Week 3 - June 29 Concert

The Chemical City Band will perform its third concert of the 2022 Season on Wednesday, June 29 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.

Steve DeRees continues as our musical director.  The following selections will be presented with a short intermission:

 

The Liberty Bell March.........................................................John Philip Sousa, ed. W.D. Revelli

God Bless the U.S.A......................................................................Lee Greenwood, arr. R. Holmes

Big Band Cavalcade............................................................................................arr. Andy Clark

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

George Washington Bicentennial March..........................................................John Philip Sousa

 

Intermission

 

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

Upon These Grounds........................................................................................John Tatgenhorst

The Washington Post March........................................................John Philip Sousa, arr. P. Sparke

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

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

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

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

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

John Philip Sousa

Week 2 - June 22 Concert

The Chemical City Band will perform its second concert of the 2022 season on Wednesday, June 22 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.  

Steve DeRees will continue as our musical director.  The following selections will be presented with a short intermission:

When Summer Takes Flight..............................................................................Robert W. Smith

Rhythm of the Winds............................................................................................Frank Erickson

Variations on a Korean Folk Song...............................................................John Barnes Chance

All Those Endearing Young Charms.....................................Simone Mantia, arr. Andrew Glover

Ben Dawley, euphonium soloist

Crazy Little Thing Called Love.................................................Freddie Mercury, arr. Paul Murtha

Intermission

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

Summertime.....................................................................George Gershwin, arr. Calvin Custer

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

Brighton Beach Concert March....................................................................William P. Latham

La Rosita............................................................Gustave Haenschen, scored by John Cacavas

The Free Lance March............................................John Philip Sousa, ed. William D. Revelli

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

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

Week 1 - June 15 Concert 2022

The Chemical City Band will perform its first concert of the 2022 season on Wednesday, June 15 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.  

Steve DeRees is our musical director.  The following selections will be presented with an intermission: 

On the Campus.........................................................John Philip Sousa

Royal Processional....................................................John J. Morrissey

On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss.............................David R. Holsinger

Motown Revue.......................................................arr. by Paul Murtha

Sway (Quien Sera) Pablo Beltran Ruiz.............arr. by Michael Brown

Intermission

The Royal Welch Fusiliers.......................................John Philip Sousa

Conzensus................................................................Jan Van der Roost

Chant and Jubilo....................................................W. Francis McBeth

Highlights from “Guardians of the Galaxy”....Arr. by Michael Brown

The Pride of the Wolverines March.........................John Philip Sousa,                             edited by Frederick Fennell

America, the Beautiful / The Star-Spangled Banner Katharine Lee Bates / Francis Scott Key

Pictured: Rehearsal at H. H. Dow High School June 13, 2022

2022 Season Opening Remarks

 The first rehearsal and performance of the Chemical City Band (CCB) of the 2022 season will occur next week.  The CCB Board of Directors has lifted all pandemic restrictions for musicians - the band will return to a full complement of about 50 invited participants each week.

We have 7 Wednesday night concerts (starting at 7:30 PM) scheduled as follows:

2022 Concert Dates

June 15

June 22

June 29

July 6

July 13

July 20

July 27

Monday rehearsals will start at 7 PM sharp at the H.H. Dow High School band room.  The rehearsal that falls on Monday, July 4 has been postponed to Tuesday, July 5 due to the holiday.  

All concerts are performed at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park.  Please park in the lot adjacent to Collins Street.  Additional parking may be available in the lot north of the recently completed Midland Miracle Field.

On Tuesday, May 3, 2022 the Chemical City Band participated in the Give Local Midland campaign, sponsored by the Midland Area Community Foundation.  A total of $2,980.44 was received ($2,445.00 in donations from 25 donors and $535.44 in matching funds from the MACF).  Many thanks to all those who called in for this one day event.

The Chemical City Band is a non-profit (501c3) musical organization registered in the State of Michigan.  Cash/check donations can be made during any concert in one of two snare drums strategically placed among the audience, or sent directly to 5709 Tiffany Lane, Midland, MI  48642.  Alternatively, donations toward our long term investment fund can be made to the Midland Area Community Foundation, 76 Ashman Circle, Midland, MI  48640.  Checks/grants should indicate the "Chemical City Band Endowment Fund, #545".

All are invited to share in a celebration of our 113th season of music performance.  We strive to enhance the quality of life in Midland with a community-wide tradition since 1910.

2021 Season Closing Remarks

 The Chemical City Band (CCB) closed its 112th Season with a concert on July 28 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park.  With cooperating weather, we were able to hold all 7 rehearsals and perform 7 concerts outdoors this year.  We consistently had large and appreciative audiences, setting an all time record on June 30 for cash/coin donations in the drum shells.  On another occasion we received a significant number of Canadian coins which were exchanged for equivalent US currency.

