I wanted to post a special alert to younger musicians about a special opportunity. The Milwaukee Festival Brass will again open its Apprentice Program to qualified high school musicians. This is unique because of the wonderful training and mentoring each student receives from the talented adult musicians in the group.
The Milwaukee Festival Brass is unique in the Milwaukee area in that they are a British Style Brass Band using British instrumentation. So, for example, there are no trumpets in the group, but there are different types of Cornets. You won't find a French Horn in the MFB, but there are Alto Horns.
The best way to learn more about the Apprentice Program is to check the MFB web site.
And Good Luck to all who audition!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Opportunities to play in community music groups
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 no where 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. Unfortunately, they do not have a web site at this time. If you are interested in more information, post a response or send an email and I will forward your information to the director.
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. Their web site is under construction at this time. If you are interested in more information, post a response or send an email and I will forward your information to the director.
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 is the most decorated community band in the area, having been awarded the Sudler Silver Scroll from the John Phillip Sousa Foundation. The group performs very difficult music, and performs it well. As a result, auditions are required. Their web site has all the audition and history information. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a volunteer for the group.
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. Their web site has all the information.
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.
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. Unfortunately, they do not have a web site at this time. If you are interested in more information, post a response or send an email and I will forward your information to the director.
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. Their web site is under construction at this time. If you are interested in more information, post a response or send an email and I will forward your information to the director.
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 is the most decorated community band in the area, having been awarded the Sudler Silver Scroll from the John Phillip Sousa Foundation. The group performs very difficult music, and performs it well. As a result, auditions are required. Their web site has all the audition and history information. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a volunteer for the group.
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. Their web site has all the information.
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.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
The summer season is winding down
Labor Day weekend is not far off, marking the end of summer. The fall concert season will begin in October.
And I am going to take a short break while I research the fall concert schedule. I hope to publish it on Labor Day weekend, Sunday September 2.
So until then, cheers!
And I am going to take a short break while I research the fall concert schedule. I hope to publish it on Labor Day weekend, Sunday September 2.
So until then, cheers!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Racine Concert Band Summer Finale
The last concert of the summer season in Racine will be at 7 PM on August 19th. Oboeist Katherine Radeck will perform Autumn Soliloquy by James Barnes. The band also welcomes mezzo soparano Allison Hull. Ms Hull is a lecturer at UW-Parkside and teaches at the North Shore School for the Arts in Glencoe, Illinois. She has also performed with the Skylight Opera Theater and the Seattle Opera.
In between every piece on the program, a drawing will be held for free dinners at local restaurants. In order to get your name in the drawing, you must have attended previous concerts and entered the Racine Concert Band Quiz. Special thanks go out to all the restaurants that donated dinners for the drawing.
And the final Sousa march of the season is the famous El Capitan. Hope to see you there!
In between every piece on the program, a drawing will be held for free dinners at local restaurants. In order to get your name in the drawing, you must have attended previous concerts and entered the Racine Concert Band Quiz. Special thanks go out to all the restaurants that donated dinners for the drawing.
And the final Sousa march of the season is the famous El Capitan. Hope to see you there!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Racine Concert Band August 12
The Racine Concert Band welcomes soprano Ami Bouterse to the stage on Sunday August 12th. She will perform some light operatic favorites, as well as show tunes from Harold Arlen and Rogers and Hammerstein.
Also featured on the program is clarinetist Diane Kosmala performing Scene and Air by Michael Bergson.
And the Sousa march of the evening is one I bet you are not familiar with: The Beau Ideal. Be sure to come to the concert to see if you recognize it.
Also featured on the program is clarinetist Diane Kosmala performing Scene and Air by Michael Bergson.
And the Sousa march of the evening is one I bet you are not familiar with: The Beau Ideal. Be sure to come to the concert to see if you recognize it.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The RCB next concert
The next concert I get to tell you about is the Racine Concert Band performance on Sunday August 5. First, because the sun is going down earlier, the concerts in August will begin at 7:00. The concerts are still at the band shell in the Racine Zoo.
Joining Maestro Mark Eichner is trumpeter Mark Eichner. The Music Director will perform Trumpet by Candlelight by Terry Kenny. Also performing is the trombone section with a fun piece called Frolic for Trombones.
The Sousa March for the evening will be the famous King Cotton, written in 1895 for the Cotton States International Exposition.
Remember the 7 PM start time.
Joining Maestro Mark Eichner is trumpeter Mark Eichner. The Music Director will perform Trumpet by Candlelight by Terry Kenny. Also performing is the trombone section with a fun piece called Frolic for Trombones.
The Sousa March for the evening will be the famous King Cotton, written in 1895 for the Cotton States International Exposition.
Remember the 7 PM start time.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Racine Concert Band concerts
Today at 7:30, the Racine Concert Band will perform at the Racine Zoo. The concert will include music by American composers Morton Gould and Alfred Reed. The percussion section will be featured in a piece called Haskell's Rascals. That will be a lot of fun!
Joining the band will be soprano Aimee Wetenkamp, performing show tunes by George and Ira Gershwin, Richard Rogers, Oscar Hammerstein, and Lorenz Hart. She will also sing a song by John Philip Sousa.
And, of course, every Racine Band Concert ends with a rousing march by Sousa. This week it will be his second most famous march, The Washington Post.
Next week, July 29, the band welcomes former Miss Wisconsin Jeanie Hatfield, performing jazz standards by Burt Bacharach and the Gershwin Brothers.
Chris Tomaloff of the percussion section will perform the fun (and very difficult) Rainbow Ripples on the xylophone. You don't want to miss that one.
And the Sousa march of the evening is a wonderful march that is not played very often: The Foshay Tower Washington Memorial March.
Joining the band will be soprano Aimee Wetenkamp, performing show tunes by George and Ira Gershwin, Richard Rogers, Oscar Hammerstein, and Lorenz Hart. She will also sing a song by John Philip Sousa.
And, of course, every Racine Band Concert ends with a rousing march by Sousa. This week it will be his second most famous march, The Washington Post.
Next week, July 29, the band welcomes former Miss Wisconsin Jeanie Hatfield, performing jazz standards by Burt Bacharach and the Gershwin Brothers.
Chris Tomaloff of the percussion section will perform the fun (and very difficult) Rainbow Ripples on the xylophone. You don't want to miss that one.
And the Sousa march of the evening is a wonderful march that is not played very often: The Foshay Tower Washington Memorial March.
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