The Ruggles Family

Three Generations of Band members

Sally Ruggles, her daughter Ann Wood, her children, Philip, Paul, Miriam and Ketsy

and lest we forget, Ann's husband Gary Wood
        

Sally Ruggles has been performing in the Quabbin Community band with her daughter Ann since the early 70's. Ann was a member of the band when the band took a trip to Holland. According to Sally, she "joined in order to go to Holland and not just be a 'hanger-on.'” Ann was young (still in elementary school) but we thought the trip a good idea if one of us was nearby in case of homesickness.  She began to play the french horn because John Hansen (the director at the time) didn't need any more percussionists, but did want another horn.   

 
      

Sally has been involved in music all her life - until Quabbin Community Band it was mostly voice, piano, organ.  Quabbin Community Band led her to local community orchestras, chamber music, and other musical endeavors. According to Sally, "It was one of the best doors to ever open for me." Sally holds a bachelors and masters degrees in music from the University of Massachusetts.

Sally adds, "Quabbin Community Band concerts on the common are a wonderful tradition which I remember from my own childhood, with concerts in Gardner (Florence Stove Band and Heywood Wakefield Bands, among others), Petersham, and Barre (probably Barre Wool Brass Band at the time). Quabbin Community Band's current 10 weeks per summer is great for the communities and particularly for the young band members who, if they stay with it, become fine musicians, especially regarding sight reading."

  

 

Ann Wood joined the Quabbin Community Band in the early 70's as a fifth grade student. Shortly after joining the group they traveled to the Netherlands as part of a musical exchange with the BATO band from Haarlem, Holland. The summer before traveling, the band hosted the BATO band for performances here. Two young men stayed with the Ruggles family. According to Ann, she recently had a visit from one of them.

 

     In her early years of performing with the band Ann played the french horn for sit down concerts. She usually sat next to her mother. While marching it was common to see Ann in the percussion section, usually with cymbals as it was difficult for her to carry the horn.

Ann attended Quabbin Regional High School where she participated in the Symphonic Winds and other musical groups. After high school she attended Clark University receiving a bachelors of arts in Gerontology.

  

Ann currently plays the euphonium (baritone horn) with the band, having switched about fourteen years ago. She is also the librarian of the group. Each week she puts music onto folders for the following week and files music from the previous concert.

 

By the way, Ann prefers to be called "Annie", but her mother prefers Ann.

  
       Philip Wood is a seventh grade student. He currently performs with the Quabbin Regional Middle School Band. He has been playing with the Quabbin Community Band for the past 3 years. At first, marching gigs were difficult for Philip.   Because of his size, it was nearly impossible for him to carry a marching snare, so he followed in his mother's footsteps playing the cymbals for parades. Since then, however, Philip has graduated to marching with the snare (as seen on the right). Like the older percussionists, Philip takes his drum off when the band is at parade rest.

Upon joining the community band, Philip had little experience playing a drum set. With the leadership and guidance of some of the older members, Philip has achieved some proficiency and has performed a solo in a Dixieland Combo.

  

      

Paul and Miriam Wood, while still a little young to perform with the band, are also involved.  Paul and Miriam carried the banner for the band in the 2003 Memorial Day Parade in Hardwick, MA.

 

Paul is currently studying the saxophone and should be ready to join the band next year.

 

Miriam was a guest conductor for the band in a performance last season. If she keeps her study up she may take over Beth Bryant's position as the conductor some day.

 
Ketsy joins right in helping to carry the banner in the Hardwick Parade in 2004.  Like the rest of the family she does a wonderful job.  Paul and Miriam were right there to lend a helping hand and show her the right way to carry it. Earlier in the parade big brother Paul was playing cymbals, but he gave them to mom for the last part of the parade.  Philip who played snare drum earlier in the parade joined mom on cymbals.
       Finally,  there is Gary Wood, the behind the scenes guy. Three generations of performers from the Ruggles family would not be possible if it weren't for Ann's husband Gary. Since the arrival of their four wonderful children, Gary has chipped in to take care of the children during rehearsal time and for performances. He has also been a chauffeur and equipment hauler for many performances. Gary also sells lots of ads for the bands program book. Gary does what ever he can to support the band. One parade, when we were low in the ranks, Gary donned the black and white outfit and pretended to play trumpet. Thanks Gary!  

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