Melbourne Municipal Band » News

Melbourne Municipal Band’s Free February Concert Pays Tribute to Prolific American Composer, Sammy Nestico

tculp — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:44:40 +0000

Pre-show music provided by the V.I.P. Orchestra – a jazz combo
Special Guest Conductor appearance by Dr. David Waybright, University of Florida Director of Bands

MELBOURNE, FL, January 13, 2012 – Audiences around the world enjoy the jazz and patriotic music of American composer Sammy Nestico, and fans of his blues- and folk-influenced arrangements soon will have the chance to hear them in person. The Melbourne Municipal Band, under the direction of Principal Conductor Staci Cleveland, will present two free concerts that pay tribute to his talents on February 15 and 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd.

Nestico is best known for his arrangements for the Count Basie Orchestra, and the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine bands. His career also included the television and film industry, where he arranged and conducted projects for artists such as Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand and worked on popular TV programs, including Mission: Impossible and Charlie’s Angels.

“We are honored to recognize this fine composer and we are very grateful to him for donating the music for this program to us,” said Cleveland. “We’ll perform some of his best-loved work, including the Spirit of Liberty March, Tribute to Stephen Foster, Los Valentes, Brassman’s Holiday, Tribute to Harry James, and a beautiful alto saxophone solo, Persuasion, which will feature MMB member Charlie Almeida, who is a personal friend of Sammy’s.”

The evening also will include a special guest conductor performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams’s English Folk Song Suite, by Dr. David Waybright, director of bands at the University of Florida. The V.I.P. Orchestra jazz combo will provide pre-show entertainment beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Call 724-0555 or visit www.melbournemunicipalband.org for more information.

About the Melbourne Municipal Band

The Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB), established in 1965, plays free concerts for the citizens of Brevard County nearly every month, and also contributes to the community through parades, patriotic concerts and ceremonial performances. Some 30 percent of the band’s 80-plus members are professional musicians. In a typical year, the band serves 69,000 concert attendees, and its members give 27,000 hours of community service in the form of rehearsals and performance time.

Media Contact:

Carmen L. Bright

Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.

Voice: 321-254-0171

Fax: 321-752-9814

Free ‘Starry Night’ Holiday Concert to Ring in Melbourne Municipal Band’s Season of Music and Giving

tculp — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:10:04 +0000

4 The Kids of Brevard and South Brevard Sharing Center to Benefit from Concert Toy and Food Drive

Special Guest Performance by Shuttle Astronaut Capt. Winston Scott

The stars will shine for the Melbourne Municipal Band’s annual holiday concert this year with three special performances in two different locations.

Music lovers will be able to attend the Starry Night concerts on December 14 and 15, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Melbourne Auditorium, and on December 18 at 3 p.m. at The Scott Center at Holy Trinity Episcopal Upper School, 5625 Holy Trinity Drive in North Melbourne. There is no charge for the concert and tickets are not required.

The concerts also will serve as a collection point for two local charitable organizations – 4 The Kids of Brevard and the South Brevard Sharing Center. Concert attendees are invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy or a non-perishable food item.

“Our holiday concert is our musical gift to our audience members, and we’ll have everyone’s favorite holiday music,” said Principal Conductor Staci Cleveland. “Those who enjoyed hearing Capt. Winston Scott last season, when he came to speak about his experiences as an astronaut onboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, will not want to miss the opportunity to hear him solo on the trumpet.”

The Oh Golly! Dixieland Band will present pre-show entertainment and it’s rumored that a special seasonal guest will make an appearance at the end of the concert.

Call 724-0555 or visit www.melbournemunicipalband.org for more information.

Media Contact

Carmen L. Bright

Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.

321.254.0171 (voice)

321.752.9814 (fax)

Swingtime Jazz Band “Unwraps” Its Holiday Dancing Season on December 2

tculp — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:52:37 +0000

MELBOURNE, FL, November 3, 2011 – The sounds of the holidays and popular seasonal dance tunes will take center stage at the Swingtime Jazz Band’s annual Holiday Ball on December 2nd at 7 p.m. at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Bld., Melbourne. Dance tickets are $5 in advance or $6 at the door. Tables can be reserved in advance for six or more people by calling the band office at 724-0555.

“This is one of our most popular events of the year,” said Art Martin, conductor of Swingtime. “Many people reserve tables and use this evening to host their own holiday party for friends and family – complete with big band entertainment and dancing.”

Popular local vocalists Sally Hart and Len Fallen will perform. The band auxiliary will have a concession table with snacks, soft drinks, bottled water and ice for sale.

Those who would like to brush up on their dancing skills can do so from 6 to 7 p.m., when Laura Beers (www.adancersvoice.com or 751-4766) offers lessons. The fee for lessons is $5, payable to the instructor.

