Jerry Robbins

A Washtenaw Community Concert Band performance on Thursday will honor the retirement of its conductor of 13 years, Jerry Robbins.

The free concert by the 70-piece band — formerly known as the Ypsilanti Community Band, now in its 33rd season — will be held in Towsley Auditorium, Morris Lawrence Building, Washtenaw Community College, at 7:30 p.m.

Robbins was the dean of the College of Education at Eastern Michigan University from 1991 through 2004. When he moved to the area to take that position he joined the Ypsilanti Community Band as a trombone player. From 1993 to 1998, he was the assistant director of the YCB as he continued to play "whatever was needed" in the band. In 1998 he became the director of the group, a position he has held since that time.

The concert will conclude Robbins' 20 years of service to the band and the community, including his 13 years as conductor of the Ypsilanti Community Band and, through its partnerships with area higher education institutions, the Barnhill Band with Eastern Michigan University and the Washtenaw Community Concert Band with Washtenaw Community College.

The program will consist of his favorites from among performances of the last 13 seasons including “Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral” from Lohengrin by Wagner, a medley from “Les Miserables,” “Procession of the Nobles” by Rimsky-Korsakov and “American Salute” by Gould.

A reception with refreshments will be held in the atrium of Towsley Auditorium immediately following the concert, to which the audience is invited. Additional information about the band may be found at wccband.org.