With the new concert season beginning, I've assembled a list of the concerts by the different community groups that I get information from. At this time, there are three groups that have not set their concert dates: the Milwaukee Concert Band, the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, and the Wauwatosa Community Band. When I get those dates, I'll post the information and add it to this calendar. If you have concert information for community groups not on the calendar, send me an email at mulwaukeecommunitymusic@yahoo.com and I'll post the information. Thanks in advance.
September - No concerts
October
17 - Lakeshore Symphonic Band, 3pm, Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
24 - Milwaukee Festival Brass, 3 PM, Wisconsin Lutheran College
24 - Milwaukee American Legion Band, 3 PM, South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
30 - Menomonee Falls Symphony, 7:30 PM, Sussex Hamilton Fine Arts Center
November
11 - Milwaukee American Legion Band, 10 AM, Chapel at Zablocki Hospital
14 - Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, 7:30 PM, Shattuck Auditorium, Carroll University
21 - Knightwind Ensemble, 3 PM, Wisconsin Lutheran College
December
5 - Hartland Community Band, 3 PM, Holy Hill Basilica
10 - Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, 7:30 PM, Shattuck Auditorium, Carroll University
11 - Menomonee Falls Symphony, 7:30 PM, Sussex Hamilton Fine Arts Center
12 - Milwaukee American Legion Band, 3 PM, South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
19 - Milwaukee Festival Brass, 3 PM, Wisconsin Lutheran College
19 - Lakeshore Symphonic Band, 3 PM, Holy Hill Basilica
January - No concerts
February
11, 12 - Menomonee Falls Symphony, 6:30 Dinner and 7:30 concert, Silver Spring Country Club
March
6 - Lakeshore Symphonic Band, 3 PM, Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
April
3 - Knightwind Ensemble, 3 PM, South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
3 - Milwaukee Festival Brass, 3 PM, Wisconsin Lutheran College
17 - Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, 7:30 PM, Shattuck Auditorium, Carroll University
May
15 - Lakeshore Symphonic Band, 3 PM, Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
15 - Milwaukee American Legion Band, 3 PM, South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
21 - Menomonee Falls Symphony, 7:30, Sussex Hamilton Fine Arts Center
30 - Knightwind Ensemble, 1 PM, Milwaukee County Zoo
June
4 - Milwaukee Festival Brass, 3 PM, Wisconsin Lutheran College
If you have dates for other community groups, please email them to me and I will add them to the list. Please remember that this blog is geared for adult, community oriented (volunteer) groups. I cannot post concert dates for professional or childrens groups. Thanks for you cooperation.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Would you like to play?
Last year at this time I posted a list of different community music groups in the area, organized by the night of the week that they rehearse. Time to reprise that posting. If you have an instrument, and would like to play in a group, there are many to choose from in the Milwaukee Metro area. Here are some of the groups. And all of them would love to have a new member!
Sunday: There is one group rehearsing on Sunday evening, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band. The band is always looking for new members. If an audition is needed, it is in order to determine where a person would sit. The group performs a more traditional concert band repertoire, and performs most of the year. The group is lead by conductor Karen Lippert. Unfortunately the group does not have a web site at this time. If you're interested in more information, please send me an email and I'll forward it to the conductor.
Monday: There is a community orchestra rehearsing on Monday evenings, the Menomonee Falls Symphony, directed by Mike Kamenski. Auditions are required. The group performs traditional symphony orchestra works. To get more information, see the web site: http://my.execpc.com/~regent/mfso.htm.
Tuesday: There are three groups rehearsing on Tuesday evening: the Wauwatosa Community Band, the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, and the Milwaukee Festival Brass, the area's only British style brass band.First, the Wauwatosa Community Band is sponsored in part by the Wauwatosa Parks and Rec department and welcomes any and all players. Their concerts are lighter in nature with some more serious works for band. They also have a jazz ensemble, with many players performing in both groups. See their web site for more information: http://www.arcfile/com/tosaband/
Also on Tuesday is the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band. WASB performs more serious works and more difficult works for band. Auditions are required. Their web site is http://www.wasband.org/.
