The seventh concert of the 155th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held on Thursday, July 20, 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 for MCMB 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, is retired director of bands and Music Department Chair at Michigan City High School. Quincy Ford will lead the band this week.

The July 20 concert program will include:

Midway March by John Williams, arr. John Moss
Rejouissance (Fantasia on Ein Feste Burg- A Mighty Fortress Is Our God) by James Curnow
O Nata Lux by Guy Forbes, arr. Preston Hazzard
Latin Celebration (Brazil, Besame Mucho, Perfidia, Mambo Jumbo), arr John Tatgenhorst
Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, arr. Tim Waters
Music from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, arr. Michael Brown
Kentucky Trotter by Frank Perkins
Stand-By March by Louis Castellucci
This Land Is Your Land by Woodie Guthrie, arr. John Warrington

Our tradition is to invite the band 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 lots 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.

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟐!
Join us on Saturday, July 22 at 10:45AM – 4:00PM CT at Michigan City’s Old Lighthouse Museum as we celebrate our 50th anniversary!
The day will begin with a fanfare performed by the Michigan City Municipal Band followed by a memorial service and the laying of a wreath in Trail Creek, by members of the Michigan City US Coast Guard Station, to honor the 844 lives lost on the S.S. Eastland when it capsized in the Chicago River on July 24, 1915.
Guest speakers will tell the story of the Eastland and recount the history of the old lighthouse at the mouth of Trail Creek. After a short program honoring those who maintained the light for many years and the volunteers who have preserved the lighthouse for over 50 years, the Old Lighthouse Museum will be open free of charge until 4pm. Light refreshments will be served.
This event will be held on the Old Lighthouse Museum grounds located at 100 Heisman Harbor Road and is open to the public with no entry fee. Limited parking is available at the Old Lighthouse Museum & Millennium Plaza. Additional parking is available at Washington Park Beach with a $15 entry fee unless you have a park sticker.
Come see our newly remodeled Eastland Memorial. Each anchor chain link represents the 844 passengers who lost their lives on the Eastland. The Old Lighthouse Museum Michigan City Historical Society would like to thank the Stimley family & crew for their contributions towards the remodel of the Eastland Memorial.
For more information, please email us at contact@mchistorical.org or by phone at (219) 872-6133.

The sixth concert of the 155th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held Thursday, July 13, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park. The concert will feature soprano soloist Anne Bice, and will honor retired MCMB horn player and secretary/treasurer JoFran Bendix.

The July 13 concert repertoire will be:

Indiana Folks March by Hale A. VanderCook
American Overture Band by Joseph Willcox Jenkins
How Far I’ll Go by Lin Manuel Miranda
Pocahontas Medley arr. John Moss
Be Still My Soul arr. Robert W. Smith
Alleluia! Laudamus Te by Alfred Reed
Cupid Shuffle by Cupid (Bryson Bernard)
Pickles and Peppers by Adaline Shepherd
Beyond the Lighted Tower by Roger Cichy
Audience sing-along: God Bless America by Irving Berlin

In addition to being outstanding performers, many of the Michigan City Municipal Band members are successful conductors. On five concerts this season, conductors from within the band are being featured, each leading one composition. On July 13, Phil Hahn will conduct Pickles and Peppers by Adaline Shepherd. A retired music educator, Mr. Hahn served as director of bands in the Boone Grove schools. Mr. Hahn plays horn in the Michigan City Municipal Band, Windiana Concert Band, South Shore Brass Band, German Band, and Valparaiso Community/University Concert Band. He is a frequent conductor of the Valparaiso Community/University Concert Band. Mr. Hahn earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Valparaiso University. Composer Adaline Shepherd Olson was born in Iowa, then spent most of her life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mrs. Olson was a pianist and a self-taught composer. Her most famous work was a ragtime selection, Pickles and Peppers. The composition sold over two million copies, and was used as the theme song in the 1908 unsuccessful presidential bid of William Jennings Bryan.

