Sunday, December 20, 2015

Enjoy the Holidays

Whatever Holiday you keep, may it be wonderful for you!

The Milwaukee Community Music Blog will take a couple of weeks off and return on January 3 with the list of concerts for the Spring Season.  See you then.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Update for Horns A Plenty Christmas in Appleton

First, don't forget the Drums of Christmas performed by the Menomonee Falls Symphony on Sunday December 6 at 3PM in the Sussex Hamilton Fine Arts Center.

There is a new venue for the Horns A Plenty Christmas performance in Appleton on Saturday December 19th.  The concert will be held at the Fine Arts Center of St. Mary's High School in Neenah.  The schedule remains the same and information can be found on the Horns A Plenty Christmas web site.

I have also learned that a new piece of Christmas Music will be performed by some of the adult members of the group that afternoon.  I think this is great because the young players just starting out can see an example of what they might be playing if they continue with the French Horn.

There is no admission charge.  Any free will donations will be used for French Horn scholarships.  This event is definitely worth the drive to the Fox Valley (if you don't live in that area, of course).

Hope to see you there.

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Holiday Calendar of Events

Here is a list of the concerts for the Holiday Season.

  •       Fri.    4  7:00  Greenfield Concert Band at the Greenfield High School Performing Arts Center
  • Sat.   5  11:00  Horns A Plenty Christmas, South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
  • Sat.   5  7:00 Concord Chamber Orchestra at the Basilica of St. Josephat
  • Sat.   5  7:00  Milwaukee Festival Brass, St. Sebastian Church, Milwaukee
  • Sun.  6  3:00 Menomonee Falls Symphony at Hamilton Fine Arts Center
  • Sun.   6  3:00  Milwaukee Festival Brass, Oak Creek Centennial Church
  • Fri.   11  7:30 Waukesha Area Symphonic Band at Carroll University performing Holiday Music
  • Sat.   12  2:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at Mitchell Park Domes
  • Sun.  13  6:00 Lakeshore Symphonic Band at the Basilica at Holy Hill
  • Sat.   19  2:00  Horns A Plenty Christmas, Fox Valley Lutheran High School, Appleton

Take some time out of the busy season to enjoy the music.  Besides lowering the stress level, you will leave with a smile.

There are a lot of concerts the first week of December, performed by the Milwaukee Festival Brass, Horns A Plenty Christmas, the Greenfield Concert Band, the Menomonee Falls Symphony, and the Concord Chamber Orchestra.  Carve some time out of your calendar to attend at least one of these fine performances.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving

As we give thanks for all we have, you may encounter musicians performing now or in the next few weeks, in malls or churches.  Be sure to enjoy their performances.  If you have a chance, thank them for their work.  Music helps us celebrate holidays as well as getting us through trying times.  Those performing the music deserve thanks for their efforts.  It makes life a little better!

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Horns A Plenty Christmas

Every year, French Horn players get together to play Christmas music and celebrate the season while raising money for music scholarships.  In 2015, there will be two in southeastern Wisconsin.  On Saturday December 5, Horns A Plenty Christmas will perform at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center.  On Saturday December 19, the event occurs in Appleton at the Fox Valley Lutheran High School.

In both cases, there will be a rehearsal before the performance.  After a short break, the performance will occur.  To get all the details, see the Horns A Plenty Christmas web site.

Whether you play the horn or just enjoy hearing the sounds, attending Horns A Plenty Christmas events is great fun. 

Sunday, November 8, 2015

A special concert in the Fox Valley

If you are in the Oshkosh area, or don't mind the drive, there is a special concert coming up on Tuesday November 17.  The Oshkosh Horn Choir will perform in the Music Hall beginning at 7 PM.

If you have not heard a choir of French Horns, you are in for a treat.  The sound is rich, mellow, and bright, all at the same time.  It is truly a unique sound.

While I do not have details on the concert just yet, I do know that the arrangements to be presented are all from the same person, and will include classical as well as movie music.  It is sure to be a wonderful evening of music.  Definitely worth a trip to Oshkosh.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Waukesha Area Symphonic Band concert

The Waukesha Area Symphonic Band performs in the Shattuck Music Center on the campus of Carroll University on Saturday November 14th beginning at 7:30 PM. 

Unfortunately, I do not have a preview of the concert.  I will post the information if I am able to get it.

For more information about WASB, please see the WASB web site.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

MMCCB Concert

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band will perform A Musical Tribute to the Season of Autumn on Saturday November 7 beginning at 3 PM.  The concert will be in Schwan Concert Hall on the campus of Wisconsin Lutheran College, 88th and Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee.

The MMCCB concerts are always fun, and are geared to include the younger kids.  These concerts are a great way to introduce young ones to the world of music, both classic and pops.  And admission is free!  Perfect for a family afternoon together.

See the MMCCB web site for more information.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Two concerts in one evening

I hate when this happens...two wonderful concerts on the same evening and I cannot attend both.

