Congratulations to the Milwaukee Festival Brass

The Milwaukee Festival Brass competed in the North American Brass Band Association Championships recently.  While they were not able to defend their title as champions of the Third Section, they did score well. 

And congratulations to Al Floeter of MFB who placed first in the Senior Low Brass Melody competition.  Also congratulations go out to MFB members David Grace and Darrel Stachelski for placing first and third respectively in the Senior High Brass Technical competition. 

And don't forget the upcoming MFB concert, Festival City Postcards, Sunday May 20 at 3 PM at the Pius XI High School Arts Center.  See the MFB web site for more information.

Concert Preview - Menomonee Falls Symphony

The Menomonee Falls Symphony will present The British...Just Smashing, on Saturday evening April 14.  The concert begins at 7:30 in the Fine Arts Center at Sussex Hamilton High School.

Featured on the program is the Vaughn Williams Symphony number 5 in D.  Many of the musical themes in the Fifth Symphony stem from Vaughan Williams' then-unfinished operatic work, The Pilgrim's Progress. This opera, or "morality" as Vaughan Williams preferred to call it, had been in gestation for decades, and the composer had temporarily abandoned it at the time the symphony was conceived. Despite its origins, the symphony is without programmatic context, and is in the form of an extended development of musical themes taken from the morality rather than an attempt to cast it directly into symphonic form.

Also featured is pianist Elena Abend performing the Mozart Piano Concerto #24.  Ms. Abend currently serves on the piano and chamber music faculty at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and the Lakeside Chamber Music Workshop.

For more information or to order tickets, see the MFSO web site.

Good Luck to MFB

Let's wish good luck to the Milwaukee Festival Brass as they defend their Championship at the North American Brass Band Association Championships in Fort Wayne, Indiana this weekend. 

I will publish the (hopefully) great results as soon as they are posted.

Good news to report

Congratulations go out to the members and volunteers of the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band.  They were awarded the Sudler Silver Scroll by the John Phillip Sousa Foundation.  This award recognizes community bands in North America that consistently perform at a high level while contributing to their community.  While many bands apply each year, only a few are awarded the Scroll.  There have been a few years when no band received an award.

Bands that apply must submit documentation on their concerts, letters of recommendation from the music world as well as their community, and recordings of concert material.  Judges from across the nation then review the material and recordings to determine if any bands are to receive the award.  The process is very thorough and those that receive the award truly deserve it.

Music Director Rick Kirby accepted the award from Dr. Ron Keller at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Directors convention in Chicago.

Concert Reminder

The Concord Chamber Orchestra will perform Gods and Mortals at the Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church on Saturday March 24 beginning at 7 PM.  You will enjoy music of Offenbach, Richard Wagner, and Sir Edward Elgar.  See the web site for more information and to order your tickets.

Another concert reminder

You don't want to miss the Concord Chamber Orchestra's presentation of Gods and Mortals on Saturday March 24 at the Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church beginning at 7 PM.  See the CCO web site for directions and tickets.

Concert reminder

Don't miss the Brass on the Border concert at Milton High School on March 11.  Four top British style brass bands will showcase their music for the upcoming NABBA competition.  See the Milwaukee Festival Brass web site for all the details and directions.