Wheaton Municipal Band pays tribute to Bernstein and Billy Graham Aug. 4

The Wheaton Municipal Band pays tribute to Leonard Bernstein and Billy Graham at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, in the Edman Chapel on the campus of Wheaton College.

The indoor concert gives the audience a chance to enjoy the band inside, without worry of weather issues or bugs, plus the acoustics are outstanding.

The featured soloist for the evening comes back by popular demand.

Msgt. Kevin Bennear, vocal baritone soloist with the United States Marine Band, wows the audience with his vocal, technique, quality and his incredible charisma.

As vocalist and concert moderator for the United States Marine Band since 2000, Brennear performs as soloist at the White House and across the country during the band's annual concert tour.

If you missed him the first time, don't miss this concert.

He will be singing "American Spirituals" by Stephen Bulla and "Amazing Grace" arranged by Ryan Nowlin. Ryan Nowlin studied as a grad student under Dr. Bruce Moss at Bowling Green University in Ohio. He is now Captain Nowlin and assistant director of the United States Marine Band in Washington D.C. In addition, he is a composer and arranger.

To continue the tribute, the band performs two works by Leonard Bernstein: "Overture to Candid" and "Salva!"

"Salva!" a political overture, was originally written for orchestra for the inaugural concerts of Mstislav Rostropovich's first season with the National Symphony Orchestra in 1977. Bernstein is a rare American born talent. He not only wrote some of the finest American music, but he conducted, performed and offered his flamboyant personality to classical music.

For this concert, Music Director, Dr. Bruce Moss programmed a challenging array of music for the band, which also includes the difficult but exciting "Armenian Dances Part 1" by Alfred Reed and "Toccata" from Symphony No. 5 by Charles Wider.

Visit www.wheatonmuncipalband.org.