At 7:30 PM, the Menomonee Falls Symphony presents Rhythm:  The Heartbeat of Music in the Sussex Hamilton Fine Arts Center.  This will be a wonderful concert for children who have not been exposed to classical music.  They can sit on stage with the orchestra...what fun!

At 7 PM, the Concord Chamber Orchestra presents Child's Play, featuring violinist Julian Rhee performing the second Bach violin concerto.  The concert will be at St. Matthew's Ev. Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa, across from Wauwatosa East High School.

The only way that the evening could be less than wonderful is if you miss both concerts!

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Concert reminder

Don't forget the Milwaukee Festival Brass concert this Saturday at 7:30 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Brookfield.  If you wish to enjoy the pre-concert dinner, it begins at 6:30.  Cost for both the concert and the dinner is $20.  Definitely a wonderful night out and a nice price!

Sunday, October 4, 2015

A number of concerts coming up

The season seems to be starting earlier this year.

Don't forget the Milwaukee Festival Brass performance on Saturday October 17 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Brookfield.  The concert begins at 7:30 and features music of Gabrieli, Percy Fletcher, and Gustav Holst.  A pre-concert dinner is available beginning at 6:30.  Dinner and the concert is only $20.

A week later, the Menomonee Falls Symphony explores rhythm in music when it welcomes guest percussionist Cecilio Negron Jr., who will not only demonstrates a wide variety of percussion instruments, but will invite and include the audience throughout the concert with mesmerizing patterns of rhythm.

The concert will include light classical pieces and some Pops music.  And, if you ever wanted to see what it is like on stage, the MFSO performers will invite you to sit with them on stage for a very different concert experience.

The concert will be at the Sussex Hamilton Fine Arts Center and will begin at 7:30.  See the MFSO web site for more information and to purchase tickets.

Finally, also on October 24, the Concord Chamber Orchestra performs with guest soloist Julian Rhee, the winner of the 2015 Walter A. and Dorothy J. Oestreich Concerto Competition.  He will perform the second violin concerto of J.S. Bach.  Also on the program are works by Handel, Charles Ives, and the Beethoven Seventh Symphony.  The concert is at St. Matthew's Ev. Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa.  See the CCO web site for more information and to purchase tickets.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Upcoming Concert on Sunday October 4: The Lynx Project

You may recall a post of a neat concert combining music, poetry, and art that was to occur in late summer.  Well, that group, The Lynx Project, will be performing a concert on October 4.  Here is some information I received from Caitleen of the Lynx Project:


The concert will take place on October 4, at 2pm in WFB's Christ Church (5655 N Lake Dr, Whitefish Bay, WI 53217). The program consists of art songs with nationalistic influences by Dvorak (Gypsy Songs), Chausson, Duparc, Shostakovich (5 Satires), and a few Irish folk tunes. My wonderful colleague, Florence Mak, and I will be performing. We met at Eastman and have been performing together for a couple years now!
Our suggested donation is $5 for students and $10 for general admission. 
This concert will be serving as a preview concert for a program we will be bringing to Milwaukee in March of 2016. This new initiative, dedicated to the performance of art song, is called Lynx Project.
 
More information can be found here: http://www.lynxproject.org/
 
Or on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thelynxproject
 
 
This looks like an intriguing concert well worth attending!

Sunday, September 20, 2015

First Concert Preview - Milwaukee Festival Brass


The Milwaukee Festival Brass will open its 2015-16 Season with a concert entitled Origins.   This program will explore our natural desire to look back and examine our past. 

“Studying history, finding our family tree, celebrating anniversaries – these are all ways of figuring out where we come from” said Music Director Mark A. Taylor.  “Whether through personal, institutional, or societal memory, we gain perspective on the forces that shaped us to become who we are today.”  Having been founded in 1985, the Milwaukee Festival Brass recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary.  This milestone event will be one of many opportunities during the performance to encourage a backward glance into the past. 

The concert will include Canzona XVI á 12 by the late Renaissance master Giovanni Gabrieli, whose music represents the origins of idiomatic writing for brass instruments.  Percy Fletcher’s Labour and Love, the first major work ever composed as a test piece for brass bands, as well as Gustav Holst’s iconic Moorside Suite, will also be presented throughout the evening.  Several works from the archives of the Milwaukee Festival Brass music library, recalling the band’s earliest performances, along with James Curnow’s Fanfare and Flourishes, one of the earliest American brass band works, will round out the program.   

The Milwaukee Festival Brass will present Origins on Saturday, October 17, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 20275 Davidson Road in Brookfield, WI. As a special feature of this season opening concert, the St. John’s Church Youth Group will hold a benefit supper immediately preceding the performance.  Doors open at 07:15; concert tickets are $12, or $9 for seniors and students, while dinner tickets are available for an additional $8.  Group rates are available.  For more information, please visit the band’s website.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Concert Season Calendar

Here is the calendar of concerts as I have 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. As more information comes in, this list will be updated

And please attend some of these concerts.  You will enjoy them.

