BYRON – The Byron Civic Band concludes its fall 2019 session with a concert on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Byron Middle School Auditorium.
The performance is open to the public with a free will donation.
Musicians from surrounding communities will feature music popular in America through the years. Beginning with Under the British Flag, a medley of five fife and drum songs that were heard during Colonial times, American Civil War Fantasy, Scott Joplin, Original Dixieland Concerto, Tin Pan Alley, songs from the 1920s, Glenn Miller, a Beatles medley and Liberty Bell March.
Featured soloist is Jim Martindale on cornet in The Maid of the Mist. Martindale has been playing the cornet for 65 years and also performs with the Rockford Concert Band, Old Towne Band, Kishwaukee Community Band, Rockford Christian Fellowship Band, East Bank Commanders, First Free Church Orchestra, Mount Morris Band, Starlight Theater Orchestra, Freeport Community Band, and 566th Air Force Band. He is a former elementary school teacher and played part time in an Air Force Band.
After Martindale retired from teaching 17 years ago, he has been on a practice project for the last 15 years, trying to practice two hours per day to improve his solo cornet skills. Martindale has reached 9,700 hours practiced and should reach his 10,000 hour goal in a year or so.
Mark Rose is the director and comes with a wealth of musical knowledge and background. He has music degrees from VanderCook College of Music and the University of Illinois. He has conducted or performed on clarinet, bass clarinet, and saxophone in most musical groups in the Rockford area. He is the current conductor of the Rock Valley College Old Towne Band and plays in the Rockford Wind Ensemble, the Rockford Concert Band, Dixieland Band, and the Knock on Wood Clarinet Choir.
The Civic band welcomes new players and all are encouraged to contact Ron Kroeger at 847-219-9393 or ronkroeger@gmail.com to sign up for second semester.