Finally on Tuesday is the Milwaukee Festival Brass directed by Dr. Patricia Backhaus, one of my favorite groups. If you are a brass or percussion player, this group offers something different from most community groups as the instrumentation is that of a traditional British Brass Band. The music is a wide variety from Pops favorites to very difficult brass band competition pieces. Auditions are required. See the web site for more info: http://www.mfbrass.org/.
Wednesday: There are three groups rehearsing on Wednesday evening: the Sudler Award Winning Knightwind Ensemble, the Lakeshore Symphonic Band, and the Milwaukee American Legion Band. The Legion band is modeled on the traditional patriotic military band. Not sure if they require auditions. Please see the web site for more information: http://milwakeeamericanlegionband.com/home.htm
The Lakeshore Symphonic Band is located in Ozaukee County in Grafton. Their performances are at the Cedarburg Arts Center. You can get more information from their web site: http://www.lakeshoreband.com/.
The Knightwind Ensemble also rehearses on Wednesday evening. The Ensemble specializes in performing newer works for band and wind symphony. Their web site has the list of the pieces performed in concert over the past 10 years plus, and it includes international award winning pieces. Auditions are required, and the band will add you to the waiting list if the section is full. See the web site for more information: http://www.knightwind.org/. The Ensemble received the Sudler Silver Scroll from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in December of 2005. Of the tens of thousands of community bands eligible for the award, the Knightwind Ensemble is one of 37 groups to EVER receive the award. Quite the accomplishment!
Thursday: Three groups rehearse on Thursday evening. The first is the Milwaukee Concert Band. As they do not have a web site, it is difficult to get information about the group. However, if you are interested in a Thursday rehearsal, send me an email and I will make sure that the director receives it.
Also rehearsing on Thursday is the Suburban Concert Band in West Allis, and the Greendale Village Band. The Suburban Concert Band's site is at http://www.suburbanconcertband.bravehost.com/. This group, like Tosa Band, also has a jazz ensemble.
The Greendale Village Band does not have a web site. However, the Wisconsin Music Group Band list at http://my.execpc.com/~regent/band.htm has contact information for them.
And that wraps up the list of community music groups in the Milwaukee area. If I missed one that you know of, please email me or add a comment to the post. I'll be sure to add it to the list.
Sunday: There is one group rehearsing on Sunday evening, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Concert Band. The band is always looking for new members. If an audition is needed, it is in order to determine where a person would sit. The group performs a more traditional concert band repertoire, and performs most of the year. The group is lead by conductor Karen Lippert. Unfortunately the group does not have a web site at this time. If you're interested in more information, please send me an email and I'll forward it to the conductor.
Monday: There is a community orchestra rehearsing on Monday evenings, the Menomonee Falls Symphony, directed by Mike Kamenski. Auditions are required. The group performs traditional symphony orchestra works. To get more information, see the web site: http://my.execpc.com/~regent/mfso.htm.
Tuesday: There are three groups rehearsing on Tuesday evening: the Wauwatosa Community Band, the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, and the Milwaukee Festival Brass, the area's only British style brass band.First, the Wauwatosa Community Band is sponsored in part by the Wauwatosa Parks and Rec department and welcomes any and all players. Their concerts are lighter in nature with some more serious works for band. They also have a jazz ensemble, with many players performing in both groups. See their web site for more information: http://www.arcfile/com/tosaband/
Also on Tuesday is the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band. WASB performs more serious works and more difficult works for band. Auditions are required. Their web site is http://www.wasband.org/.
Finally on Tuesday is the Milwaukee Festival Brass directed by Dr. Patricia Backhaus, one of my favorite groups. If you are a brass or percussion player, this group offers something different from most community groups as the instrumentation is that of a traditional British Brass Band. The music is a wide variety from Pops favorites to very difficult brass band competition pieces. Auditions are required. See the web site for more info: http://www.mfbrass.org/.
Wednesday: There are three groups rehearsing on Wednesday evening: the Sudler Award Winning Knightwind Ensemble, the Lakeshore Symphonic Band, and the Milwaukee American Legion Band. The Legion band is modeled on the traditional patriotic military band. Not sure if they require auditions. Please see the web site for more information: http://milwakeeamericanlegionband.com/home.htm
The Lakeshore Symphonic Band is located in Ozaukee County in Grafton. Their performances are at the Cedarburg Arts Center. You can get more information from their web site: http://www.lakeshoreband.com/.
