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Three
free Peoria Municipal Band concerts announced
July 25 on
the Peoria riverfront, July 27 at Shoppes at Grand Prairie and
July 29 at Glen Oak Park
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[July 20, 2007]
PEORIA -- The Peoria Municipal Band will
present three concerts again next week. On July 25 the band will
take the CEFCU stage on the Peoria riverfront at 7:30 p.m. On July
27, the band will be at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie in the center
court, beginning at 7 p.m. Then on July 29 the musicians will return
to the Glen Oak Park amphitheater. Admission to the concerts is
free.
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 If you have not attended one of the concerts, your time is running
out. The riverfront is a great venue to visit, with easy parking and
lots of seating, and Wednesday is the final riverfront concert. You
need to bring your dancing shoes for "The Beat Goes On." Selections
for the concert also include "Seacliff Overture," "Festa Espanol" and
"Liberty Fanfare." You might want to put your dancin' shoes to work
with the favorite "Beer Barrel Polka." The band will also perform
several marches as well as vocal selections.At the Shoppes on
July 27 you will hear more favorites, such as "A Fifth of Beethoven"
and the "James Bond Suite."
Attend the July 29 concert for a special treat, "A Little Bit of
Irish." The band will perform "The River of Life," "Rakes of
Mallow," "Gershwin" and "American Overture for Band."
Music at each performance entertains and invigorates adults and
children alike. The concerts include programming of marches, show
tunes, dances, overtures, hymns, popular songs and, of course,
solos. The rich tradition of outstanding vocal and instrumental
soloists performing with the band continues throughout the summer.
During the coming week the band will spotlight vocalist Dirk
McGinnis. McGinnis, formerly Peoria County recorder of deeds, now
enjoys several months a year of sailing around the world. His
performances in Peoria and throughout central Illinois are
enthusiastically received. His work for the Alzheimer's Foundation
is of special note. He has sung with the Peoria Municipal Band for
many years and continues to be a crowd favorite.
The instrumental soloist will be LuAnn Stoskopf. A graduate of
Metamora High School, Stoskopf received a bachelor's degree in music
education from Western Illinois University and a master's degree in
music education from Illinois State University. In addition to being
a member of the Peoria Municipal Band, she performs in the Prairie
Wind Ensemble. She is the founder and director of the Central
Illinois Flute Troupe and has served as a flute adjudicator for the
Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Conference. She
currently serves as the band director at Lindbergh and Sterling
middle schools in Peoria.
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 Tim McGinnis from WHOI-TV -- no relation to Dirk -- will be the
guest emcee on July 29.
Dr. David Vroman is the director of the 50-member professional
concert band. Each week the band brings a wide variety of music to
the stage, appealing to audiences of all ages. It is a great way to
spend a summer evening with family and friends.
The Peoria Municipal Band was formed in 1937 through the efforts
of Local 26 of the American Federation of Musicians and interested
citizens. Prior to 1937 the band was a professional municipal band
complete with management and "soloists of national reputation."
Current band members come from all walks of life; many are music
teachers in the local schools. They are selected by audition and
then commit to a full season of rehearsals and performance. Hundreds
of thousands of people have enjoyed their music since 1937. Today,
with the support of the city, the band continues the long-standing
tradition of excellence in music.
The site of the concerts is the Fred Huber Bandshell, located in
Glen Oak Park. The amphitheater offers a beautiful outdoor setting
that adds to the splendor of the evening. Park benches are
available, but you may also bring your own blanket or lawn chairs to
enjoy the concert from a grassy area. Parking is convenient, and the
amphitheater is handicapped-accessible.
For further information, contact band manager George Graves Jr.
at 309-691-3318, the director at 309-677-2605 or
dvroman@bradley.edu, or Liz
Driscoll at 309-697-2275 or
edriscol@dishmail.net.
[Text from file received
Liz Driscoll]
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