Our History
The Freeport Concert Band can trace its roots back to the early twentieth century and the Freeport Firemen’s Band. In 1921, a sight-reading band emerged from the group. Bill Dayton (pictured left) led and conducted this band which called Freeport, New York its home.
At the conclusion of his amazing fifty years of service, Dayton, in 1971, stepped aside and Ned Mahoney, the band’s conductor emeritus, took over the role of conductor until 1976 at which point Kazimier (Casey) Albinsky took the baton. It was under Albinsky’s leadership that the band moved, in the fall of 1983, and took up temporary residence in the nearby hamlet of Franklin Square where it became known as the Franklin Square-Munson Fire Department Band. In the spring of 1986, Albinsky resigned for health reasons and Ted Mordoff (pictured right) took over. Later in the year, the band relocated again, this time to Rockville Centre, where it took on the name Rockville Centre Community Band. Mordoff conducted until 1998.
Mordoff’s replacement was Raoul Camus who led and conducted the band until December 2010. It was under his leadership that the band grew significantly in size from fourteen members to over fifty and a concert schedule was developed (the inaugural concert of the Freeport Community Band occurred on May 17, 2009). In January 2009, the band moved back to Freeport.
In recognition of the band’s “commitment to enrich the quality of life of the people of Nassau County” and for “providing a nurturing environment for Long Island musicians and students” for 90 years, the group was awarded Citations from Nassau County Legislator David W. Denenberg (pictured left with Sandra Vigliotti) as well as Freeport Mayor Andrew Hardwick (pictured right with Sandra Vigliotti) on December 17, 2011.
Today, the band is conducted by Sandra Vigliotti.
