Naperville Municipal Band tuning up for 160th season

If you've seen a Naperville Municipal Band concert in the past half century, chances are you heard a woman named Vicki play the clarinet.

On July 18, she'll not only perform again with the band, she'll be the author of the playlist for the night's program in Central Park, an honor accorded to all band members who make it to the 50-year mark.

"She's about the 15th person to hit 50," said Ron Keller, band director for the past 54 years and Vicki's husband.

Keller said he doesn't yet know which musical pieces his wife will select for the occasion, but he has a few hunches.

"She's a big Mozart fan," he said.

He also expects she will choose some John Philip Sousa marches.

A week earlier, on July 11, the band will present a concert celebrating its 160th anniversary.

"I'm calling it 'Happy 160.' That will be the time we focus on the whole history of the band," Keller said.

The group got its start doing its first known performance in 1859 when it was known as the Naperville Brass Band.

"Right after the Civil War, the name changed to the Naperville Light Guard Band," Keller said.

Now, 160 years later, the band is gearing up for its spring concert this Sunday, its annual appearance in the city's Memorial Day parade on May 27, and its first concert of the summer season on June 6. The summer concerts are Thursday evenings in Central Park, just east of Washington Street in downtown. The spring concert is at 3 p.m. in North Central College's Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave. For details, visit napervilleband.org.

Keller said the June 6 concert will commemorate the Greatest Generation and the 75th anniversary of the World War II D-Day invasion with pieces from "The Longest Day" along with popular music from the period such as Glenn Miller numbers.

"It's a good kickoff for the summer," he said.

Assistant conductor Emily Binder will present a June 13 concert titled "New York, New York," followed by a big band/jazz band concert on June 20.

Keller said the band's custom of playing "The 1812 Overture" on July 4 will be altered this year, with the piece being performed instead at the June 27 show because cannons aren't available on the Fourth. The show will be called "Prelude to a Celebration."

The July 4 show will feature pieces by American composers and will start early, at 6 p.m., concluding in time for revelers to travel to fireworks shows, he said.

Assistant conductor Rene Rosas will present the July 25 show with an as-yet unnamed theme.

The Old West will be highlighted at the Aug. 1 concert, titled "Back in the Saddle," with pieces from films such as "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Cowboys."

The Aug. 8 show is titled "So Long for a While," and the Aug. 15 show will showcase the talents of the Naperville Municipal Jazz Band along with a guest band, he said.

"I try to program events so that there's something in there for everybody," Keller said.

Keller said involvement with the band is a family tradition.

"I got in the band when I was a freshman in high school. My mom and dad played in the band in the '30s and '40s," he said. "The roots in the family are very deep."

The band itself has a family feel to it, he said.

"There are about 12 to 14 husband-and-wife combinations and sister-and-brother combinations. I think there are nine who are former students of mine," said Keller, a tuba player.

At Sunday's Spring Concert, he and the Fox Valley Brass Band director will play their tubas with tuba sections from both bands.

"There will be 14 tubas on stage," Keller said.

The concert will include a tribute to the late Jerry Lahti, who had played coronet with the band for about 40 years.

Keller said musicians who join the band tend to stay.

"We don't have a lot of turnover. The band today is a premier band. The band I took over 50 years ago was a typical small town band," he said. "The younger players come in and they're amazed that these old guys can play."

If you go

The Naperville Municipal Band's free summer concert series begins June 6 in Central Park, 104 E. Benton St. Concerts start at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

June 6: "Sounds from Central Park"

June 13: "New York, New York"

June 20: NMB Big Band

June 27: "Prelude to a Celebration" with 1812 Overture

July 4: "America's Composers" at 6 p.m.

July 11: "Happy 160"

July 18: "Vicki Keller Night" 50th anniversary

July 25: TBA

Aug. 1: "Back in the Saddle"

Aug. 8: "So Long For A While"

Aug. 15: Joint Big Band Concert