SUNDAY, JULY 17 CONCERTS @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.

The St. Joseph Municipal Band continues the 2005 summer season with its normal set of double concerts on Sunday, July 17 at the regular 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. The weekly summer concerts are held at the newly renovated John E. N. Howard Band Shell in downtown St. Joseph overlooked Lake Michigan. The July 17 Venetian Festival weekend concerts are the 5th of 13 double concerts scheduled for the season and will feature "The Citadel Dancers" as guest performers.

Director Dr. Donald Moely, announced the concerts this Venetian Festival week will include music having a theme of water or the sea. The concert begins with a Sousa march, "Who’s Who in the Navy Blue," which Sousa composed as a result of a request from the 1920 graduating class of the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

The is following by an often requested composition "Victory at Sea," by Richard Rodgers arranged for band by his long time collaborator, Robert Russell Bennett. The cry of horns, trumpets, and trombones with which Rodgers begins his score for the television production "Victory at Sea", has in it all the vast restlessness and mystery of the sea itself.

Next the band features the principal player of the French horn section, Stacie Detgen, in a solo with the band, guest conducted by her mother, Dixie Detgen, principal oboe player of the band. Ms. Detgen will perform "Concerto for Horn & Band," by Franz Strauss, arranged by C. T. Yeago. Stacie Detgen is in her 18th year of teaching instrumental music education and her 13th year at Charlotte Middle School. She is a native of Buchanan, and is a graduate of Michigan State University. Ms. Detgen has a Master of Music Education degree from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. This is her 26th year of membership with the St. Joseph Municipal Band. She has been a member of the Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestra, the Lansing Concert Band, has soloed with the Meridian Community Band, and has been featured with the MSU Alumni Touring Band traveling in Europe. She is active in performing with Gazebo Brass Quintet and solos and participates in the Charlotte Lawrence Avenue United Methodist Church orchestra and brass choir.

This is followed by ‘The Naval Sea Cadet March,’ by Joseph Olivadoti, which was the wining composition as a result of a contest to choose the best march for the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

The entertainment feature for the July 17 concerts will be a performance by the Citadel Dancers. ‘Citadel Dancers’ is the performing company of the Citadel Dance Center, a non-profit organization located in the Benton Harbor Arts District. Eileen Cropley is their Director. Their mission is to develop the skills and character of individuals of every age and ethnicity through dance education and performance.

The Company members range in age from nine to sixteen and will perform in a variety of dance styles: ballet, modern, jazz and Irish step dance. Members of the ensemble are: Elizabeth Bowman, La'Ron Bradley (not performing in this program), Molly Ross, Molly Schuh, Shelby Vasta, Lexi Barreiro, Michele Ledbetter, Caroline Richey, Caroline Spikner, Samantha Young.

Their dance presentations will include:

"WEATHER OR NOT": Choreography: Eileen Cropley Music: Poulenc, played by Jocelyn Frey & Elizabeth Bowman; Dancers: Lexi Barreiro, Michele Ledbetter, Caroline Richey, Caroline Spikner, Samantha Young

"CORN": Choreography: Eileen Cropley; Music: Leo Kottke; Dancers: Elizabeth Bowman, Molly Ross, Molly Schuh, Shelby Vasta

"CHINOISERIE": Choreography: Theresa Graziano; Music: Tchaikowsky, arr. Duke Ellington; Dancers: Lexi Barreiro, Michele Ledbetter, Caroline Richey, Caroline Spikner, Samantha Young

"POPEYE": Choreography: Eileen Capt; Music: Traditional; Dancers: Lexi Barreiro, Michele Ledbetter, Caroline Richey

"HEATWAVE": Choreography: Lari Lawrence; Music: Martha and the Mandellas; Dancers: Elizabeth Bowman, Molly Ross, Molly Schuh, Shelby Vasta

The band concludes the program with Frank Erickson’s "Overture for Band" following by the concluding march "Under the Double Eagle March," by J. F. Wagner, arranged by L. P. Laurendeau.

The hour long Municipal Band concerts at the John E. N. Howard band shell are held each Sunday at 3:30 & 7:30 p.m. and continue through Sunday, September 5 concluding with the final set of concerts Monday, September 6, Labor Day.

Last update on 06/28/2007