Wheaton Municipal Band celebrates Sousa Aug. 6

If you think the Wheaton Municipal Band sounds good in Memorial Park, you should hear them indoors. The Wheaton Municipal Band performs its final concert of the 2011 season in air-conditioned comfort at Edman Chapel at Wheaton College at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6.

This free blockbuster concert will rock the hall.

John Philip Sousa IV (great-grandson of music icon John Philip Sousa) will be on hand to take the audience on a journey into a musical legend's life, history, and the impact the “March King” had on American music. The Sousa Band toured the United States and Europe at the beginning of the 1900s. They were more popular than the Beatles. The Sousa Band has the distinction of being the first American musical group to tour the world, and traveled more than a million miles.

John Philip Sousa IV will share with the audience what his great-grandfather meant to American musical heritage and interject humorous anecdotes that only he can tell. “I have a new script for “Semper Fi,” and I will share how “Stars and Stripes” came to be,” says Sousa IV. “There is a new march to be heard as well, ‘The Library of Congress March,' and of course there is an interesting story behind it,” says Sousa IV.

Although known as the “March King,” (he wrote 147 marches) John Philip Sousa also wrote 15 operettas, 11 suites and 70 songs. In keeping with the spirit of quality music and outstanding performance, the band will play a variety of selections other than Sousa.

In addition, White House violinist Peter Wilson will be on hand performing two works.

“He is an amazing violinist. I admire his work with the ‘President's Own Band,” said Pete Friedmann, the band's announcer.

Wilson will be playing the Theme from “Schindler's List” by John Williams and “An American Souvenir” (based on Yankee Doodle) by Henri Vieuxtemps.

Don't miss this outstanding free indoor concert at Edman Chapel at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6. Sit in the air-conditioned comfort and enjoy the beautiful music.