The Wheaton Municipal Band Honors its Mentors on July 25
People make a difference, especially teachers. The Wheaton Municipal Band honors those teachers who have touched a life in a positive way. On Thursday, July 25 The Wheaton Municipal Band Honors their Mentors in a heartfelt concert at 8:00 p.m. in Memorial Park in downtown Wheaton.
The 80-piece Wheaton Municipal Band swells to include a number of teachers and mentors from the area. In addition, Dr. Bruce Moss plans to step aside and let several mentors take the podium. One of them is Mike Fagan, who's daughter Emily, sits in the oboe section. Emily had thought of nominating her father as her mentor, but Susie Crookshank in the clarinet section, beat her to it. “In Junior High School I was very shy,” said Crookshank. “I never spoke to anyone, except Mr. Fagan, who I would say hello to.” “I never heard I was good at anything in junior high, until Mr. Fagan said I had played a piece for him on the clarinet 'so very well.'” “I wanted to be a band teacher just like him. I am sure I would not be where I am today without Mr. Fagan. He inspired me to major in music.” Many other mentors will join in the evening, either in the program, in the audience, or playing in the band.
Also on the program is the rousing Funiculì, Funiculà Rhapsody which sets the famous Neapolitan song written by Italian journalist Peppino Turco and set to music by Italian composer Luigi Denza in 1880 for concert band. The original song was composed to commemorate the opening of the first funicular cable car on Mount Vesuvius. The 1880 cable car was later destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 1944. The music remains fun and boistrious. The evening music selections include: English Folk Song Suite, by Von Williams, conducted by William Gilmer, recently retired from Willowbrook High School, and The Patriots, by Clifton Williams, conducted by William Jastrow, recently retired from Nequa Valley
High School.
Join the Wheaton Municipal Band for a heartfelt evening of music and recognition. Thursday, July 25 at 8:00 p.m. Pull up a lawn chair and make yourself comfortable. Enjoy the beautiful music in Memorial Park.