October
·         Sat.   17  7:30  Milwaukee Festival Brass at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Brookfield
·         Sat.   24  7:00  Concord Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa
·         Sat.   24  7:30  Menomonee Falls Symphony at the Sussex Hamilton Fine Arts Center
·         Sat.   24  7:30  Lakeshore Symphonic Band at the Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
·         Sun.  25  3:00  Knightwind Ensemble at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
November
·         Sat.    7   3:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at Wisconsin Lutheran College
·         Sat.  14  7:30 Waukesha Area Symphonic Band at Carroll University
December
·         Fri.    4  7:00  Greenfield Concert Band at the Greenfield High School Performing Arts Center
·         Sat.   5  7:00 Concord Chamber Orchestra at the Basilica of St. Josephat
·         Sat.   5  7:00  Milwaukee Festival Brass, St. Sebastian Church, Milwaukee
·         Sun.  6  3:00 Menomonee Falls Symphony at Hamilton Fine Arts Center
·         Sat.   6  3:00  Milwaukee Festival Brass, Oak Creek Centennial Church
·         Fri.   11  7:30 Waukesha Area Symphonic Band at Carroll University performing Holiday Music
·         Sat.   12  2:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at Mitchell Park Domes
·         Sun.  13  6:00 Lakeshore Symphonic Band at the Basilica at Holy Hill
·         Sat.   19  TBA  Horns A Plenty Christmas performance in Appleton, WI (more to follow)

January
·         Sun.  31  1:30 Concord Chamber Orchestra at Nicolet High School performing Chamber Music
·         Sun.  31  3:00 Knightwind Ensemble at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

February
·         Fri.  12  6:30 Menomonee Falls Symphony performing a dinner concert at the Silver Spring Country Club
·         Sat.  13  6:30 Menomonee Falls Symphony performing a dinner concert at the Silver Spring Country Club
·         Sat.  27  7:00  Milwaukee Festival Brass at Pius XI High School Performing Arts Center
·         Sun. 28  4:00 Lakeshore Symphonic Band at the Cedarburg Performing Arts Center

March
  • Sat.  12  7:00  Concord Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa
  •  Sat. 20 7:00 Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band at Wisconsin Lutheran College

April
·         Sun. 10  3:00 Knightwind Ensemble at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
·         Fri.  22  7:00 Greenfield Concert Band at Whitnall High School
·         Sat. 23  7:30 Menomonee Falls Symphony at the Sussex Hamilton Fine Arts Center
·         Fri. 29  7:30  Waukesha Area Symphonic Band at Carroll University

May
·         Sat.  21  7:00 Concord Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
·         Sun.  22  3:00  Milwaukee Festival Brass at Pius XI High School Performing Arts Center
·         Sun. 22  4:00 Lakeshore Symphonic Band at Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
·         Mon. 30 3:00 Wauwatosa Community Band performing a Memorial Day Observance at the Milwaukee

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Community Music Groups in Southeastern Wisconsin

Southeastern Wisconsin and the Milwaukee metro area are 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 here 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. You can check their 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 folks who like both genres 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 Concord Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Jamin Hoffman, rehearses at Nicolet High School and requires an audition.  See their web site for information.

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 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. See their new web site for more information.

Thursday: The Suburban Concert Band is based in West Allis and is sponsored by the West Allis Rec department.  They also use a Facebook and you can find it here.
Thursday:  The Greenfield Concert Band is relatively new, having been in existence for only a few years.  They rehearse at Greenfield High School in the Performing Arts Center and do require an audition in order to place new members into the sections.  See their web site for information.

Thursday: The Greendale Village Band welcomes members of all playing abilities. They are a part of the School System in the Village of Greendale, and you can get more information from their web page.

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

Sunday, August 23, 2015

The summer season is over

And many groups are just updating their schedules for the next concert season.  The next post will be in September listing the different community music groups in the Milwaukee area.  After that, I will post the concert calendar information.

See you in September!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

SoundWave Milwaukee Performance on Thursday the 20th postponed

The concert needed to be postponed due to an injury to one of the performers.  That's a shame!    SoundWave Milwaukee features Milwaukee artists of different disciplines including music, poetry, and photography.  It sounds like a great way to share the arts....all of them.  I will post the new date for the performance as soon as it is set.  Watch the blog for updates.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

The last RCB concert of the season and the Summer Sweepstakes Spectacular and SoundWave news

The Racine Concert Band completes its 92nd Season at the Racine Zoo on August 16 with a concert featuring Greg and Kathy Berg.  The concert begins at 7 PM.

And the prizes will be awarded for the Summer Sweepstakes Spectacular.  For more information, please see the band's web site.

