SUNDAY, JUNE 27 CONCERTS @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. & Big Band @ 9:00 p.m.

Dr. Donald Moely, who begins his 17th season as director of the St. Joseph Municipal Band, announced that the 2004 summer concert series begins with its normal set of double concerts on Sunday, June 27 at the regular times of 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell in downtown St. Joseph overlooked Lake Michigan. The opening concerts will feature special guests including vocal soloist, Brinden Brown, trumpet soloist William Camp, and the Delores Shearer Dancers, as well as a dedication to Ron Folkert, a former band member who passed away earlier this spring.

Director Dr. Moely indicated that this year’s opening concerts begin with John Philip Sousa’s "On Parade March." This is followed by a favorite masterwork for the band idiom by Joseph Jenkins, "American Overture for Band," which features the woodwinds in exciting flourishes and the brasses with alternating fanfare like passages.

Next the band features trumpet soloist William Camp. WILLIAM CAMP enters his eighteenth year as a traveling performer and guest soloist. Camp has appeared with the Lake Forest Symphony, American Ballet Theater Orchestra, Northwest Indiana Symphony, Kenosha Symphony, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra and the Symphonic Pops Orchestra of Chicago and now performs with Chicago Classic Brass. He has performed in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, and at La Scala, Italy. As a soloist Mr. Camp has appeared with The Quad Cities Symphony, The Dallas Wind Symphony, Chicago Chamber Brass, Northwest Indiana Symphony, and many other performing ensembles. Camp graduated from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and The University of Michigan and his principal teachers include Gene Young, Louis Davidson, Armando Ghitalla and Thomas Crown. Camp will perform the 3rd movement of the Hummel Trumpet Concerto.

The intermission features entertainment by the DELORES SHEARER DANCERS.  Dolores Shearer is the owner and artistic director of the Dolores Shearer Dance Studio located in St. Joseph for 38 years. The studio offers professional dance training for children in ballet, pointe, tap and jazz. The studio's instruction encourages performing opportunities for students at their schools and community activities and challenges their creativity with original choreography. Their goal is to help each student achieve personal development with poise, grace and self-confidence. Many of their students have been Blossom Queens as well as gone on to pursue successful careers in dance or entertainment careers.

Next the band features it’s vocal soloist, Brinden Brown.  BRINDEN BROWN is returning to St. Joseph this summer for her fifth appearance with the St, Joseph Municipal Band. Originally from Elkhart, Indiana, Miss Brown has studied vocal performance at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan, the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana. She has spent the last two years singing with the Cleveland Opera in Cleveland, Ohio, and resides in Edwardsburg, Michigan in the off-season

The band next dedicates a favorite composition to one of its former members, Ronald Folkert, a French horn player in the band who passed away this spring. The composition is "Eternal Father, Strong to Save, " by Claude T. Smith. The composition is especially appropriate when in the middle of the piece the entire French horn section is featured in a choral setting of the melody. Doctor Moely indicated, "Ron was a highly valued member of the band and although he was not able to play with the band during its 2003 season, he was not only a regular member the preceding 10 years but during those 10 years he had a perfect attendance. We pay our respect to Ron and his family for his fantastic, and enthusiastic participation in the St. Joseph Municipal band for those dedicated 10 years of service."

The concert concludes with a popular Sousa march "The Washington Post"

The Late Night "Big Band" program follows at 9:00 p.m.

Each season over the past many years the St Joseph Municipal Band has opened and closed its concert season with an added late night "Big Band" performance. So after the evening concert, Sunday, June 27, the band will clear the stage and set up for the big band concert from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The big band will feature Brinden Brown, vocal soloist for the earlier band concerts in several songs with the big band.

The Big Band program mirrors some of the traditional music which is part of the Municipal Band concerts. It begins with Jerry Lackey’s big band arrangement of "The National Anthem", followed by a jazzy version of the Municipal Band’s concert opener each week, a Sammy Nestico arrangement of the George Gershwin "Strike up the Band." "Moonlight Serenade," a well known big band Glenn Miller piece follows. Next the audience will hear "Pennsylvania 6-5000."

The big band fare continues by featuring the vocal soloist Brinden Brown, in "Can’t help Lovin’ Dat Man", a Hammerstein and Jerome Kern song arranged by Roger Holmes. Vocalist Brown continues with "Call Me Irresponsible," and Irving Berlin’s "Blue Skies," arranged by Roger Holmes.

Next the big band features some favorite tunes of that famous era of music, "A String of Pearls," "Tuxedo Junction, and the familiar "Woodchoppers Ball." The late night show of the "Big Band" concludes with the traditional closer "In the Mood," by Joe Garland.

Dr. Moely indicated the Municipal Band concerts at the John E. N. Howard band shell are each Sunday at 3:30 & 7:30 p.m. and continue through Sunday September 5 and conclude with the final set of 2004 season with concerts Monday, September 6, Labor Day.

Dr. Moely said "We’re excited to be back for the 2004 season. The Sunday St. Joseph Municipal Band concerts at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell are the best free ticket in town, in a beautiful setting overlooking Lake Michigan, with the most appreciative capacity audiences throughout the summer that any group of highly talented musicians could ever have the privilege to perform for. The extremely talented musicians whom I have the great privilege of working with are ready and have begun rehearsals to prepare for the opening concerts.. Let the 2004 season begin!"