested.

One recently retired transplant who read the invitation with interest was Gail Hecky. “My saxophone skills lay dormant since 1974. How thrilled I was when word came to me shortly after my move to Rehoboth Beach in 2012 that a concert band was starting up, open to the community,” she said. With encouragement and help from Still, Hecky purchased an instrument and became a charter member of the band. “With the creation of the Rehoboth Concert Band, Sharon enabled me to fulfill a longtime dream about playing my saxophone during my retirement years. Her leadership allowed me to experience the rewards of improving my skills and enriching the lives of others by sharing our music. My life has been enriched immeasurably,” she said.

From the band’s inception, Still has led a menagerie of musicians, from those returning to playing after years away from it, like Hecky, to teenage students, to professional musicians and everything in between. Eleven full seasons later, Still has built Rehoboth Concert Band from a fledgling group of 14 into a strong, cohesive ensemble of 60 members.

Under her leadership, RCB has remained true to its mission to provide area instrumentalists with opportunities to make beautiful music while enriching community life.

Neil Beahan, a retired music educator, school principal and longtime RCB member, said, “To put it frankly, without Sharon Still and Kay Creech, there would be no Rehoboth Concert Band. To have the foresight and courage to take that leap of faith, get the band started and develop resources that nurtured a consistently fine presentation level took great perseverance. The band has fulfilled my own need for a musical outlet, as well as for musicians of all ages and skill levels.”

Michelle Peeling, an English teacher at Indian River High School and a clarinet player, said, “There are so many memorable things about Sharon. I loved when she said, ‘I know the music says fff, but there is no such thing.’ I’ve played under many conductors, but never under the same one for over a decade. Sharon approached each rehearsal professionally, and prepared us for each concert that made us and the community proud.”

Still is known by RCB members and their appreciative audiences for choosing programs that are entertaining, enriching and varied in genre. The music she selects also works to improve the skills and musicianship of those playing under her direction. For Still, the end goal is not necessarily playing every note and rhythm precisely, but rather making music that speaks to the heart.

Still once wrote, “Creating beautiful music with a large group of rowdy musicians is sometimes about as much fun as jumping into a pool of jellyfish. However, from the downbeat of the first rehearsal to the final cut-off of the last concert, I relish the challenge of molding a large group of musicians into a single unit of joyful sound.” 

Dianne Deming, flutist and RCB board president, said, “As Sharon steps down from our podium, I find it hard to put into words the depth of my gratitude for all she has done for me, for RCB and for our community. She leaves Rehoboth Concert Band in an excellent position, having built and, with the challenges brought on by COVID, rebuilt the ensemble into a healthy, vibrant musical organization. My hope and goal is to continue the fine tradition she started, and to always make her proud.”

Still said, “I may have stepped off the podium for a while, but in my heart and name, I will always be Still conducting."

To learn more, go to rehobothconcertband.org.