Hale VanderCook was probably the second most famous conductor of the Michigan City Municipal Band—second only to Dr. Guy Foreman, who led the band for an astonishing 60 years. Mr. VanderCook conducted the Michigan City Municipal Band, known then as the Ames Union Band, for several seasons around the turn of the 20th century. He went on to found the VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, which remains well-known for training music teachers. Maestro VanderCook was also a successful composer. Among the works that he wrote while leading Ames Union Band was Indiana Folks.

American Overture for Band by Joseph Willcox Jenkins was composed in 1953 for the US Army Field Band and its commander, Colonel Chester Whiting. Mr. Jenkins was a staff arranger for the US Army Field Band and the US Army Chorus. He later taught at Duquesne University.

Anne Marie Bice is a voice professor from Valparaiso University. She has extensive performance experience, sings in a wide variety of styles, and has been soloing with the Michigan City Municipal Band since 2015. In her final appearance with the MCMB this summer, Prof. Bice will sing music from two movies: Moana and Pocahontas.

Robert W. Smith’s setting of Be Still My Soul is a gentle lyrical selection that allows the band to demonstrate the beautiful and blended tone of the ensemble. The melody is known to many as a hymn and because it is the main theme from the composition Finlandia by Jean Sibelius. Robert W. Smith teaches at Troy University in Alabama, and has published over 600 compositions and arrangements.

Alleluia! Laudamus Te is a canticle of praise by Alfred Reed. Dr. Reed was one of the most successful composers of band music in the second half of the 20th Century, and was one of the first leaders in the creation of collegiate academic degree programs to prepare students for the music industry.

The stage name of pop singer Bryson Bernard is “Cupid.” A native of Louisiana, Cupid’s most famous hit is Continue reading→

The fifth concert of the 155th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held on Thursday, July 6, 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 for MCMB 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, is retired director of bands and Music Department chair at Michigan City High School. Quincy Ford will lead the band this week.

The July 6 concert program will include:

You’re a Grand Old Flag by George M. Cohan, arr. Bill Holcombe
Sabre and Spurs by John Philip Sousa
The Phantom of the Opera Medley by Andrew Lloyd Weber, arr. Johnnie Vinson
The Irish Regiment March by Larry Clark
The Battle Pavane by Tielman Susato, arr. Robert Margolis
Pax by Catherine McMichael
Raiders of the Lost Ark by John Williams, arr. Michael Sweeney
Theme from Jurassic Park by John Williams, arr. Jack Bullock
Bombasto March by Orion Farrar
Our America ( Audience sing-along to “Yankee Doodle”, “Yankee Doodle Boy”, “You’re A Grand Old Flag”, “This Land Is Your Land” “God Bless the U.S.A.”, arr. John Higgins

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 lots 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 fourth concert of the 155th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held Thursday, June 29, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park. With lots of patriotic music, the concert will celebrate Independence Day.

The June 29 concert repertoire will be:

Golden Jubilee March by John Philip Sousa
Old American Songs by Aaron Copland
God Bless America by Irving Berlin
Bugle Call Rag by Eubie Blake and Carey Morgan
Indian Story Time by Brent Michael Davids
The Hoosier Slide by Hale A. VanderCook
The Flying Wedge by Kate Dolby
Peace Like a River arr. Robert W. Smith
Sing-along: A Patriotic Festival arr. Mark Williams
The Stars and Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa

In addition to being outstanding performers, many of the Michigan City Municipal Band members are successful conductors. On five concerts this season, conductors from within the band are being featured, each leading one composition. On June 29, Virginia Hernandez will conduct Bugle Call Rag by Eubie Blake and Carey Morgan. Mrs. Hernandez serves as director of bands at Griffith High School. She earned degrees from Bowling Green State University and DePaul University. Mrs. Hernandez plays trumpet in the Michigan City Municipal Band and Windiana Concert Band. African American composer and pianist Eubie Blake lived from 1887-1983, and was an important creator of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. In 1981, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Born in Indiana, Carey Morgan was an important Vaudeville composer and producer who served in the US Navy during World War I.

