Sunday, June 29, 2008

Celebrate the Holiday

Time for another July Fourth Celebration. Wherever you live, there will be some sort of celebration of our freedom, whether it be a picnic in the park, a parade, entertainment, or some combination. In many communities, the civic or municipal band will perform. Be sure to support these performances; after all, the volunteer members are your neighbors.

There are so many groups playing this weekend that I can't list them all. I know that Shorewood will celebrate with Family Day at Atwater Park on the 4th, with the Shorewood Band performing at 6:30. I know that the Racine Band will be in the big parade, and later perform a concert at the park. Also next Sunday, the Racine Band begins their 2008 summer concert series at the Racine Zoo. Concerts begin at 7:30 and are always free.

Since I have such a short list, do me a favor and write a reply. Post your own schedule of the community bands you know of, and their performance schedule for Independence Day. We'll get a nice calendar of things to do for the Holiday!

Happy Fourth!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Two concerts this week

Normally I draft each week's post about Wednesday or Thursday, and finalize it for posting on Saturday night or Sunday morning. However, this week was messy to say the least. So the post goes up on Sunday night, not long after coming back into town.

Don't forget the only Milwaukee American Legion Band concert of the summer this Tuesday at Humboldt Park beginning at 6:30!

And you won't want to miss the concert on Thursday night at 7:00 PM at Atwater Park in Shorewood. The Shorewood Concert Band under the baton of Maestra Dr. Pat Backhaus will perform another wonderful concert and welcome special guests.

Dr. Pat has a fun concert lined up, including the Radetzky March and a Henry Fillmore trombone favorite Lassus Trombone. The band will also perform Constellations, music dedicated to astronomical wonders, by James Curnow, perfect for a summer band concert on a starry night. And I have it on good authority that Dr. Pat will pull out the march book so that the band can sight read a march or two for your enjoyment...and maybe their stress.

Dr. Pat and the Shorewood Concert Band also welcome special guests Hornucopia, a French Horn quartet. They will perform a hunting horn movement from an original suite composed by quartet member Mike Keegan. They will also perform a fun frippery! If you don't know what a frippery is, you'll just have to come to Atwater Park, corner of Captiol Drive and Lake Drive in Shorewood, and find out! See you on Thursday at 7:00!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

A Milwaukee Tradition for 43 years

A good concert yesterday by the Shorewood Concert Band...completed just as the first drops of rain descended upon Atwater Park. And as always, the chicken was marvelous. Now, onto the Milwaukee tradition.
You only have one chance this year to be a part of a 43 year tradition. On Tuesday June 26th, the Milwaukee American Legion Band will perform their one and only concert of the summer at Humboldt Park. The band has been performing at Humboldt Park during the summer since 1965. This year the number of performances has dropped to one.

The Milwaukee American Legion Band was organized by veterans returning from World War I, and has been performing in Milwaukee since 1920. It has won numerous national and international awards in its history. Quite an impressive history!

I do not have advance information on the program, but I do have some advice if you'd like to attend the concert. Bring a lawn chair and maybe some bug repellent. While the grass in front of the Swiss-chalet style stage is relatively soft at the beginning of the concert, your back side might be a bit sore by the end of the concert. And with all the rain we've had, all types of flying and biting pests will also be in attendance.

The concert begins at 6:30 PM. See you there. And don't forget your chair...and your spray!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Summer Season is Here!

Sorry for the late post...I was out of town over the weekend. This coming Saturday June 14th has two summer concerts you may be interested in. One is in town and the other is a bit of a ride away in Appleton.

The Shorewood Concert Band performs this Saturday at 4:30 PM outside in Atwater Park (Lake Drive at Capitol Drive), as a part of the Shorewood Men's Club Chicken Dinner. The event helps raise money for a number of deserving charities in Shorewood, including the Shorewood Concert Band.

Dr. Pat Backhaus has chosen a fun concert for the audience, and a challenging one for the players (yes, it is the same concert). The First Suite of Gustav Holst, an evergreen band favorite, will provide light and lyrical sounds for the audience while providing a challenge for the band members. Then everyone gets to have a good time with classics like Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight and Basin Street Blues. And of course there must be a march: Sousa's Washington Post. So come enjoy the music and the chicken...from Rupena's. Both will be wonderful.

And after you've had your fill of chicken and music, get in the car and drive to Appleton and the Fox Cities Stadium, home of the Timber Rattlers, for an outdoor concert by the Fox Valley Symphony. The concert will feature baseball music including Casey At The Bat, a salute to our veterans, and will finish with the 1812 Overture. Rumor has it that real cannons will be used during that portion of the Overture...doesn't get any better than that! You can contact the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers office for more information and tickets. Or check out the web site of the Fox Valley Symphony: http://www.foxvalleysymphony.com/

Finally, post the summer band concerts you know of in a reply and we'll all be able to enjoy them.