More on the Racine Concert Band

The Racine Concert Band has a new web site.  With the summer season completed, it is being updated for the winter season of concerts.  In the past, the RCB performed with each of the three Racine High School Bands (Horlick, Park, and Case), during the school year.  That may change this year due to the budget battles going on at City Hall.  The RCB has been partially funded through the city for the last few years, and now even that funding may be going away.

It should be noted that the Racine Concert Band is one of the most highly decorated community bands in the State of Wisconsin.  It received the prestigious Sudler Silver Scroll from the Sousa Foundation in 1996, marking it as one of the top community bands in all of North America. 

If you live in Racine, I suggest you contact your alderperson to support the Racine Concert Band during the upcoming budget battles.  The band has been growing their fundraising over the past years, and will eventually be able to be self-sufficient.  But if the City of Racine drops all funding for the band, it will be extremely difficult for RCB, or any group of this type, to continue at the same level.

I like to think that I am a realistic person, not one to over-react.  But I am very nervous about the situation with the Racine Concert Band.  We all need to show support for this wonderful group.

Concert Preview: Milwaukee Festival Brass

The Milwaukee Festival Brass opens its 2013-2014 season with a concert titled, “Road Trip.”   Conjuring up memories of excursions to destinations both far and near, this fun and enjoyable program will recall the spirit of adventure and discovery inherent in every journey.

“Road trips can bring us to the familiar, like a family cabin at the lake,” said Music Director Mark A. Taylor, “or they can enter uncharted territory, opening us up to new landscapes and new experiences.”

The concert will include two arrangements by noted British brass composer Goff Richards: his sparkling variations on Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home and a soulful rendition of Hoagy Carmichael’s Georgia On My Mind.  Also on the program will be a stirring transcription of Respighi’s Pines of the Appian Way from The Pines of Rome, a classic British street march by William Rimmer, and Howard Snell’s Latin-American travelogue, Postcard from Mexico.  

Framing the program will be two significant works that are recent additions to the brass band repertoire.  Rodney Newton’s Four Cities Symphony calls to mind the Victorian-era “Grand Tour” of Europe, stopping in London, Paris, Rome, and Moscow in turn.  Alan Fernie’s lushly romantic Landscape and Journey was inspired by the composer’s idyllic vacations spent in the small Swiss village of Gurtnellen, southeast of Lucerne.

The Milwaukee Festival Brass will present “Road Trip” on Saturday, October 26, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at Emanuel United Church of Christ, 110627 West Forest Home Avenue in Hales Corners, WI.  Tickets are $12, or $9 for seniors and students.  Group rates are available.  For more information, please visit the band’s website at www.mfbrass.org.

2013-14 Community Music Calendar

Here is the calendar as I was able to build it.  If I missed some dates or I missed a group entirely, please send me the information and I will add it to the calendar and get the information out in a post.  In the meantime, find the open dates on your calendar and fill them with some of these concerts.

2013-14 Milwaukee Community Concert Calendar

October

·         Sun.  20  4:00 Lakeshore Symphonic Band at the Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
·         Tue.  22  7:00 Waukesha Area Symphonic Band at Waukesha South High School performing a joint concert
·         Sat.  26  7:30 Menomonee Falls Symphony at the Hamilton Fine Arts Center performing Russian Revolutions
·         Sat.  26  8:00 Concord Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
·         Sat.  26  7:00 Milwaukee Festival Brass at Emanuel United Church of Christ in Hales Corners
·         Sun.  27  3:00 Knightwind Ensemble at South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
·         Tue.  29  7:30 Wauwatosa Community Band at Longfellow Middle School performing their annual Halloween Concert

November

·         Sat.    9   7:00 Waukesha Area Symphonic Band at Carroll University
·         Fri.   15   7:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at St. John’s Lutheran School in Lannon, performing a joint concert
·         Sun.  17  3:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at Wisconsin Lutheran College

December

·         Sat.    7  8:00 Concord Chamber Orchestra at Basilica of St. Josaphat
·         Sun.   8  3:00 Menomonee Falls Symphony at Hamilton Fine Arts Center performing Caroling for Christmas
·         Tue.  10  7:30 Wauwatosa Community Band at Longfellow Middle School performing Holiday Music
·         Fri.   13  7:30 Waukesha Area Symphonic Band at Carroll University performing Holiday Music
·         Sat.  14  1:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at Mitchell Park Domes
·         Sat.  14  7:00 Menomonee Falls Symphony at Mount Carmel Lutheran Church (84^th and Center) performing Sing Along Messiah
·         Sun.  15  2:00 Milwaukee Festival Brass at Wisconsin Lutheran College performing Holiday in Brass III
·         Sun. 15  6:00 Lakeshore Symphonic Band at the Basilica at Holy Hill
·         Sat.  21  TBA  Horns A Plenty Christmas performance in Appleton, WI (more to follow)

January

·         Sun.  26  1:30 Concord Chamber Orchestra at Nicolet High School performing Chamber Music

February

·         Sun.   2  3:00 Knightwind Ensemble at South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
·         Fri.  14  6:30 Menomonee Falls Symphony at Silver Spring Country Club performing Lounging with Lovers
·         Fri.  15  6:30 Menomonee Falls Symphony at Silver Spring Country Club performing Lounging with Lovers