John Philip Sousa composed Golden Jubilee March in 1928 to celebrate his fifty years as a conductor. His conducting career began in the theaters of Philadelphia, then he led the US Marine Band for twelve years before leading his own band for 40 years. While on tour in 1914 and 1924, the Sousa Band played concerts in Michigan City.

Aaron Copland was considered by many to be the “dean” of American composers, and the harmonies and melodies in his music are recognized as the sound of American classical music. Guest soprano soloist, Anne Marie Bice, will sing a suite of Mr. Copland’s songs, including The Little Horses, Simple Gifts, and Ching-A-Ring Chaw. Ms. Bice will also sing Irving Berlin’s classic patriotic anthem God Bless America. Ms. Bice is a voice professor from Valparaiso University. She has extensive performance experience, sings in a wide variety of styles, and has been soloing with the Michigan City Municipal Band since 2015.

Indian Story Time was commissioned by the Minnesota Band Directors Association. The music uses melodies reminiscent of Dakota and Ojibwe songs, recounting stories from these Native American nations. Composer Brent Michael Davids is the famous Native American composer who has written for ensembles and films, and has been commissioned by the Joffrey Ballet and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Hale VanderCook was probably the second most famous conductor of the Michigan City Municipal Band—second only to Dr. Guy Foreman, who led the band for an astonishing 60 years. Mr. VanderCook conducted the Michigan City Municipal Band for several seasons around the turn of the 20th century. He went on to found the VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, which remains well-known for training music teachers. Maestro VanderCook was also a successful composer. Among the works he wrote while leading the Michigan City Municipal Band was The Hoosier Slide. This light number, also known as a “trombone smear”, features the trombone section with lots of glissandos. One of Michigan City’s tourist attractions of long ago, The Hoosier Slide was a giant sand dune that used to sit where the NIPSCO generating station is now located. The Hoosier Slide disappeared after years of mining to make glass jars.

Kate Dolby composed The Flying Wedge in 1917 as a banjoContinue reading→

The third concert of the 155th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held Thursday, June 22, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park.

The June 22 concert repertoire will be:

Sound Off March by John Philip Sousa
Quiet City by Aaron Copland
Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
I Saw Him Standing There by The Beatles
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Paul Simon
Danca Brasileira No. 2 by Ricardo Alves da Silva
Benediction by John Stevens
Rhythm Stand by Jennifer Higdon
Tribute to Whitney Houston arr. Michael Brown
A Patriotic Festival arr. Mark Williams

In addition to being outstanding performers, many of the Michigan City Municipal Band members are also successful conductors. On five concerts this season, conductors from within the band will be featured, each leading one composition. On June 22, Frank Gast will conduct Blinding Lights by popular artist Abel Tesfaye, known professionally as “The Weeknd.” Mr. Gast serves as director of bands at Michigan City High School. He is a graduate of Ball State University and Chesterton High School. Mr. Gast plays trumpet in the Michigan City Municipal Band and has been a member of Windiana Concert Band.

John Philip Sousa composed Sound Off March in 1885, when he was conductor of the US Marine Band. He formed his own professional band in 1892. While on tour in 1914 and 1924, the Sousa Band played concerts in Michigan City. Since Sound Off March was on the program for the 1924 tour, it is likely that this composition was played by the Sousa Band in Michigan City.

Aaron Copland was considered by many to be the “dean” of American composers, and the harmonies and melodies in his music are recognized as the sound of American classical music. One of his most haunting and beautiful works is the lyrical Quiet City. Quiet City allows us to showcase two of the virtuoso soloists in the Michigan City Municipal Band: Andria Kessler on English horn, and Rick Carlson on trumpet.