And I received some unfortunate news.  One of the performers in the SoundWave concert, scheduled for later in the month, was injured.  The concert will be postponed but the new date is not yet set.  Once it is determined, I will post a new concert preview.

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Jazz Standards with the Racine Concert Band and SoundWave Milwaukee

Another favorite of RCB audiences returns to the Racine Zoo Amphitheater on Sunday August 9 at 7 PM.  Former Miss Racine and Miss Wisconsin, Jeanie Hatfield, will perform jazz standards with the band. 

And the Summer Sweepstakes Spectacular is still going on.  You can get entries by participating in the Racine Concert Band Quiz.

And I received information from SoundWave Milwaukee.  I was not familiar with the group, so I checked out their web site.  The group brings together Milwaukee artists of different disciplines together to collaborate and showcase their work.  They have a summer concert coming up on Thursday August 20 at 7 PM, in the Whitefish Bay High School Music wing.  Their performance will focus on American Art, with works by Charles Ives, Samuel Barber, and SoundWave Milwaukee's composer-in-residence, Travis Reynolds.  The group will also feature the photography of Mairead Kahn and the poetry of Stephen Anderson.

What a cool idea!  Tickets are $10, $5 for students.  See their web site for more information.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Allison Hull performs with the Racine Concert Band

Mezzo Soprano Alison Hull returns to the Racine Zoo to perform with the Racine Concert Band on Sunday August 2.  Note that the Sunday concerts in August begin at 7 PM.

Ms. Hull is a fan favorite for Racine Concert Band audiences.  Her performances are some of the best attended concerts of the summer.  She will perform music of Georges Bizet and George Gershwin.  For more information on Ms. Hull, please see her web site.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

You can't miss this one

I want to alert you to a very special concert by the Racine Concert Band on Sunday July 26.  Their performance at the Racine Zoo on July 26 will feature special guest Professor Pinkerton Xyloma, one of Milwaukee's greatest Vaudevillians.  In his last performance with the Racine Concert Band, he mesmerized the kids (and the adults) with a butterfly.  Who knows what fun he will bring to the Racine Zoo on July 26.  The concert begins at 7:30.

The good Professor is also associated with the Vaudeville show performed in Milwaukee the first Friday of every month.  The Dead Man's Carnival is a collection of vaudeville, burlesque, and circus acts that perform at the Miramar Theater.  Look for them on Facebook!

And don't forget that the Racine Concert Band Summer Sweepstakes Spectacular is going on now.  Every time you enter the Racine Concert Band Quiz, you are entered into the Sweepstakes.  At the final concert of the season on August 16, dinner certificates from many Racine area restaurants will be given away after every tune.  And all you have to do is enter.

See you on the 26th.  I will be there with my camera!  Can't miss the Professor!

Sunday, July 12, 2015

One group completes their summer season and another begins theirs

And both concerts are on the same day, Thursday July 16.

The Shorewood Concert Band performs at 7PM on the 16th at Atwater Park.  It is their last concert of the summer season.  Maestro Clayton Wachholz has chosen a number of tunes for his That's Entertainment program.  Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the music.  And if the kids get antsy, the playground is not far away!

Meanwhile, on the south side of the metro area, the Concord Chamber Orchestra begins their summer season at the Boerner Botanical Gardens in Whitnall Park.  I love attending the concerts at the Gardens.  It is a great venue for a Pops concert.  But you want to get their early to get a good spot.  The concert begins at 6:30.  Visit the CCO web site for more information.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Any others?

I have posted the concerts for the groups whose schedules I know of.  If you know of upcoming concerts I missed, just send an email.  Keep in mind that this blog focuses on community music groups.  Thanks for the help.

And enjoy the upcoming concerts by the Concord Chamber Orchestra and the Racine Concert Band.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Summer Schedule for the Racine Concert Band

The Racine Concert Band celebrates it's 92nd Season with a series of Sunday Evening concerts at the Racine Zoo.  The band will perform different music each week under the direction of Dr. Mark Eichner, and feature soloists from the band as well as special guests.

July Concerts begin at 7:30:
  • July 5
  • July 12
  • July 19
  • July 26
August Concerts begin at 7:00:
  • August 2
  • August 9
  • August 16
You can enter the Zoo for free to attend the concerts from the North on Augusta Street near the lake, or from the main entrance on Main Street.  Free entrance begins at 6 PM.  I suggest taking the family for an afternoon at the Zoo and staying for the concert in the evening. 

The concerts usually take a little over an hour and will finish about dusk, perfect for the kids.  And if they have a little too much energy, a playground is just up the hill from the amphitheater.

