Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Week 7 - August 3 Concert

The Chemical City Band will perform its 7th (final) concert of the 2016 Season on Wednesday, August 3 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.

Our guest conductor this week is Chris O'Connell.  Our intermission music will be supplied by Sax to the Max, an ensemble of saxophone musicians including our own baritone sax player Mackenna Greene.

The following musical selections will be presented:

Hickory Hills Concert March......................................George Kenny

Guardians of Peace Symphonic March.....................James L. Hosay

Homeward Bound...................................Marta Keen, arr. B. Karrick

Anthem for Victory...............................................Quincy C. Hilliard

Intermission Music...................Runaway Baby, My Girl, Daft Punk
   Alto Sax: Keon Beigzadeh, Megan Heydrick, Jon Gorman,
                   Quinn Johnson, Munif Hakim, Andre Buckley
   Tenor Sax: Avery King, Maddie Jones, Josh Loiselle
   Bari Sax: Mackenna Greene, Noah Coughlin
   Drums: Max Pavlik

Dedicatory Overture................................................Clifton Williams

Kindergarten March Fantasy........................Edwin Franko Goldman

September Song.................................Maxwell Anderson/Kurt Weill

The Olympic Spirit..............................John Williams, arr. J Curnow

America, the Beautiful...................Samuel A. Ward, arr. A. Gaylord

The Star-Spangled Banner.......John Stafford Smith, arr. A. Gaylord


Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Week 6 - July 27 Concert

5:30 PM UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, the final decision to play the concert tonight will be made @ 7 PM.

The Chemical City Band will perform its 6th concert of the 2016 Season on Wednesday, July 27 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.

This week is Steve DeRees' final concert of the season.  He will be back at the podium in 2017.  Chris O'Connell will direct next week as our guest conductor. 

Also, this weekend is the final opportunity to purchase a bottle of wine at the Grape Beginnings Winery downtown, where 10% of the price of Wildberry Shiraz will be donated to CCB (see Week 4 blog for details).

The following musical selections will be presented:

The Crosley March.............................Henry Fillmore, arr. R. Foster

Irving Berlin: The Early Years.............................arr. Warren Barker

Joyant Winds...................................................................Ed Huckeby

Slumber, My Darling.........................Stephen Foster, arr. B. Karrick

The Symphonic Beatles.............Lennon/McCartney, arr. J. Cacavas

Intermission

The Invincible Eagle March...John Philip Sousa, arr. Brion-Schissel

March and Procession of Bacchus.......Leo Delibes, arr. E. Osterling

Festivity........................................................................Stephen Bulla

The Stormchasers.......................................................Robert Sheldon

America, the Beautiful...................Samuel A. Ward, arr. A. Gaylord

The Star-Spangled Banner.......John Stafford Smith, arr. A. Gaylord

Chemical City Band
Our 107th Season

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Week 5 - July 20 Concert

The Chemical City Band will perform its 5th concert of the 2016 Season on Wednesday, July 20 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.

Tonight, the audience will include 2 members of the Auburn Community Band, who traveled from Indiana today to arrange a possible joint performance of the bands during our 2017 season.  Percussionists: please provide many unusual sounds during the Spike Jones Salute in honor of our guests!

The following musical selections will be presented:

Shannon Lake...............................................................Brant Karrick

Second Suite for Military Band in F Major...................Gustav Holst
          1. Movement 1, March

Adagio...........................................Tomaso Albinoni, arr. J. de Haan

A Salute to Spike Jones..........................................arr. Calvin Custer

1st South Dakota Infantry March..............F.M. Halstad, arr. J.Pekas

Intermission

Emperata Overture...................................................Claude T. Smith

Someone to Watch Over Me.........George Gershwin, arr. W. Barker
           Jeff Podhorez, alto sax soloist

Big Bands Play Folk Songs..........................................arr. J. Ployhar

Manhattan Beach March........John Philip Sousa, arr. Brion/Schissel

America, the Beautiful...................Samuel A. Ward, arr. A. Gaylord

The Star-Spangled Banner.......John Stafford Smith, arr. A. Gaylord





Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Week 4 - July 13 Concert

The Chemical City Band will perform its 4th concert of the 2016 Season on Wednesday, July 13 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.

During the month of July, the Grape Beginnings Winery, LLC (244 E. Main St. Midland) will donate 10% of the sales of one wine selection Wild Red - Wildberry Shiraz to the Chemical City Band.  Check out their website: www.grapebeginningswinery.com for more information.

Our weekly program gives other options for contributing to the band directly or through our endowment fund at the Midland Area Community Foundation.  We are now half way through the 107th season of performing in Midland.  Several supporters have written checks for $107 to celebrate this occasion. 

The following musical selections will be presented for your enjoyment:

Blue Ridge Saga....................................................James Swearingen

Italian Festival..........................................................arr. Glenn Osser

Salute to Bob Hope...............................................arr. Warren Barker

A Russian Festival...........................................................Jay Dawson

Oh, Henry! Concert March............................................Ryan Nowlin

Intermission

Dark Fortress Overture.......................................................Bob Grice

Disney Blockbuster.................................................arr. John Higgins

Second American Folk Rhapsody............................Clare Grundman

King Cotton March........................John Philip Sousa, arr. F. Fennell

America the Beautiful....................Samuel A. Ward, arr. A. Gaylord

The Star-Spangled Banner.......John Stafford Smith, arr. A. Gaylord

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Week 3 - July 6 Concert

The Chemical City Band will perform its third concert of the 2016 season on Wednesday, July 6 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.

