A Little History

In 1920, John Van Vyven was named director of the newly formed Holland American Legion Band. Van Vyven had played in the Holland Martial Band in the 1890s, and in 1904 had organized and played in the Citizens Band of Holland - both organizations predecessors to the Holland American Legion Band. He was the likely choice to start a new band.

Van Vyven took the Legion Band on its first trips - to Kansas City in 1921, New Orleans in 1922, St. Paul in 1924, and Philadelphia in 1926. Van Vyven laid the groundwork and established the path that the Holland American Legion Band would follow. He was truly the "Music Man" of his time.

The next major influence on the Legion Band was director Eugene F. Heeter. In 1928, Heeter became the first full time director of instrumental music for Holland Public Schools. With his strong music background, he set high standards for both the high school and the Legion Band. He was a major contributor to making Holland's Tulip Time Festival an annual event, and making the Legion Band part of that annual event. He also led the band to perform at veterans hospitals and as part of the Memorial Day community celebration. In 1936, Heeter started the annual series of summer concerts in Kollen Park.

Everett Kisinger and Art Hills, both also Holland High School band directors, served many years as dedicated directors of the Legion Band, maintaining the traditions and standards that had been established by their predecessors. The tradition of having the Holland High School band director leading the Legion Band changed in 1966 when Henry Vander Linde - band director of Holland Christian High School - took over for his friend Art Hills.

Henry Vander Linde directed the Holland American Legion Band for 40 years, maintaining its commitment to excellence and service to the community and to the veterans organizations in the area. A man with unlimited energy and determination, "Mr. Van" was not only respected by the community, but also by the band members and his students in school. His contribution received permanent recognition through the naming of the Henry P. Vander Linde Band Shell in Kollen Park.

As Henry’s health began to fail, Thom Working became the Legion Band's assistant conductor. In 2006, Thom took over as the director. He was part of a four-generation Legion Band family, with his grandfather, father, and two sons having played in the band. Thom Working continued the traditions of the Band, and led the Band in three extended trips. The Band performed concerts and ceremonies in Normandy, France, and The Netherlands in June 2009 as part of the 65th Anniversary of D-Day, as well as in December 2011 at Pearl Harbor to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack. In June 2014, Thom again led the Band in Europe as a part of the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. During the 2016 Memorial Day weekend, the Band traveled to Washington D.C. to play a series of concerts, including one at the World War II Memorial. Thom stepped down as conductor following the Washington trip due to his failing health.

The Legion Band welcomed Scott Vanden Berg as its new director starting in the 2016 summer season. Scott has been the director of instrumental music at Holland Christian High School since 2006. In 2014, Scott was awarded the John P. Varineau Outstanding Music Educator Award by the Grand Rapids Symphony. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Dordt College (Iowa) in 1996 and a Master of Music degree in conducting from California State University, Long Beach in 2006. Before coming to Holland, Scott taught at Valley Christian Schools (Calif.) and Sunnyside Christian School (Wash.). Scott also currently directs the choir and instrumental ensembles at 14th Street Christian Reformed Church in Holland.