Hope to see you there.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Concord Chamber Orchestra Summer Season

The Concord Chamber Orchestra will be out and about this summer performing pops concerts in the Milwaukee Area.  There are four concerts currently on the schedule:
  • Thursday July 16 at the Boerner Botanical Gardens in Whitnall Park beginning at 6:30
  • Wednesday July 22 at the New Berlin Library Park beginning at 6:30
  • Wednesday July 29 for Music In The Glen at Nicolet High School beginning at 6 PM
  • Sunday August 16 at the Peck Pavilion at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts beginning at 2 PM
If you need more information, see the CCO web site for the details.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

The Summer Season in Shorewood

The Shorewood Concert Band has three additional performances coming up in 2015, all of them at Atwater Park (corner of Lake Drive and Capitol Drive) beginning at 7PM. 
  • Thursday June 25
  • Saturday July 4
  • Thursday July 16
These concerts are always fun and great for the kids.  And if they have a bit too much energy, the playground is just down the path from the concert.

Be sure to bring a chair or a blanket and be ready to enjoy an hour or so of music under the direction of Maestro Clay Wachholz.

Hope to see you there!

Sunday, June 7, 2015

A summer tradition

As long as I can remember, the Milwaukee American Legion Band has performed at Humboldt Park during the summer.  The tradition continues this year as the Legion Band performs at Chill On The Hill in Humboldt park on Tuesday June 30.  The concert will begin at 6:30, but entertainment begins at 6.

The Humboldt Park Chalet is a great place for a concert.  Plenty of grass on the hill and plenty of room for the kids to have a good time.  Bring a picnic dinner or enjoy the offerings of the different food vendors and food trucks that come by.  And the Humboldt Park Beer Garden will be open with great snacks and beverages from the St. Francis Brewery.

For more information, see the Chill On The Hill web site or the Milwaukee American Legion Band web site.

The Milwaukee American Legion Band always performs an entertaining show, always a good time.  You don't want to miss this one.

Sunday, May 31, 2015

First event of the summer

The first performance of a Summer Community Band always seems to be the performance of the Shorewood Concert Band at the Shorewood Men's Club Chicken BBQ.  This year the BBQ will be on Saturday June 13th. 

I can tell you from experience that the chicken, provided by Rupena's, is excellent and well worth the visit.  Music is provided all afternoon beginning with the Shorewood Concert Band.  And this year you can also choose BBQ ribs as well as BBQ chicken. 

See the Shorewood Men's Club web page for more information.  See you on the 13th.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Memorial Day

As you enjoy the long weekend, take in a concert or parade and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live in freedom.  I highly recommend the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS, broadcast from the Mall in Washington DC. 

We will all enjoy the weekend.  We should all take a moment to remember. 

Sunday, May 17, 2015

In observance of Memorial Day

The annual Memorial Day concert will be presented by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band on Monday May 25, Memorial Day, at 4 PM in the Milwaukee County War Memorial, 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive.  The theme for this year's concert is This Is Our Country.  The concert is a fitting way to observe the day and reflect on the sacrifices of those who gave their all for our freedom.  As with all MMCCB concerts, admission is free and the concerts are kid friendly.

You can visit their web site for more information and to download a copy of the concert flier.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Milwaukee Festival Brass concert

The Milwaukee Festival Brass presents their next concert, Impressions of Japan, on Sunday May 17th at 3 PM at St. John's Lutheran Church in Brookfield.  Maestro Mark Taylor was kind enough to send along his thoughts on the concert.

Japan is a land of fascinating juxtaposition, a place where tradition and modernity, pop culture and formality, the ancient and the innovative coexist side by side.  Japan is also home to some of the world’s finest musicians and musical ensembles.  The Japanese have embraced the music of the wind ensemble and can boast of having some of the finest wind bands in the world.  In recent decades, brass bands have also become popular in Japan, with new bands forming every year.  The Japanese music education system is considered by many to be the most advanced in the world; videos of young brass bands from Japan, performing repertoire that would normally be associated with far more advanced ages, are a common sight.

The concert will include Kimigayo, a Japanese march which contains the melody of the national anthem of Japan.  MFB member Al Floeter will perform Hamabe no uta, a traditional Japanese folk song normally performed by a shakuhachi, but here reinterpreted for the euphonium.  Works by a number of Japanese composers and arrangers will be on display, including the nostalgic Amusement Park Suite by Hiroki Takahashi, and a fanciful rhapsody on Funiculi, Funicula by Yo Gotoq. 

This concert also provides the band an opportunity to celebrate its High School Apprentice Program.  This year’s apprentice, trombonist and Cedarburg High School junior Nat Esten, will be a featured soloist in two movements of Peter Graham’s Cats’ Tales.

And I've learned that the MFB will also have a silent auction to be held before the concert and at intermission, including handmade jewelry by MFB supporter Susan Stachelski. 

The Milwaukee Festival Brass will present Impressions of Japan on Sunday, May 17, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 20275 Davidson Road in Brookfield, 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.

We should also congratulate the members of the Milwaukee Festival Brass for placing third in their section at the North American Brass Band Association Championships.  Great job!