March

·         Sun.  2  4:00 Lakeshore Symphonic Band at Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
·         Sat.   8   7:00 Milwaukee Festival Brass at Wisconsin Lutheran College performing Brass At Night
·         Tue.  18  7:30 Wauwatosa Community Band at Longfellow Middle School
·         Sat.  22  8:00 Concord Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

April

·         Sun.   6  3:00 Knightwind Ensemble at South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
·         Sun.  13 3:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at Wisconsin Lutheran College

May

·         Fri.   2  7:30  Waukesha Area Symphonic Band at Carroll University featuring the winner of the Concerto Competition
·         Sat.  10  7:30 Menomonee Falls Symphony at Hamilton Fine Arts Center performing with Lona Luft featuring The Music of Judy Garland
·         Sat.  10  8:00 Concord Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
·         Sun.  11  4:00 Lakeshore Symphonic Band at Cedarburg Performing Arts Center featuring the winner of the Concerto Competition
·         Sun.  18  Milwaukee Festival Brass at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Brookfield performing Impressions of Japan
·         Mon.  26  4:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at Milwaukee County War Memorial performing a Memorial Day Observance
·         Mon.  26  TBA Wauwatosa Community Band performing a Memorial Day Observance

Would you like to play with a community band?

The Milwaukee metro area is very fortunate to have an active arts scene. The number of community bands and orchestras is huge compared to other areas of the country. A friend of mine moved to the South where there were two community bands in the entire state. He's glad to be back and playing every week - it is a type of relaxation he can get nowhere else.

If you have thought about getting back into playing, or you were just interested in the different groups in the area, this post is for you. I've published this information for the last few years, and I still get emails from folks new to the area looking for a group to play with. It all comes down to a simple fact:: if you live in the Milwaukee area and want to play with a community music group, there are lots of opportunities at all skill levels!

Here's the list that I have. If you have more information about other groups, send me an email and I'll add it to this post.

Sunday: The Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band is under the direction of Karen Lippert. They welcome all players regardless of ability and play traditional concert band music. They just recently added a web site for more information.

Monday: The Menomonee Falls Symphony, under the direction of Mike Kamenski, rehearses on Monday evenings in Sussex at Hamilton High School. An audition is required.   You can get more information on the concerts, and on joining the orchestra, from their web site.

Tuesday: The Wauwatosa Community Band, under the direction of Donna Kummer, rehearses at Longfellow Middle School. Tosa Band performs as a symphonic band and also as Tosa Jazz, so those folks that like both genre's of music may find a good fit with this group. See their web site for more information.

Tuesday: For the folks in the western suburbs, the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band also rehearses on Tuesday. The group is directed by Rick Kirby, who has also composed music for some of the concerts. Their web site also has more information.

Tuesday: The Milwaukee Festival Brass, the only British style Brass Band in the area, rehearses on Tuesday as well. This group is unique in that they have an apprentice program for high school students as well as a youth British Brass Band. All the details are on their site.

Wednesday: The Milwaukee American Legion Band is a traditional, patriotic-style community band. They are directed by Mike Van Pelt. Their site has information on their history, which is extensive, and on joining.

Wednesday: The Lakeshore Symphonic Band serves the north shore and Ozaukee County communities, performing their concerts at the Cedarburg Performing Arts Center. Click here for their information.

Wednesday: The Knightwind Ensemble performs very difficult music, and as a result, auditions are required. Their web site has all the audition information.

Thursday: The Milwaukee Concert Band is another group with a long history, having been sponsored at one time by the Civic Music Association. Unfortunately, they do not have a web site. There is contact information for this group at the Wisconsin Music Group web site.

Thursday: The Suburban Concert Band is based in West Allis and is sponsored by the West Allis Rec department.  I checked their web site and it does not seem to be up and running, and so I cannot pass on that information.  If anyone knows of a new web site or page, please pass it along.

Thursday: The Greendale Village Band welcomes members of all playing abilities. Unfortunately, they do not have a web site. However, the Wisconsin Music Group site does have contact information.

And if I missed information on your group, send me an email and I'll be sure to post it.

Attention Middle and High School Brass and Percussion musicians

I know I said there would be no post on September 1, but this information came to me.  With the school year starting, this information is important.

The Milwaukee Festival Brass is currently seeking talented musicians who are interested in playing in a brass band.  If you are a middle school or high school brass or percussion players and are looking for an enrichment opportunity, we hope you’ll consider the Milwaukee Festival Youth Brass (MFYB) or our High School Apprentice Program (HSAP).  An experience unlike any other, qualified students will perform British-style brass band literature, mentored by gifted adult musicians from our adult group.  We guarantee you won’t be counting rests – in a brass band, everyone gets a workout!  No other after-school youth ensemble program will grow your technique and musicianship faster.  And what better way to model a lifetime of musical excellence than to rehearse and perform with successful adults from every career path and walk of life who are committed to music-making at the highest level.  For more information on how to audition, please click on the following link:  Youth Opportunities.