The Knightwind Ensemble also rehearses on Wednesday evening. The Ensemble specializes in performing newer works for band and wind symphony. Their web site has the list of the pieces performed in concert over the past 10 years plus, and it includes international award winning pieces. Auditions are required, and the band will add you to the waiting list if the section is full. See the web site for more information: http://www.knightwind.org/. The Ensemble received the Sudler Silver Scroll from the John Philip Sousa Foundation in December of 2005. Of the tens of thousands of community bands eligible for the award, the Knightwind Ensemble is one of 37 groups to EVER receive the award. Quite the accomplishment!
Thursday: Three groups rehearse on Thursday evening. The first is the Milwaukee Concert Band. As they do not have a web site, it is difficult to get information about the group. However, if you are interested in a Thursday rehearsal, send me an email and I will make sure that the director receives it.
Also rehearsing on Thursday is the Suburban Concert Band in West Allis, and the Greendale Village Band. The Suburban Concert Band's site is at http://www.suburbanconcertband.bravehost.com/. This group, like Tosa Band, also has a jazz ensemble.
The Greendale Village Band does not have a web site. However, the Wisconsin Music Group Band list at http://my.execpc.com/~regent/band.htm has contact information for them.
And that wraps up the list of community music groups in the Milwaukee area. If I missed one that you know of, please email me or add a comment to the post. I'll be sure to add it to the list.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The summer is winding down
Other than the final concerts by the Racine Concert Band at the Racine Zoo (see last week's post for details), the summer concerts are now a thing of the past. It was a very good summer with many wonderful concerts. I hope you were able to enjoy many of them.
I will be working to assemble the calendar of concerts for the 2010-2011 season for the community bands in the area. I hope to publish the calendar on Sunday September 5. Next week is a list of the community bands in the area, for those who would like to join a group and play.
I will be working to assemble the calendar of concerts for the 2010-2011 season for the community bands in the area. I hope to publish the calendar on Sunday September 5. Next week is a list of the community bands in the area, for those who would like to join a group and play.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Final concerts in Racine
Just a reminder this week that the last of the summer community band concerts is being offered on Sunday evenings at the Racine Zoo. The Racine Concert Band is completing another summer series of concerts at the Zoo amphitheater right on the lake. Bring a chair or a blanket, maybe a snack or a beverage, and enjoy a concert under the stars. Don Rosen from WRJN is your host!
On August 15, the band welcomes mezzo soprano Allison Hull, who will perform tunes by George and Ira Gershwin. And Eric Weiss will solo on Leroy Anderson's Trumpeters Lullaby.
The music of the Big Bands will be featured on August 22, featuring the jazz stylings of Jeannie Hatfield, former Miss Racine and Miss Wisconsin.
Finally, on August 29, soprano Aimee Miller joins the band to perform Bless This House and Who Will Buy My Lavender. Saxophonist Margaret Schwingle will perform Come Sunday by Duke Ellington.
Don't miss these final concerts in the 2010 Summer Series by the Racine Concert Band.
On August 15, the band welcomes mezzo soprano Allison Hull, who will perform tunes by George and Ira Gershwin. And Eric Weiss will solo on Leroy Anderson's Trumpeters Lullaby.
The music of the Big Bands will be featured on August 22, featuring the jazz stylings of Jeannie Hatfield, former Miss Racine and Miss Wisconsin.
Finally, on August 29, soprano Aimee Miller joins the band to perform Bless This House and Who Will Buy My Lavender. Saxophonist Margaret Schwingle will perform Come Sunday by Duke Ellington.
Don't miss these final concerts in the 2010 Summer Series by the Racine Concert Band.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Last two concerts in Lake Country
This week's post is a reminder that there are two concerts left in the summer season for the Hartland Community Band.
The first is Wednesday August 18 at 7:30 PM at the Band Shell in Oconomowoc. The other concert is the next evening, Thursday August 19 at 7:00 PM in Nixon Park in Hartland.
Then the Hartland Community Band takes a break until their Christmas Concert in December at Holy Hill. More on that later.
