The Wheaton Municipal Band 2015 Season Opener

The Wheaton Municipal Band 2015 season begins with rousing drum beats, fabulous flutes, blaring brass and fun filled evenings in Memorial Park, 208 W. Union Street in downtown Wheaton. The Gala Season Opener starts on Thursday, June 11 at 8:00 p.m. Dr. Bruce Moss gives the downbeat to the 86th season of this musical gem of the western suburbs. Dust off your lawn chairs and cozy up for an evening of beautiful music in the park.

Every year the Wheaton Municipal Band holds auditions for hundreds of musicians vying for the 86 coveted positions. With the audition process completed the full band begins rehearsals Tuesday to prepare for the Thursday night concert. The auditions are based on sight reading ability, mainly because there is very little rehearsal time. These amazing musicians are able to read new music so well that they can perform brilliantly with very little preparation. Of course, their leader, Bruce Moss, must know the tricky spots, point them out, run them through and select music which is interesting, audience thrilling and playable with little rehearsal time. Musicians come from all over the Chicago land area. Their backgrounds include, college music students at some of the most prestigious music universities in the country, professional musicians, band directors, lawyers, bankers, businessmen, teachers and many other experiences. All of them share a professionalism, expertise on their instrument and the love of music. Many of the Wheaton Band members go on to prestigious professional positions in the music world including members of the Chicago Symphony and the U.S. Marine Band.

This week's concert includes Slava! by Leonard Bernstein. This fun, challenging, festive work features the genius of Bernstein in his complex rhythmic structure and his natural orchestration. Bruce Moss is a master at programming. After energizing the audience and the musicians, he gives everyone a reprieve with the music of Stephen Bryant-Dusk. This beautiful choral like work reflects the calm of dusk and highlights the control each musician must display in playing pianissimo.

For Musical lovers the "hills are alive with the Sound of Music." For folksong lovers the band performs Themes from Green Bushes by Percy Grainger. This beautiful work features an 1820's folk song in a dance setting. For Trekkies, next year marks the 50th anniversary of Star Trek. The band plays themes from one of the Star Trek Movies and gets everyone in the mood for next year's release of Star Trek 3.

Of course, Marches round out the evening. Two on the program include March, Barnum and Bailey's Favorite and Sousa's George Washington Bicentennial March. Dr. Moss might throw in a few more if he is in the mood.

Don't miss the Season Opener of the Wheaton Municipal Band, Thursday, June 11 at 8:00 pm in Memorial Park, 208 W. Union Street in Downtown Wheaton. The friends of the Wheaton Municipal Band are cleaning up the popcorn maker and arranging the candy bars and ice cream. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy the sounds of the Wheaton Municipal Band. www.wheatonmunicipalband.org.