Members of the Michigan City Municipal Band perform. (Courtesy of the band’s Facebook page)
Combined, the LaPorte City Band and the Michigan City Municipal Band represent 281 years of local history. Two hundred and eighty-one years of musical talent and longevity will unite for the first time this Wednesday, July 30, as the bands join for a free summer concert at the Dennis F. Smith Amphitheater in Fox Park.
The weather is expected to be beautiful, if a little coolish, for this special concert that begins at 7 p.m. Bring a jacket, a blanket and some lawn chairs, or come early and grab a bench, for this Arts in the Park event that will also feature refreshments for sale, artwork and poetry.
The LaPorte and Michigan City bands are the longest-standing bands in Indiana. This is the first time they will join for a historic performance. Their conductors, Jeff Doebler of the Michigan City band and Charles Steck of the LaPorte band, have been colleagues in the music department of Valparaiso University for more than 20 years, as well as colleagues and advocates in the world of music. This combined concert represents the goals of both conductors to reach across community boundaries and extend the hand of friendship through music.
At this special concert, the combined band will feature more than 70 area musicians. A wide variety of music is planned for the evening, including great Sousa marches, features for the horn and percussion sections, and favorite music of one of America’s greatest songwriters.
Doebler is in his first year as conductor of the Michigan City Municipal Band. He is director of Bands and Music Education at Valparaiso University, and director of the professional concert band “Windiana.” Quincy Ford, assistant conductor of the band, is the longtime director of bands at Michigan City High School and a saxophone performer throughout the area, including with the Tom Milo Big Band.
Steck, in his second year as conductor of the LaPorte City Band, is longtime band director at LaPorte High School, associate conductor of the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra, and professor of trumpet at Valparaiso University.
The Michigan City Municipal Band performs each Thursday night throughout the Summer at the Guy Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Michigan City. The LaPorte City Band performs each Wednesday evening throughout the summer at the Dennis F. Smith Amphitheater in LaPorte.
Selections for this special concert will include:
“Flourish For Wind Band,” Ralph Vaughan Williams; “Nobles of the Mystic Shrine,” John Philip Sousa; “American Overture for Band,” Joseph Jenkins; “Lord of the Dance,” Ronan Hardiman, arr. Saucedo (featuring the percussion section); “An Ashokan Farewell,” Jay Ungar, arr. Custer; “Psalm 46,” John Zdechlik; “French Horn Frappe,” David Bennett (featuring the horn section); “Irving Berlin: A Symphonic Portrait,” arr. Haley Ades (featuring favorite selections of one of our greatest songwriters); “Hands Across The Sea,” John Philip Sousa.
Charles Steck directs the LaPorte City Band. (Photo by Mike Kellems)