SAHUARITA, Ariz. (KGUN) — After nearly two decades of spirited performances, heartfelt mentorship and a flair for costumed concerts, Dr. John Snavely has officially stepped down as conductor of the Green Valley Concert Band.
The Sunday, April 13 performance at the Sahuarita Auditorium marked the end of an era—and the beginning of a new chapter for both the band and its beloved musical director.
Snavely, who served as a clarinetist with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra for more than 50 years, led the Green Valley Concert Band for the past 18 years. A student of musical legends like John Williams and Arthur Fiedler, he brought both experience and creativity to the podium.
“It’s transformed my life,” Snavely said. “Honestly, I couldn’t do anything else. I was bad at sports. But I started playing my clarinet, and even the guys who were really athletic said, ‘Wow, you can do that?’”
His journey to the conductor’s stand was as unconventional as his approach to performances. After founding the Sonoran Winds ensemble in Tucson to teach himself conducting, Snavely’s appointment to the Green Valley Concert Band nearly didn’t happen—he forgot his initial interview. Luckily, a rescheduled meeting gave him the chance to take the baton.
Snavely was supposed to fill the role just for one year as the former director sought a nursing degree. However, 18 years later, Snavely still led the group.
From there, he helped transform the group into a tightly knit ensemble spanning generations. “We’ve got young people, old people, middle-aged people, all the way in between,” he said. “It’s a great place to be.”
Snavely says he still feels the spark from making music after all these years. “What I really love is when we play a concert, I get this feeling that the band is with me, the audience is feeling it and I’m feeling,” Snavely said. “It’s euphoria. It’s like heavenly. That’s my reward.”
Snavely's sendoff featured “Chapeaux,” a piece composed especially for the occasion by renowned composer Jack Stamp, who praised the Snavely’s unique personality. He remarks on the first time he saw John perform during a performance of Stamp’s Border Dance.
“He has an oddity for conductors,” Stamp said. “When John conducted ‘Border Dance,’ he came out wearing a sombrero. That’s kind of odd for a conductor. But I found out John liked to dress up for all his concerts—even his granddaughter helped with the costuming.”
Snavely says this unique practice began decades ago. “When I started Sonoran Winds, I started occasionally wearing a hat, maybe a coat,” Snavely said. “When I came to Green Valley, I kept that tradition. I’m told half the audience comes to see what I’m going to wear and the other half comes for the music.”
Snavely adores the music Stamp made for him, calling it “wonderful music, so creative and so fulfilling.”
Band Manager Bill Krinke, a musician originally from Minnesota, recalled being initially unimpressed when he first heard the group rehearse—before Snavely took over. “When we came back the next fall, John is the conductor, and we went, ‘Oh, he even knows what he’s talking about—and he’s fun to play for.’”
While Snavely’s departure marks a significant change, the music will continue. The band has appointed Dr. Matt Williams from the University of Arizona as its new conductor.
Krinke looks toward a new future without John.
“It’ll be a change,” Krinke said. “I truly enjoyed John. He’s done a great job.” Yet he’s assured that the band will continue stronger than ever. “It keeps us alive. It keeps us going. There’s no reason to sit around and watch TV all day and slowly disintegrate.”
As for Snavely’s plans, he’s looking forward to more time spent traveling, hiking, and birding—but he’s not ready to put down his baton for good.
“Maybe I'll go conduct somewhere else and do my dress up once in a while,” he said, hinting that audiences may once again see him on stage—likely in costume. "You never know."
To learn more about the Green Valley Concert Band and its upcoming performances, visitthe organization’s website.
——
Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