In case of inclement weather, the concert is cancelled because we have no other available venue.  Band members should bring their music to the band shell @ 7 PM so the folders can be re-stuffed for next week.

The following musical selections will be presented:

National Emblem March.........................E.E. Bagley, ed. F. Fennell

In Their Honor...........................................................Carl Strommen

Chimes of Liberty March...Edwin Franko Goldman, arr. L. Schissel

The Swiss Shepherd...................................P. Morlacchi, arr. N. Kile
         Ayana Terauchi, Flute soloist

Americans We....................................Henry Fillmore, ed. F. Fennell

Intermission

American Legacy No. 1........................................arr. Charles Carter

Salute to America's Finest.....................................arr. Paul Lavender

America, the Beautiful.........Samuel Augustus Ward, arr. C. Dragon

The Liberty Bell March...................John Philip Sousa, arr. M. Story

God Bless America................................Irving Berlin, arr. F. Cofield

The Stars and Stripes Forever................................John Philip Sousa

The Star-Spangled Banner.......John Stafford Smith, arr. A. Gaylord

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Week 2 - June 29 Concert

The Chemical City Band will perform its second concert of the 2016 season on Wednesday, June 29 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.

Under the direction of our permanent conductor, Steve DeRees, the band will play the following musical selections:

136th U.S.A. Field Artillery March...........................Henry Fillmore

Abington Ridge Overture................................................Ed Huckeby

The Rowan Tree..............................................Randall D. Standridge

Paul Bunyan (A Lumberjack Rhapsody)....................Clare Hounsell

Second Suite for Military Band in F Major...................Gustav Holst
          IV. Fantasia on the "Dargason"

Intermission

Alamo March...................................Karl L. King, arr. J. Swearingen

The Right Stuff Highlights........................Bill Conti, arr. P. Jennings

The Marriage of Figaro Overture..........W.A. Mozart, arr. E. Slocum

Riders For The Flag........................John Philip Sousa, ed. F. Fennell

America, the Beautiful...................Samuel A. Ward, arr. A. Gaylord

The Star-Spangled Banner........John Stafford Smith, arr. A. Gaylord



Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Week 1 - June 22 Concert

The Chemical City Band will perform its first concert of the 2016 season on Wednesday, June 22 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.

Parking will be a challenge this summer due to renovation work at Central Middle School.  While that parking lot will be closed, several options are available on Collins St. towards the Midland Community Center.  The first is just off the street, while the second is "over the hill" from the band shell.  Also, the lot at Memorial Presbyterian Church is open, but is a longer walk along Rodd St.

Under the direction of our new conductor, Steve DeRees, the band will play the following selections:

Carnegie Anthem.......................................................William Owens

Nordic Sketches........................................................Pierre La Plante

Selections from "The Music Man"........Meredith Willson, arr. Lang

I've Made My Plans for the Summer.....................John Philip Sousa

The Washington Post March..................................John Philip Sousa

Intermission

On the Mall March.......................................Edwin Franko Goldman

Shepherd's Air..............................C. William Goff, arr. Jay Dawson

Motown Revue.........................................................arr. Paul Murtha
  1. I Heard it Through the Grapevine
  2. My Girl
  3. ABC

Incantations..............................................................Robert W. Smith

America, the Beautiful.......................................Katharine Lee Bates

The Star-Spangled Banner.....................................Francis Scott Key

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

2016 Season Opening Remarks

In just 2 weeks the Chemical City Band will begin its 107th season with a concert at the Nicholson-Guenther band shell in Midland's Central Park on Wednesday, June 22 @ 7:30 PM.  

The band's new music director is Steve DeRees.  He is well known around town, serving as director of music at the H. H. Dow High School.  Steve was selected from a fine list of capable candidates, many who guest conducted last season.  He accepted the position with the stipulation that he be allowed to play tuba on at least one concert this summer.  Steve becomes only the 6th permanent director in the band's long history serving the Midland community. 

Other changes in the band governing structure include the retirement of Bob Johnson from the position of president and chairman of the board of directors.  Bob held that position since the creation of the board and will be missed.  However, he will continue to play clarinet, sax, bassoon, etc. with the band on a regular basis.

Richard Harner has moved into the position of chairman and board president (and weekly blogger).  Sue Gessford joins the board of directors this year and will continue on as personnel manager and librarian.  The other board members are Dick Scott, Gaye Terwillegar, Mara Simanskey, and Steve DeRees.

The Chemical City Band is a non-profit musical organization.  Donations can be made during concerts in either of the 2 snare drums (heads removed) or sent directly to 5709 Tiffany Lane, Midland, MI 48642.  Alternatively, donations towards our long term investment fund can be made to the Midland Area Community Foundation, 76 Ashman Circle, Midland, MI 48640.  Checks should be payable to "Chemical City Band Endowment Fund #545.

Additional information including last minute updates can be found on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/chemicalcityband. Check out the youtube.com video featuring a candid interview with Steve DeRees, hosted by Mike McPeak.

Hope to see you at the first concert on June 22!