Wheaton Municipal Band welcomes guest conductor and composer Scott Boerma

On Thursday, June 25, the Wheaton Municipal Band invites Scott Boerma to step onto the podium at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Park, 225 Karlskoga Ave. in downtown Wheaton. Boerma’s program features an array of music for all tastes.

Traveling to Wheaton from Michigan, Boerma holds the position of director of bands at Western Michigan University. This is not his first time conducting the Wheaton Municipal Band.

At the American Band Master’s Association concert this past March at the Harris Theater in Chicago, Boerma led the Wheaton Municipal Band in his own composition, “Sails.”

A composer and professor of conducting, as well as the director of bands, Boerma brings the exciting experience of understanding music from a composer/director’s point of view. It is a rare opportunity to have a composer conduct his works with the Wheaton Municipal Band. This performance features three Boerma compositions for concert band.

In addition to Boerma’s own compositions, the band performs multiple movements from “Suite Française” by Darius Milhaud. Each section of this patriotic suite is named after French Provinces, reflecting how the American and Allied armies fought together with the French underground to liberate France. Milhaud weaves some folk tunes of these provinces into each movement.

Another major work on the program is “Sea Songs,” by Vaughan Williams. Written as a march medley using three well-known sea shanties: “Princess Royal,” “Admiral Benbow,” and “Portsmouth.” Vaughan Williams incorporates his signature lush harmonies along with the fun sea shanties to create a wonderful work for band. In addition, there are marches and standards.

This week the band features a soloist from the first clarinet section, Alessandro Tenorio-Bucci, who is a freelance musician and educator in the Chicago area and the Midwest.

His notable performances include guest principal clarinet for the Lake County Symphony Orchestra tour with the World Ballet Company’s production of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” He has also performed with the West Michigan Symphony, Quad Cities Symphony, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and Chicago Clarinet Ensemble.

Tenorio-Bucci presents the third movement of the Von Weber Clarinet Concerto #2. Written for clarinetist Heinrich Baermann in 1811, considered one of the most remarkable clarinetists of his time, this concerto explores the clarinet’s expressive potential and expresses von Weber’s emotions through the music.

Bring a chair, a picnic and a blanket and relax to the sounds of the incredible Wheaton Municipal Band. For more information about this free concert, go to the band’s website wheatonmunicipalband.org.