For all of you in the western suburbs, be sure to take in one of these two concerts. And for more information, see the band's web site: http://hartlandcommunityband.com
The first is Wednesday August 18 at 7:30 PM at the Band Shell in Oconomowoc. The other concert is the next evening, Thursday August 19 at 7:00 PM in Nixon Park in Hartland.
Then the Hartland Community Band takes a break until their Christmas Concert in December at Holy Hill. More on that later.
For all of you in the western suburbs, be sure to take in one of these two concerts. And for more information, see the band's web site: http://hartlandcommunityband.com
Sunday, August 1, 2010
State Fair to feature State Marching Bands
The Wisconsin State Fair will showcase a number of Wisconsin's top marching bands on Sunday August 15 at 3 PM. This years show marks a continuation of the partnership between the State Fair and the Wisconsin School Music Association.
Unfortunately I have not been able to find the list of the different bands that will be performing that afternoon. If I can get that information, I'll post it as soon as I can. UPDATE 8/3: The poster for the event can be found at this link: www.wsmamusic.org/programs/marching_band/documents/MBposter.pdf
However, a Sunday afternoon with marching bands and cream puffs seems like a day in heaven to me. Be sure to mark you calendar. If you'd like to order tickets, here is the link: www.wistatefair.com/2010_wsf/mainstage.html
And if you are not able to attend the state fair that day, be sure to support the school bands performing throughout every day at the fair. Those musicians are the future of our community bands and orchestras.
Unfortunately I have not been able to find the list of the different bands that will be performing that afternoon. If I can get that information, I'll post it as soon as I can. UPDATE 8/3: The poster for the event can be found at this link: www.wsmamusic.org/programs/marching_band/documents/MBposter.pdf
However, a Sunday afternoon with marching bands and cream puffs seems like a day in heaven to me. Be sure to mark you calendar. If you'd like to order tickets, here is the link: www.wistatefair.com/2010_wsf/mainstage.html
And if you are not able to attend the state fair that day, be sure to support the school bands performing throughout every day at the fair. Those musicians are the future of our community bands and orchestras.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Q and A with Dr. Erik Janners - Part 2
Here are the last 5 questions I posed to the new Music Director of the Knightwind Ensemble.
MCM: What is your favorite: symphonic band piece? orchestral piece? popular piece? other?
EJ: This is like asking me to name my favorite star. I love them all! OK, OK, if you want me to pick just one piece for a favorite wind band work it would be...Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed. There are many others that I love, of course, but that is a work that, to me, will never go out of style - it will always powerfully affect students, performers, and audience members every time. Favorite Orchestral work: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Among all the wonderful musical elements, and its colossal position at the top of the cannon of western art music, I also just love that the various companies who got together to standardize CD technology in the 1990s could only agree that the new CD format should contain a full performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony - the average performance being 74 minutes in length. If you ever wondered where the 74 minutes came from, there you go! For another favorite piece - gosh, I don't know. I know what I like in ANY piece of music, though - interesting melodic and harmonic lines, and the chance for players to really dig into the music and play. That is how I decide what I like in virtually all music, I guess.
MCM: During your career, did you play in any pop or rock groups?
EJ: Yes...can I just leave it at that? No, I guess not. OK fine. All through my high school years, I was the drummer and lead singer for a rock band which went by the hideous name of Burnt Toast and Jam. We did cover tunes mostly, and some original tunes in our later years (17 and 18!). Yes, I was the lead singer, no kidding. I was the Phil Collins of that band. It was a lot of fun and I wouldn't trade it for anything. However, last time I moved, I found some old recordings of that band, and after listening for about 2 minutes decided that those tapes should be permanently misplaced!
MCM: American or Canadian?
EJ: American - I guess the better phraseology would be United Statesian. To say one is American does not narrow it down very much - North or South American? I was born in San Antonia Texas and grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The only time I spent in Canada was three years I spent there in my first teaching position from 2001 to 2004. One of the things I would say, however, is that living outside the US is a very eye opening experience and one I would recommend to anyone. Even simply being in Canada, which most US citizens feel is the 51st state or something, you get a very different perspective of the world, and on what other countries think of the US. Very enlightening.
MCM: What do you enjoy most that is not music?
