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2023 marks the 155th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band.  The 2023 concert series will consist of ten free Thursday concerts, beginning June 8, and ending August 10.  All concerts begin at 7:30p and last about an hour. The band plays a wide variety of music, with concerts designed to entertain audience members of all ages. The MCMB also plays for the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Greenwood Cemetery, and in the Michigan City Patriotic Parade.

Highlights of the summer concert series include special guest soloists and two commissions by award-winning composers. Soloists will be GySgt. Hiram Diaz, euphonium, from the US Marine Band (August 3); and Anne Marie Bice, soprano (June 22 and 29, and July 13). Other soloists and special events will be announced during the season.

The world premiere of Blue Water, Blue Sky by Catherine McMichael will take place on August 3. Also on August 3, the Concerto for Euphonium and Band by Tom Davoren will showcase the band with world-class euphonium soloist GySgt. Hiram Diaz, in three beautiful and dazzling movements.

In addition to being outstanding performers, many of the band members are also successful conductors. Some of those conductors will be featured on individual compositions throughout the summer.

Jeffrey Scott Doebler is the conductor for the MCMB, and Quincy Ford is the assistant conductor. Dr. Doebler serves as director of music education and bands at Valparaiso University. He is a past president of the Indiana Bandmasters Association and the Indiana Music Education Association. He is founder and conductor of Windiana: Professional Concert Band of Northwest Indiana. Mr. Ford, principal saxophone in the MCMB, is retired director of bands from Michigan City High School.

Thursday, July 27, 2023 Concert

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The eighth concert of the 155th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held on Thursday, July 27, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park.  The band plays a variety of music to entertain audience members of all ages.  All concerts are free and everyone is welcome.  Jeffrey Scott Doebler is the conductor and Quincy Ford is the assistant conductor.  Dr. Doebler serves as director of music education at Valparaiso University.  Mr. Ford, principal saxophone in the MCMB, retired director of bands and Music Department chair at Michigan City High School.  Quincy Ford will lead the band this week.
The July 27 concert program will include:
El Capitan by John Philip Sousa, arr. Keith Brion and Loras Schissel
Marche Militaire Francaise by Camille Saint-Saens, arr. M. L. Lake
Ancient Flower by Yukiko Nishimura
Sondheim! by Stephen Sondheim, arr. Stephen Bulla
Best of the West!, arr. Michael Story
American Barndance by Richard Saucedo
Enter Sandman by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett, arr. Paul Murtha
Armed Forces Salute arr. Bob Lowden
Block M (Concert March) by Jerry Bilik
This Is My Country by Don Raye and Al Jacobs, arr. Hawley Ades
Our tradition is to invite the audience to sing at the beginning and ending of each concert.  After the opening fanfare, the audience will sing along on the Star-Spangled Banner.  Each concert ends with a familiar patriotic song for the audience to sing.  The lyrics to each song are posted on the MCMB’s Facebook page and can be accessed  on your smartphone.
The MCMB 155th season consists of ten free Thursday concerts, ending August 10.  All concerts begin at 7:30p and last about an hour.  Parking is available in the lot closest to the amphitheater, as well as the Michigan City Senior Center.  Entrance to the park is free with a Michigan City Park sticker, otherwise there is a small fee.
Rick Carlson, principal trumpet for MCMB, will be the announcer.

The Star-Spangled Banner

The Star-Spangled Banner

Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

8-10-23 America the Beautiful

America the Beautiful

O Beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain;
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee.
And crown thy good with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.

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