Although our nation continues to struggle with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Chemical City Band returned to almost normal operations this summer.  Those few unvaccinated musicians (mostly younger folks) were asked to wear a mask upon arriving and departing the stage.  The average number of players per performance was back up to 48 (39 in 2020), drawing from a total of 69 musicians this year.  Our ages ranged from 14 to 83.  19 dedicated musicians played all 7 concerts.

The CCB has a 6 member Board of Directors, who are also members of the band:

Richard S. Harner, president

Susan Gessford, vice-president

Gaye Terwillegar, secretary

Richard L. Scott, treasurer

Steve DeRees, music director

Mara Stewart, publicity director

In addition to contributions from the general public, the Board would like to acknowledge financial support from The Alden and Vada Dow Family Foundation and The Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation.  The CCB also participated in the Give Local Midland, a one-day fund raiser in May, sponsored by the Midland Area Community Foundation.  Contributions to our endowment fund can be made at any time to the MACF by indicating the Chemical City Band long term investment fund #545.

2021 Roster (in alphabetical order):

Eric Attard

Dean Bard

Nicholas Bloom

Tom Broka

Nicki Bruski

Meg Carlsen

Tom Coon

Susan Cuddie-Stephens

Ben Dawley

Tina Delong

Steve DeRees

Kaitlin DeRees

Ethan Dotson

Max Doty

Ryan Egeler

Richard Enszer

Joey Essenmacher

Adrienne Feige

Amy Folkenroth

Jason Folkenroth

Lucas Foote

Anna Gessford

Dave Gessford

Stephanie Gessford

Sue Gessford

Anne Halls

Richard Harner

Brady Havens

Wendy Hohmeyer

Irene Kline

Katelynn Kosar

John Kostoff

Andrew Kowalski

Jim Lile

Hannah Loiselle

Laura Maiers

Mattie Midkiff

Rachel Morr

T.J. Neuenfeldt

Jim Pawloski

Ryan Petersen

Tom Peterson

Kevin Rash

Nicole Rausch

Andrew Reed

Tom Rice

Samuel Ringgold

Stanford Rowe

Tom Ryden

Dick Scott

Kerry Smith

Nathan Snyder

Roger Stevens

Mara Stewart

Andrew Taylor

Justin Taylor

Emilia Teed

Paul Teed

Gaye Terwillegar

Beth Thomas

Matthew Thomas

Yuki Togashi

Justin Walker

Lindsay Walker

Karen Welser

Roger Welser

Jeanne Wiest

Joel Wiseman

Jacob Wisenbach

Mackenzie Zdrojewski

Week 7 - July 28 Concert

 The Chemical City Band will perform its seventh concert of the 112th Season on July 28, 2021 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.  In case of rain, the concert is cancelled because we have no alternate performance site.  Please check this blog or our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/chemicalcityband) for last minute instructions, if necessary.

Eric Attard will be our guest conductor, while Steve DeRees takes a position in the tuba section.  The following pieces will be presented:

Williamsburg Overture..................................................................................James Swearingen

The Homefront: Musical Memories from World War II.........................arr. James Christensen

Air for Band.....................................................................................................Frank Erickson

Bombasto.............................................................................Orion R. Farrar, arr. J. Edmondson

Intermission

The High School Cadets March.........................................................................John Philip Sousa

The Marriage of Figaro Overture...................................Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, arr. E. Slocum

Over the Rainbow...................................................Edgar Harburg and Harold Arlen, arr. J. Brubaker

Bravada Esprit..........................................................................................................David Shaffer

Barnum and Bailey's Favorite March..................................................Karl L. King, arr. G.C. Bainum

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

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

Historical photo courtesy of the Alden B. Dow Archives

Week 6 - July 21 Concert

 The Chemical City Band will perform its sixth concert of our 112th Season on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at the Nicholson-Guenther Community Band Shell in Midland's Central Park, starting at 7:30 PM.  In case of rain, the concert is cancelled because we have no alternate performance site.  Please check this blog or our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/chemicalcityband) for last minute instructions, if necessary.

Steve DeRees will conduct the following selections:

Folk Song Suite for Military Band........................................................Ralph Vaughan Williams

1. March "Seventeen Come Sunday"
2. Intermezzo "My Bonny Boy"
3. March "Folk Songs from Somerset"

Michel Legrand in Concert.............Michel Legrand and Marilyn & Alan Bergman, arr. I. Polster

Call to Victory March....................................................................Karl L. King, arr. J. Swearingen

Intermission

Spirit!.....................................................................................................................Douglas Akey

What a Wonderful World..................................George Weiss and Bob Thiele, arr. B. Lowden

Malaguena..............................................................................Ernesto Lecuona, arr. S. Nestico

The Gladiator March......................................................................................John Philip Sousa

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

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