EJ: I love dogs - my wife and I have 2 dogs - a German Shepherd mix named Jesse, and a Dachsund named Oscar (Oscar the wiener dog). I also very much enjoy sports - football and college basketball (of course) and cycling. Yes, I am a Packers fan in case anyone is wondering and I am a true Packers fan. I started rooting for them when I was a kid in the UP of Michigan, when the quarterbacks were Lynne Dickey and David Whitehurst!
MCM: What are your goals for the first few years of your tenure as Music Director of the Knightwind Ensemble?
EJ: My goals for Knightwind are to: 1) bring more exposure to this wonderful ensemble, and 2) continue to select and perform wind band music of the highest quality to challenge the players. Sounds pretty simple, right? I would like to see if the Knightwind Ensemble can get invited to the Wisconsin Music Conference in Madison, and I would like to look into putting together a CD for sale by the group. Lastly, I plan on talking with the Board of Directors about the possibility of some sort of holiday pops concert - it seems like a natural event that we are missing out on as a part of our calendar.
There you have it! Q and A with Dr. Erik Janners, Director of Music at Marquette University and the newly appointed Music Director of the Knightwind Ensemble.
MCM: What is your favorite: symphonic band piece? orchestral piece? popular piece? other?
EJ: This is like asking me to name my favorite star. I love them all! OK, OK, if you want me to pick just one piece for a favorite wind band work it would be...Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed. There are many others that I love, of course, but that is a work that, to me, will never go out of style - it will always powerfully affect students, performers, and audience members every time. Favorite Orchestral work: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Among all the wonderful musical elements, and its colossal position at the top of the cannon of western art music, I also just love that the various companies who got together to standardize CD technology in the 1990s could only agree that the new CD format should contain a full performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony - the average performance being 74 minutes in length. If you ever wondered where the 74 minutes came from, there you go! For another favorite piece - gosh, I don't know. I know what I like in ANY piece of music, though - interesting melodic and harmonic lines, and the chance for players to really dig into the music and play. That is how I decide what I like in virtually all music, I guess.
MCM: During your career, did you play in any pop or rock groups?
EJ: Yes...can I just leave it at that? No, I guess not. OK fine. All through my high school years, I was the drummer and lead singer for a rock band which went by the hideous name of Burnt Toast and Jam. We did cover tunes mostly, and some original tunes in our later years (17 and 18!). Yes, I was the lead singer, no kidding. I was the Phil Collins of that band. It was a lot of fun and I wouldn't trade it for anything. However, last time I moved, I found some old recordings of that band, and after listening for about 2 minutes decided that those tapes should be permanently misplaced!
MCM: American or Canadian?
EJ: American - I guess the better phraseology would be United Statesian. To say one is American does not narrow it down very much - North or South American? I was born in San Antonia Texas and grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The only time I spent in Canada was three years I spent there in my first teaching position from 2001 to 2004. One of the things I would say, however, is that living outside the US is a very eye opening experience and one I would recommend to anyone. Even simply being in Canada, which most US citizens feel is the 51st state or something, you get a very different perspective of the world, and on what other countries think of the US. Very enlightening.
MCM: What do you enjoy most that is not music?
EJ: I love dogs - my wife and I have 2 dogs - a German Shepherd mix named Jesse, and a Dachsund named Oscar (Oscar the wiener dog). I also very much enjoy sports - football and college basketball (of course) and cycling. Yes, I am a Packers fan in case anyone is wondering and I am a true Packers fan. I started rooting for them when I was a kid in the UP of Michigan, when the quarterbacks were Lynne Dickey and David Whitehurst!
MCM: What are your goals for the first few years of your tenure as Music Director of the Knightwind Ensemble?
EJ: My goals for Knightwind are to: 1) bring more exposure to this wonderful ensemble, and 2) continue to select and perform wind band music of the highest quality to challenge the players. Sounds pretty simple, right? I would like to see if the Knightwind Ensemble can get invited to the Wisconsin Music Conference in Madison, and I would like to look into putting together a CD for sale by the group. Lastly, I plan on talking with the Board of Directors about the possibility of some sort of holiday pops concert - it seems like a natural event that we are missing out on as a part of our calendar.
There you have it! Q and A with Dr. Erik Janners, Director of Music at Marquette University and the newly appointed Music Director of the Knightwind Ensemble.
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