Guest soprano soloist, Anne Marie Bice, is a voice professor from Valparaiso University. Ms. Bice has extensive performance experience, sings in a wide variety of styles, and has been soloing with the Michigan City Municipal Band since 2015. Prof. Bice will sing music by The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel.

Brazilian musician Ricardo Alves da Silva serves as resident composer for the Banda Sinfonica Paulista in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His composition, Danca Brasileira No. 2, was commissioned as part of a series sponsored by the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, an organization dedicated to international music education.

The harmonies and the placement of the accents in this work give us the feeling of a Brazilian dance.

John Stevens is a retired tuba professor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His Benediction, composed originally for tuba/euphonium quartet, showcases the beautiful blended sounds of the concert band.

Jennifer Higdon teaches at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She is the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in Music, as well as three Grammy Awards. Dr. Higdon’s music has been performed around the world, and she has been commissioned by ensembles that include the National Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, and the Indianapolis Symphony. According to Dr. Higdon, Rhythm Stand “pays tribute to the constant presence of rhythm in our lives, from the pulse of a heart beating to the rhythmic sounds of the world around us.”Continue reading→

The second concert of the 155th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held Thursday, June 15, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park.

The June 15 concert repertoire will be:

Jack Tar March by John Philip Sousa
Nabucco Overture by Giuseppe Verdi
I’m a Believer by The Monkees
El Son de La Luna by Jose Quesada
Sunchaser by Carol Brittin Chambers
Children’s Intermezzo by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
A Hymn Tune Rhapsody by Jerry Brubaker
Metal! arr. Sean O’Loughlin
America, the Beautiful arr. Warren Barker

In addition to being outstanding performers, many of the Michigan City Municipal Band members are also successful conductors. On five concerts this season, conductors from within the band will be featured, each leading one composition. On June 15, Caitlyn Coller will conduct Sunchaser by Carol Brittin Chambers. Mrs. Coller teaches music at Kouts Junior and Senior High School. She is a graduate of Valparaiso University and Mishawaka High School. Mrs. Coller plays bass clarinet in the Michigan City Municipal Band and Windiana Concert Band.

John Philip Sousa composed Jack Tar March in 1903, in a tribute to US Navy sailors.

Some audience members will know I’m a Believer as a 1966 hit by The Monkees, while others will know the song from its use in the movie Shrek, as performed by Smash Mouth. Most people don’t know, though, that the song was composed by Neil Diamond.Continue reading→

The Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will begin its 155th season on Thursday, June 8, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park.

The MCMB 155th season 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.

The June 8 concert repertoire will be:

The Invincible Eagle March by John Philip Sousa
Oblivion by Astor Piazzola (flute section feature)
Salvation is Created by Pavel Chesnokov, arr. Michael Brown
Pass the Pickles by Grace LeBoy
Thriller by Michael Jackson
Seminole Snake Dance by Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate
Promises, Promises by Burt Bacharach and Hal David
Light Cavalry Overture by Franz von Suppe
My America arr. Joyce Eilers

Astor Piazzola was an Argentine composer who was famous for tangos. Oblivion is a tango that features our tremendous flute section. Salvation is Created is a beautiful and popular choral anthem that demonstrates the band’s lovely blended sound. Pass the Pickles is a dance number by Grace LeBoy. Mrs. LeBoy was a successful stage composer of the early 20th century. She was often overshadowed by her husband, Gus Kahn, who was famous for music of vaudeville, Broadway, and films.

One of the most popular songs and albums of all time was Michael Jackson’s Thriller. This catchy tune will be familiar to all of our audience members. Oklahoma composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate is member of the Chickasaw tribe. His Seminole Snake Dance features the percussion section, and allows us to learn that the snake dance was originally a water ceremony because snakes were the traditional guardians of springs.

Burt Bacharach, one of America’s great composers, died this year. We’ll honor Mr. Bacharach with a medley from his musical Promises, Promises. Light Cavalry Overture is a classic composition found on many band and orchestra programs, with familiar melodies that are often heard in movies, cartoons, television shows, and commercials.

