Knightwind Ensemble Announces a New Music Director

At their March 21st concert, the Knightwind Ensemble announced the appointment of a new Music Director: Dr. Erik Janners, Director of Music at Marquette University. Dr. Janners begins his duties with the Knightwind Ensemble in the fall of 2010.

Dr. Janners comes to Milwaukee from St. Xavier University in Chicago, and the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada. At both of those Universities, he created conducting workshops to provide further conducting training opportunities to high school teachers and music students. In Canada and at Marquette, he expanded the band programs to two bands and founded University Wind Ensembles. And if that isn't enough, while in Saskatchewan, he created a television show entitled For The Love Of Music, which featured the music of concert bands and wind ensembles.

At Marquette, Dr. Janners conducts the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Pep Band, all the while supervising the overall Music Program. He also teaches courses in the University's Music Minor program, including music theory, conducting, and music history. He is a published author and has served as a featured clinician, not only at state music conferences, but also the Midwest Clinic.

In a future post, I'll do a Q and A session with Dr. Janners. If you have questions you'd like to ask, send them to the blog email address: milwaukeecommunitymusic@yahoo.com. I'll add them to my questions, and we can inundate Dr. Janners together!

Milwaukee Tradition Continues

The Milwaukee American Legion Band has performed summer concerts in Humboldt park as long as I can remember. They will perform again this year on Tuesday June 29 at 6:30 PM at the Chalet stage in Humboldt Park.

The concert begins with a small Dance Band performing standards, just to get you in the mood for an old fashioned band concert in the park. Then the entire concert band will perform one of their traditional patriotic concerts. No one follows that formula of programming more than the Milwaukee American Legion Band.

The concert is a part of the Chill On The Hill series, sponsored by the Bay View Neighborhood Association. Food vendors will be there for your snacking enjoyment. Their series is always a nice way to spend a pleasant summer evening.

So, pack your lawn chairs and your cooler and come to Humboldt Park, in Milwaukee's Bay View Neighborhood to hear a Milwaukee tradition: a summer concert by the Milwaukee American Legion Band. See you there on the 29th.

Shorewood Concert Band Summer Schedule

The Shorewood Concert Band will perform 4 concerts this year, including the Shorewood Men's Club Chicken Bar-be-cue Saturday the 12th (yesterday, and it was a great concert...and the chicken was great, too). Here are the other dates:

• June 24, 7 PM at Atwater Park featuring Music from the Movies
• July 4 at 6:30 PM as a part of the Shorewood 4th of July Celebration, A Red White and Blue Spectacular
• July 15 at 7 PM at Atwater Park featuring a Salute to the Music of the Big Bands

Atwater Park is just north of Capitol Drive on Lake Drive. Street parking can sometimes fill up, so best to get there a little bit early and have your pick of the lawn. Remember to bring a chair or blanket for a comfortable seat.

If there is music you would like the Shorewood Concert Band to play, send your request to this email address: shorewoodcncrtband@sbcglobal.net. And for more information, you can also check the blog of the President of the Shorewood Concert Band at this link for more information: http://capnfrank.blogspot.com/. He tells me that his blog will include pictures, videos, and previews of upcoming concerts, so check it out!

Hartland Community Band Summer Schedule

I received a nice note from the folks at the Hartland Community Band with their summer schedule. For those of you not familiar with the group, the Hartland Band performs a summer series of concert in and around the Hartland area, as well as a Christmas Concert every year at Holy Hill. Here is the schedule for this year's summer series.

• June 25 - The first summer concert at Nixon Park in Hartland at 7 PM
• June 27 - The band performs on a bandwagon through Hartland beginning at 1 PM
• July 12 - A joint concert with the Fort Atkinson Community Band at the band shell in Barrie Park in Fort Atkinson at 7:30
• August 18 - A special performance at the Band Shell in Oconomowoc at 8 PM
• August 19 - The final summer concert at Nixon Park in Hartland at 7 PM

If you are in the area, be sure to look them up this summer. Sounds like a lot of fun.

And for those who like to plan ahead, the Hartland Community Band Christmas Concert at Holy Hill is set for December 5 at 3 PM.