The sixth concert of the 151st season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will take place Thursday, July 11, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park.
Guest artist on the July 11 concert will be Dr. Quincy Hilliard, Grammy Award-nominated composer and active guest conductor from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, who will conduct two of his compositions: Sesenta and Octane. Sesenta was commissioned by the Michigan City Municipal Band and premiered on June 6. Sesenta is Spanish for “60,” and celebrates Dr. Guy Foreman’s 60 years as conductor of the MCMB.
Professor Hilliard’s appearance in Michigan City is part of a collaboration with Lutheran Summer Music (LSM), the month-long national high school summer music camp, which is in residence at Valparaiso University through July 21. Dr. Hilliard will work with the LSM band, which is led by Jeff Doebler, and will also meet with composition students. LSM sponsors 50 free concerts, recitals, and Sunday worship services that are open to the public. For a schedule of performances, check the LSM website: https://www.lsmacademy.org/concerts-and-recitals
The Michigan City Municipal Band July 11 concert repertoire will be:
The Star-Spangled Banner
The White Rose March by John Philip Sousa
Anthem for Peace by Ed Huckeby
Sesenta by Quincy Hilliard
Octane by Quincy Hilliard
Cape Breton Postcard by Catherine McMichael
Wayfaring Stranger arr. Bill Locklear
Don’t Stop Me Now arr. Paul Murtha
Queen in Concert arr. Jay Bocook
Patriotic Sing Along: A Patriotic Festival
Our tradition is to invite the audience to sing with the band 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 selection for the audience to sing.
The MCMB 151st season consists of ten free Thursday concerts, beginning June 6, and ending August 8. 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.
All of the concerts are free, and everyone is welcome. School band members and young children are especially encouraged to attend. Parking on Lake Shore Drive is prohibited. Parking is available in the lots closest to the amphitheater, as well as the Senior Center. Entrance to the park is free with a Michigan City Park sticker; otherwise, there is a small parking fee.
Jeffrey Scott Doebler is the conductor for the MCMB, and Quincy Ford is the assistant conductor. On November 3, 2018, Dr. Doebler was named a Distinguished Hoosier by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. 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.
The band’s announcer is Rick Carlson.