Finally, the MCMB will continue its tradition of closing each concert with a patriotic audience sing-along. Joyce Eiler’s arrangement of America (My Country ‘tis of Thee) allows us to enthusiastically honor our great nation.

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 parking fee of $4 for the band concert.

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. Mr. Ford, principal saxophone in the MCMB, is retired director of bands and music department chair from Michigan City High School.

The band’s announcer is Rick Carlson.

The tenth and final concert of the 154th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held Thursday, August 11, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park.

Music on the August 11 concert will include:

Castle Walk by James Reese Europe and Ford Dabney
Our Cast Aways by Julie Giroux
Tuba feature: Solo Pomposo by Al Hayes
Waltz: The Flashing Eyes of Andalusia by John Philip Sousa
William Tell Overture by Giaocchino Rossini
Mountains in the Mist by Michael Boo
Rolling Thunder March by Henry Fillmore
Abba on Broadway arr. Michael Brown
Sing along: America, the Beautiful arr. Carmen Dragon
The Stars and Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa

James Reese Europe was the first African American bandmaster in the US Army. Before World War I, Mr. Europe was a successful band leader and composer in the USA, earning the nickname “The King of Jazz”, and he led the first concert by African Americans at Carnegie Hall in 1912. Maestro Europe went on to lead a renowned military band in Europe during World War I. Upon his death in 1919, Lieutenant Europe was the first African American in New York City to have a public funeral, and he was then laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Castle Walk showcases the Ragtime style. The United States military band of Lieutenant James Reese Europe is believed to have played the first Ragtime music in France.

Our Cast Aways is a gentle reflection on pets who enter animal shelters, and especially those who must be put down. The dedication reads: To “those who rescue, those who get rescued, and especially…those whose rescue never comes.” When composer Julie Giroux won the first of her three Emmy Awards, she was the first woman and the youngest person ever to win the award in that category.

The Michigan City Municipal Band is blessed with an exceptionally strong tuba section. We’ll feature them on a 1911 composition by Al Hayes, in the style of other turn-of-the-20th-century solos with band. It starts with a triumphal march, then features a cadenza, then moves into the style of a polka.Continue reading→

The ninth concert of the 154th season of the Michigan City Municipal Band (MCMB) will be held on Thursday, August 4, 7:30p, at the Guy F. Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheater in Washington Park. The band plays a variety of music designed to entertain audience members of all ages. All concerts are free and everyone is welcome. Jeffrey Scott Doebler is the conductor for MCMB 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, is retired director of bands and Music Department chairperson at Michigan City High. Quincy Ford will lead the band this week.

Rick Carlson, principal trumpet with MCMB will be our featured soloist on the program. Rick a native Michigan City resident, earned a Trumpet Performance degree from Indiana University in Bloomington where William Adam was his Trumpet Instructor. He will perform “A Trumpeter’s Prayer” by Tutti Camarata.

The August 4, concert repertoire will include:

King Cotton by John Philip Sousa arr. Keith Brion and Loras Schissel
An Irish Rhapsody by Clare Grundman
Rippling Watercolors by Brian Balmages
A Trumpeter’s Prayer by Tutti Camarata arr. T. W. Swayzee
Tritsch-Tratsch Polka (Chi-Chat) by Johan Srauss arr. Alfred Reed
Opening Night On Broadway arr. Michael Brown
Concert Band Medley: The Blues Brothers arr. Les Taylor
Amparito Roca by Jamie Texidor arr. Aubrey Winter
God Bless The U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood arr. Roger Holmes

Our tradition of inviting 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 Website and Facebook page and can be accessed on your smartphone.

The MCMB 154th season consists of ten free Thursday concerts, ending August 11. All concerts begin at 7:30p and last about an hour. Parking is available in the lots 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.