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Upcoming concerts

The Menomonee Falls Symphony performs French Revolutions on Saturday evening May 16 at Mount Carmel Lutheran Church, at 84th and Center.  The concert begins at 8 PM and will feature the Orchestra and Dr. John Behnke on organ performing the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony.  The program will also feature two winners from the MFSO 2014 Young Artist Competition.  For more information, or to order tickets, please see the MFSO web site.

And on the same evening, the Concord Chamber Orchestra performs Spring Picnic, their last concert of the season.  Their program includes Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, and Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite.  For more information on this concert, see the CCO web site.

Both concerts will be wonderful.  It's a shame we can't take in both.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Upcoming Concert

The Waukesha Area Symphonic Band will perform at 7:30 on Friday May 1 in Shattuck Auditorium on the campus of Carroll University.  The concert entitled Spring Is In the Ayre, will feature the winner of the 2015 WASB Concerto Competition, Abbey Atwater.  Unfortunately, I do not have any information on the program itself.  If I am able to obtain any information on the concert, I will be sure to post it.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Get your tickets early for this one

This is a story of a musician who grew up in the Fox Valley and played in the Fox Valley Horn Choir while in high school.  He attended and graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and is now playing in the horn section of the Colorado Symphony.  This person returns as the soloist for the opening weekend of the Fox Valley Symphony on October 3.  His name is Austin Larson.

Austin has played in a number of community music groups, and is proof that hard work (along with talent) brings about great results.  I think it is great that not only does he come home to solo for the Fox Valley Symphony, but he comes home to perform on opening night.  He will perform the first Horn Concerto by Strauss.  I am told by people who know that the Strauss One is a bear to play.

Austin first made the pages of this blog when he won the International Horn Society's Premier Soloist Competition.  And it is neat to think that this distinguished career began in the Fox Valley playing with the Fox Valley Horn Choir.

I have a feeling that this concert will be well attended.  I suggest that concert goers get their tickets very early.  If you wait, you might not be able to attend.

All the best to you, Austin!

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Retirement celebration

There are a lot of folks who are unaware of the contributions of Don Krause.  He has been teaching the French horn for many years in the Fox Valley, and he started the Fox Valley Horn Choir.  He also founded Horns A Plenty Christmas, which now is a nationwide in its scope, providing fun and scholarship money for horn players.

Don will be retiring from the Fox Valley Horn Choir this month.  He will still be doing the Horns A Plenty Christmas, and I will cover those events later this year.  But his last Fox Valley Horn Choir concert will be on Sunday April 19.  Because it is a big event, the concert will be held in the chapel of Lawrence University in Appleton, 510 E. College Avenue.  Horn players from all over Wisconsin will be there, and Don will be playing some of his all time favorite pieces for horn choir, including music from the motion picture Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.  The concert will begin at 2 PM.

And just a couple of days later, at 7 Pm on April 21st in the UW-Oshkosh Music Hall, the Oshkosh Horn Choir will perform.  You don't want to miss either of these concerts.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

No new post today

The religious holiday of Passover began on Friday and Easter is Sunday (the day of this post). 

No post today.  I will return with Community Music news next week.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Community Music in the Community

The next two weeks are slow for Community Music Groups due to Spring Breaks at schools and the Easter Holidays.  I find it interesting that some musicians may take a break from school and may even take a vacation, but many will be performing in religious ceremonies during this time.

If you attend such a service and enjoy the music performed, be sure to let the musicians know you enjoyed their performance.  Even though this blog promotes community orchestras and bands, I believe that the biggest source of community music are these services.  And the musicians involved volunteer their time and effort to make them the best they can. 

Be sure to show your appreciation.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Something Special

Every now and then a unique concert comes up.  One such concert will occur in Oshkosh at the Music Hall on the UW-Oshkosh campus on April 21at 7:30 PM:  a performance of the Oshkosh Horn Choir under the direction of Dr. Bruce Atwell.

For those of you who may not have attended such a concert, the group is made up of many French Horn players, all volunteers from around the eastern Wisconsin area.  Performers come from as far away as the Milwaukee and Green Bay areas for weekly rehearsals.  Last semester, the Oshkosh Horn Choir had 16 horn players on stage - 16 part harmonies, all on French Horn.  It was an outstanding concert.  I especially loved the horn choir arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody!

The group is rehearsing now for the April 21 performance.  This concert will be centered around music from Broadway shows.

If you are in the area, I highly recommend this concert.  If you have the evening open, I recommend the drive to hear this concert.  The group is truly unique and talented.  And best of all, the concert is free.  Hope to see you there.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Happy Anniversary to the MMCCB

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special concert on Sunday March 22 at 3 PM in the wonderful Schwan Concert Hall on the campus of Wisconsin Lutheran College. 

The concert will feature a number of special guest conductors.  And the concert has free admission!

