You know summer is here when the St. Joseph Municipal Band begins its 2002 concert season on the traditional ‘last’ Sunday in June concerts at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. June 30 at the John E. N. Howard Band shell. Following the evening concert musicians form into a "Big Band" which concludes the opening day’s activities with a late night "Big Band" concert scheduled at 9:00 p.m.

Dr. Donald Moely, Director of the Band is beginning his 15th season this summer. He indicated, "The band is in intense rehearsal preparations for the opening of the season, as they meet the first time this year."

Dr. Moely said "the first sounds of the season will be the traditional opening of each concert with the National Anthem, followed immediately by the Warren Barker arrangement of George Gershwin’s "Strike up the Band".

After the opening ceremonies, the concert begins with an exciting composition of Joseph Wilcox, entitled "American Overture for Band." It features the French horn section and includes many virtuoso woodwind and brass flourishes throughout. This will be followed by a more traditional march by the march king, John Philip Sousa, with the "Beau Ideal March" . The march was composed in 1893 and the title literally means ‘the ideal of beauty’, a concept widely embraced by many Americans of the late 1890's.

Conductor Dr. Moely said "The delightful Michelle Bythrow, who returns to start the season as vocalist singing highlights of "The Sound of Music," a world favorite musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. This really embodies the whole St. Joseph Municipal Band season in that we bring back the sounds of music at the John E. N. Howard band shell.

Michelle Bythrow grew up in St. Joseph, MI and went on to graduate from Indiana University School of Music. She has been singing professionally since 1991. Currently, she resides in Granger, with her husband and three children. They attend Granger Community Church, where Michelle sings to bring honor to God and to reach out to the community. She has been writing music, one book and drama for her church and hopes to continue to expand her knowledge and desire for writing. She indicates that she "is thankful to be singing again this summer with the extremely talented musicians in the St. Joseph Municipal Band."

Special entertainment for the first week of concerts will feature the Vi Shafer Dancers.

The VI SHAFER DANCERS are from Coloma. The dancers reside in the following communities: Coloma, Watervliet, South Haven, St. Joseph, Covert, Hartford and Bangor. The age of the dancers range from 9-25. They are trained in ballet, tap and jazz and will perform in a variety of different routines with each costume being chosen specifically for that dance. All choreography is by Vi Shafer, Director of the group. These dancers are busy in the summer months performing at many festivals, fairs and libraries. Former dance groups have performed all over the world. This group just returned from a recent Disney World performance. Many former students are now performing in theaters, TV, Movies and Videos. Some students hold a master’s degree in dance, while others own production companies, and some are electrical engineers in stage lighting, others are models for advertising agencies, and many dance for the love of dance The performers range in age from 4 and up. One of the dancers favorite places to perform is at the St. Joseph Municipal Band Concerts. They do not know of a more beautiful place to dance. The group of dancers recently performed at Disney World and will share their great talent and variety by offering three contrasting dance styles and formats.

An alto saxophone solo with the band will be performed by Saxophone section leader Phil Barham. PHIL BARHAM , a native of Dowagiac, was dubbed by a London critic after his debut there, "An American master saxophonist..." He received his Bachelor of Music degree in woodwinds from University of North Texas , and his Master of Music Degree in wind instruments/saxophone from the University of Michigan. He was a former saxophone instructor at California State University, Northridge and is presently a clinician for the Selmer Company and Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Clarinet at Andrews University, Southwestern Michigan College and Lake Michigan College. Mr. Barham has also been saxophone instructor for Western Michigan University's Summer Seminar. As a world touring saxophone artist, he has performed in the Purcell Room, in London as well as in Oslo, at University Ala, and in Geneva, Switzerland. Audiences and critics agree with the opinion already offered by the New York Times published after his debut at Carnegie Recital Hall, which said that Phil's playing represents "..the ability to swing at a dancing rhythm or to blister through a swift rippling melody.." Phil is in constant demand as a clinician and performer, Mr. Barham appears regularly with the Southwest Michigan Symphony, the South Bend Symphony and the Kalamazoo Symphony.

The concert continues with a Leroy Anderson work entitled "Serenada,." and the "National Emblem March" by E. E. Bagley.

Dr. Moely indicated the concerts are always free to the public and continue every Sunday throughout the summer through the Labor Day week end. The band also performs double 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. holiday concerts on Thursday, July 4, and on Labor Day, Monday, September 2.

The past several years it has become a tradition to open the St. Joseph Municipal Band

season with a special late night "Big Band" program.

The band will perform many ‘big band’ favorites, written expressively for that idiom." Much of this type of music was very often heard right across the street on the Whitcomb terrace in the 30's as well as at the old Shadow Land Ballroom down on the beach.

The guest vocalist Michelle Bythrow will continue as the soloist as requests indicated the audience loves her. She will perform "Call Me Irresponsible" and "Fly me to the Moon."

Director Dr. Moely said, "this additional ‘big band’ performance means a lot of extra preparation for the musicians which have not performed together for nine months, but the audiences have thoroughly enjoy the late night concerts and help define the municipal band’s season at the John E. N. Howard Band shell, since the big band late concert begins the season on June 30 and signals the end of the season on Sunday, September 1, the evening before the final municipal band concerts on Labor Day, Monday, September 2. Moely related "The deeply appreciative audiences have made the extra practice for the band worth the effort".

The community has enjoyed the added variety of this program and even though it involves a longer evening for those who attend the normal 7:30 p.m. Municipal Band Concert, everyone seems to want to remain and enjoy the music of the "Big Band" era, with some even dancing in the street; join them during the 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. concert.

All are welcome to attend the ‘free’ concerts, courtesy of St. Joseph Mayor Mary Goff, City Manager Frank Walsh, the City Commissioners and the St. Joseph taxpayers. The late night concert concludes the busy opening day activities for the 2002 St. Joseph Municipal Band Season at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell.