Wheaton Municipal Band presents 'Circus Days'

Wheaton's Memorial Park comes alive with sights, smells and sounds of the big top this week when Wheaton Municipal Band presents the children's concert "Circus Days."

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at Memorial Park, 208 W. Union Ave., Wheaton. Before the concert, children can explore the instrument petting zoo, which opens at 6:30 p.m. to give everyone a chance to try a variety of instruments, with band members instructing children how to play an oboe, a tuba, a flute or trombone.

The concert features lively music of the circus, from the fast tempos of the "Circus March-Thunder and Blazes," also known as The Entry of the Gladiators, by Czech composer Julius Fucik, to some of Barnum and Bailey's favorites.

Also featured is James Garcia on flute playing "Variations on the Carnival of Venice." The band's principal clarinetist, Garcia holds a position that equates to the concertmaster of the ensemble, but he plays flute equally well.

Sharing the stage at this concert are select seventh- and eighth-grade students from the four Wheaton middle schools: Edison, Monroe, Franklin and Hubble.

About 15 middle school band members will sit beside the veteran performers and play "Christmas at the Circus" by Randall Standridge and the "Wobbly Unicycle" by Tim Loest.

Part of the Wheaton Municipal Band's mission statement is to reach out to budding young performers and encourage their love of music and performing. This is done, in part, by offering scholarships and performance opportunities. Many Wheaton Band members are music educators who spark the joys of music in both the performer and the audience.

This year in the percussion section is 16-year-old Will Richards. The youngest member of the band, Will won a chance to play with the ensemble after a competitive audition. A student at Wheaton North High School, Will won the Wheaton Band High School Solo competition two years ago and performed a solo on marimba with the band.

The concert is free. For information, visit wheatonmunicipalband.org.