The MMCCB always performs a nice concert.  I've found that the concert is long enough to have a nice variety of music while being short enough for young ones to not get too fidgety.  If you have children and you want to expose them to a more formal concert setting and music, an MMCCB performances is a great place to start.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

More on the Concord Chamber Orchestra

The next concert by the Concord Chamber Orchestra is set for Saturday evening March 21 at 8 PM at St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa.  A preview of the concert was posted a couple of weeks back.  Looks to be an excellent concert.

Besides the New World Symphony of Dvorak and the Rococo Theme Variations of Tchaikovsky, the CCO will also be raising funds with special coffees and teas from Colectivo.  You can purchase special Colectivo Coffee blends created for the CCO as well as teas.  (Personally, I like the Mystic green tea.) 

And be sure to stay and mingle with the musicians at the complimentary reception following  the concert Great music and a great time after!  That's a good way to spend a Saturday evening!

For more information or to purchase advance tickets, see the CCO web site.

Hope to see you there!

Monday, March 2, 2015

Special Announcement for the Milwaukee Festival Brass

The MFB will hold a Flapjack Fundraiser Breakfast this Saturday morning March 7 at the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill in West Allis.  Unfortunately, tickets must be ordered in advance from the MFB web site.  No tickets will be sold at the door.

Breakfast will be served from 8 to 10 AM at the Applebee's in West Allis at 2865 S. 108th St.  That's on Hwy 100 between National and Oklahoma Avenues.  The flapjack breakfast includes sausage!  Here's a nice way to start the weekend on a great note and help the Milwaukee Festival Brass raise funds.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Concerts Coming Up: Wauwatosa Community Band and Milwaukee American Legion Band

The Wauwatosa Community Band will present their Mid-Winter Concert on Tuesday march 17 at the Longfellow Middle School on the corner of 76th and North Avenue in Wauwatosa.  The concerts are always fun and great for the kids.  For more information, check out Tosa Band's web site.

I also heard from the Milwaukee American Legion Band and conductor Mike Van Pelt a few weeks ago.  They have a concert coming up on Sunday March 29th at 3 PM at Milwaukee Lutheran High School, 9700 W. Grantosa Avenue.  Unfortunately, I do not have a program preview at this time.  However, given that the concert is occurring very near the first day of Spring, I saw that they named the concert for the Equinox - should be fun.  If I am able to get a list of the program, I'll post it.

See the Legion Band web site for more information. 

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Concert Preview - Concord Chamber Orchestra

The Concord Chamber Orchestra will continue their season of concerts based on food with their offering of Comfort Food on Saturday March 21 at 8PM in St. Matthews Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa.

Like comfort food, the CCO will present familiar music.  On the program is Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 by Pyotr Tchaikovsky featuring cellist Jichen Li, first runner up in the Walter A. and Dorothy J. Oestreich Concerto Competition.  He was also a semifinalist in the Fifth Chinese Golden Bell Award for Music in 2005 and a semifinalist in the fourth Tchaikovsky International Youth Music Contest in 2012. Jichen studied cello at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music and the China Conservatory of Music before continuing his education in the United States. He is currently working toward a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin‐Milwaukee, under the tutelage of Stefan Kartman. Jichen has served as the principal cellist in various orchestras including those of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music, China Conservatory of Music, and is currently the principal cellist of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra. In addition to performing in the cello section of the University of Wisconsin‐Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, he also was the featured soloist in the 2015 UWM Concerto Competition.

Also on the program is the Suite in D Major of Jeremiah Clark and everyone's favorite: Symphony #9 From The New World by Antonin Dvorak.

For more information or to purchase advance tickets, please check the CCO web site.  I hope to see you there.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Special Concert for Brass Band fans

I just learned that the Milwaukee Festival Brass will be joining with the Madison Brass Band and the Illinois Brass Band to present a special concert entitled Brass at the Border.  The concert will begin on Sunday March 1 at 3 PM in the Rita Tallent Picken Regional Center for Arts and Humanities at the University of Wisconsin - Parkside in Kenosha.

All three bands will compete in the North American Brass Band Championships in Fort Wayne just two weeks after this special concert.  The audience will get to hear preview performances of some of the competition music by each group.

The venue, The Rita as the Parkside folks call it, is absolutely wonderful.  Nice clean sight lines and the sound is amazing.  There literally are no bad seats in the house.  A better venue for a concert of this caliber could not be found!

Tickets are $12, $9 for seniors and students.  If you need more information, check out the Milwaukee Festival Brass web site.

And don't forget that the MFB will present their 30th Anniversary concert on Sunday the 22nd at 3 PM at Pius XI High School Performing Arts Center.  See you there!

