Last night, I went to the Custer Week concert at Monroe County Community College. The program featured the Monroe County Community College / Community Band, Frenchtown Fiddlers and Custer’s Last Band.

The program was free.

Donations were accepted for a memorial music commissioning that the college band members are supporting. But the bottom line is – the program was free.

And free is a very frugal word to remember.

This is the second time I’ve heard the college band perform, and the ensemble is absolutely marvelous. I played flute in band both at the high school and college levels (where some of my friends were music majors.) I later played flute in church ensembles. So I have heard some really wonderful instrumental music over the years.

If you have any interest in instrumental music, you really should go hear this band. I plan to attend as many of their concerts as possible. (I need to brush up on my technical skills before I attempt to play with them!)

And with last night’s performance, I heard the Frenchtown Fiddlers and Custer’s Last Band too. They also were very entertaining.

I didn’t grow up in Monroe. I don’t know from my childhood memories, personal experiences and referrals from friends which community events are “must see” programs and activities. Very often, the only information I know directly about community events is what I read in The Monroe Evening News.

I had to start stepping out of my comfort zone to find out for myself whether an event, concert, theater show, art gallery, festival, etc. is worth seeing.

If the admission to a concert or musical performance is free, what have you lost out on by checking it out?

Here are some other free concerts that will be held in the area during the next few weeks:

• Friday Oct. 10: 126th Army Band from the Michigan National Guard with special guests at St. Mary’s Park.
• Monday Oct. 20: Monroe County Community College Band / Agora Chorale concert at La-Z-Boy Center.
• Friday Dec. 5: John Tyner Chorale presents A Festival of Lessons and Carols at the IHM Motherhouse.
• Saturday Dec. 6: Piper’s Holiday Concert at Frenchtown Square Mall.
• Saturday Dec. 6: The Radio Disney Concert at the Christmas in Ida Festival.

Then start adding your favorite high school, junior high school, church and coffee shop concerts — and you’ll quickly see the frugal music lover in Monroe has a lot of wonderful free events to pick from!