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Valentines Concert Reminder

Just a reminder that the Valentines Dinner / Concert by the Menomonee Falls Symphony is this coming Friday and Saturday at the Silver Spring Country Club.  Reservations need to be in by February 9th.  You don't want to miss this wonderful evening with your special someone.  See the MFSO web site for the details.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Concert Preview - Milwaukee Festivall Brass 30th Anniversary

I was surprised when I heard that 2015 is the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the Milwaukee Festival Brass.  It just does not seem that long.  I remember attending wonderful concerts by the Milwaukee British Brass Band, the original name for the group.  The founding director, Wayne Becker, absolutely loved the sound of the brass band, and wanted to bring that sound to everyone in Milwaukee.  His legacy lives on and will be celebrated on Sunday February 22nd at the Performing Arts Center in Pius XI High School, on 76th Street just a few blocks north of I-94.  The concert begins at 3 PM.

Here is a great summary of the concert from Music Director Marc Taylor:

The gala will open with a work that was performed at the band’s inaugural concert, Edward Gregson’s iconic Prelude for an Occasion.  The program also includes a duet performance by two founding members of the Milwaukee Festival Brass who are still members today, Rita Ammon and Terry Neesley.  In honor of the band’s Pearl Anniversary, euphoniumists David Meyer and Deb Gilbert will perform a version of the transcendent duet from Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers: “Deep Inside the Sacred Temple.” 

The anniversary concert will bring back former players and conductors of the band as well.  Former music director Trefor Williams will lead the band in a Goff Richards arrangement, and former music director Patricia Backhaus will be a featured cornet soloist on the program.  Alumni of the Milwaukee Festival Brass will be invited onto the stage to join the current band in two joint selections.

The band will also preview the repertoire to be performed at the annual North American Brass Band Championships, which will be held in March in Fort Wayne, IN.

The Milwaukee Festival Brass will present its Gala “Pearl Anniversary” Concert on Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. at Father Robert V. Carney Performing Arts Center, Pius XI High School, 135 North 76th Street, Milwaukee, WI.  Tickets are $12, or $9 for seniors and students.  Group rates are available.  For more information, please visit the band’s website.

 
I will be there and I hope you will be as well!

Sunday, January 25, 2015

An important concert coming up

The Milwaukee Festival Brass will be celebrating their 30th anniversary with a special concert on Sunday February 22nd at the Pius IX Performing Arts Center on 76th street just a few blocks north of I-94.  They are trying to reach anyone who has performed with the group over the last 30 years to not only attend the concert, but perform with the current MFB. 

First, be sure to mark your calendar for  February 22nd.  It will be an excellent concert.  I'll post the concert preview next week.

Second, if you performed with the MFB or know someone who has, please contact the MFB via their web site.  It would  be great to have the stage filled with current and former members.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Dinner concert - Menomonee Falls Symphony

The Menomonee Falls Symphony presents their annual Valentines Dinner Concert at the Silver Spring Country Club on Friday and Saturday, February 13 and 14.  The buffet dinner begins at 6 PM with the concert following.  This is always a nice evening to spend with your loved one.

This year, Maestro Mike Kamenski has created a program of Top 10 Love Songs.  I'm sure there will also be some light classics as well.  And there are always special raffle baskets of goodies, that are donated by the members of the orchestra.

Tickets are $50 per person for the dinner and the concert, and can be obtained via mail order. Please send your name, address, phone number and email address, as well as the number of tickets needed, the payment check, and a self addressed stamped envelope to:
 
MFSO
W181 S6593 Muskego Drive
Muskego, WI  53150

If you are looking for a Valentine's Surprise, this event might be just the thing!  For more information, please check the MFSO web site.

And don't forget the chamber music concert presented by the Concord Chamber Orchestra on Sunday the 25th.  See the CCO web site for more information.
 
 
 

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Concert Preview - Concord Chamber Orchestra

The Concord Chamber Orchestra presents Tapas, a concert of chamber music.  Music Director Jamin Hoffman has this preview.
 
Like the meal this concert is inspired by, the Tapas Concert is a sampling of different, smaller musical ensembles playing a variety of styles that together bring you a complete musical experience.

Sample the traditional music of Bach and Mozart. Hear the rich harmonies of romantic compositions. Feel the spicy syncopation of contemporary rhythms. With so many options, you are sure to be musically satisfied.

Menu:
  • String Quartet in G by Simon Sechter
  • Six Bagatelles for Woodwind Quintet by Gyorgy Ligeti
  • Clarinet Quintet, mvt. 1 by W.A. Mozart
  • Chrysanthemums by Giacomo Puccini
  • Pavane pour une infante defunte by Maurice Ravel
  • Concerto for Oboe d'Amore by J.S. Bach
    arranged for woodwind sextet arranged by Keith MacGaffey
  • Selections from Don Giovani by W.A. Mozart
    arranged for woodwind octet by Josef Triebensee
The concert begins at 1:30 at Nicolet High School in Glendale.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.  For more information, please check the CCO web site.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

A new year of concerts

As promised, here is the list of concerts I have for community music groups for the second half of the concert season.

January
February
March
April

May