More information about this event and others is available by calling the band at 724-0555 or visiting melbournemunicipalband.org.

About the Melbourne Municipal Band

Swingtime is the 18 to 21-piece “Big Band” dance ensemble of the MMB, playing music from the 1920s to the 1970s. The for-hire band features saxophones, trombones, trumpets, a piano, guitar, bass and trap set, along with two vocalists and a conductor/announcer.

Media Contact:

Carmen L. Bright

Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.

Voice: 321-254-0171

Fax: 321-752-9814

Melbourne Municipal Band’s New Symphonic Wind Ensemble Makes Its Concert Debut Sunday, November 6, in Suntree

tculp — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:38:06 +0000

Hal Gibson Conducts Ensemble’s Free “Momentous Moments in Music” Program

MELBOURNE, FL, October 29, 2011 – The new Symphonic Wind Ensemble of the Melbourne Municipal Band will present its premiere performance on Sunday, November 6 at 3:00 pm at the Suntree United Methodist Church, 7400 N. Wickham Road, in Melbourne. The concert is free and tickets are not required.

Well-known veteran conductor and Viera resident Hal Gibson will conduct the ensemble as it presents a program titled “Momentous Moments in Music.”

“The Symphonic Wind Ensemble brings together the very finest area players who are capable of performing music of the highest order at a very high standard,” explains Gibson. “We had our first rehearsal last Saturday and I was elated with the results. This is a program that lovers of good music will not want to miss.”

The concert will feature major compositions such as the Manx Overture, by Haydn Wood; George Washington Bridge, by William Schuman; and a very special rendition of Crown Imperial – Coronation March, by Sir William Walton, written for the coronation of King George VI in 1937. What makes this performance special is that the wind ensemble will combine forces with the organ and the major talents of local organist Thomas Taylor.

Another “momentous musical moment” will be the performance of Richard Wagner’s Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral. This piece prefaces Elsa’s betrothal to Lohengrin from the opera of the same name, and is one of the most dynamic and climactic works in all of the operatic literature. Organist Thomas Taylor will again join the ensemble in the culmination of this majestic masterwork.

Also included on the program will be the iconic work for winds, the Second Suite in F for Military Band, by Gustav Holst.

The Symphonic Wind Ensemble of the Melbourne Municipal Band is a new musical organization focused on the performance of the most notable music written, or arranged for, wind instruments. Its members are some of the finest, most experienced players in the Central Florida, performing music to the highest standards.

Call 724-0555 or visit melbournemunicipalband.org for more information.

About the Melbourne Municipal Band

Media Contact:

Carmen L. Bright

Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.

Voice: 321-254-0171

Fax: 321-752-9814

Swingtime Jazz Band Presents “A Salute to Our Veterans” Dance on November 10

tculp — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:13:04 +0000

MELBOURNE, FL, October 14, 2011 – Active-duty and retired military members with ID will receive free admission to the Swingtime Jazz Band’s “A Salute Our Veterans” dance on November 10. Swingtime – the dance band of the Melbourne Municipal Band - is using the Veteran’s Day event to recognize the men and women who serve and have served our nation.

“The band is very excited about this dance and the opportunity to say thank you to our nation’s military for the sacrifices they make,” said Art Martin, conductor. “Many of the Swingtime and Melbourne Municipal Band members are themselves veterans and got their musical start in military bands, so this has a very special meaning for us.”

The dance will include a wide variety of music, including popular swing, waltz, polkas and Latin selections. Swingtime vocalists Sally Hart, a singing star with the Lawrence Welk Show, and Len Fallen, another local favorite, also will be featured. Just a few of the selections to be performed will be Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, In The Mood, Pennsylvania 6-5000, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie, and At Last.

The dance begins at 7 p.m. Those who would like to brush up on their dancing skills can do so from 6 to 7 p.m., when Laura Beers (www.adancersvoice.com or 751-4766) offers lessons. The fee for lessons is $5, payable to the instructor.

Dance tickets are $5 in advance or $6 at the door for non-veterans. Swingtime, considered one of the finest jazz and big band groups in the Southeast, also is available for hire for community, church and other social functions. More information about the event, ticket locations, and the band is available by visiting melbournemunicipalband.org or calling 724-0555.

About the Melbourne Municipal Band

The Melbourne Municipal Band, established in 1965, plays free concerts for the citizens of Brevard County nearly every month, and also contributes to the community through parades, patriotic concerts and ceremonial performances. Some 30 percent of the band’s 80-plus members are professional musicians. In a typical year, the band serves 69,000 concert attendees, and its members give 27,000 hours of community service in the form of rehearsals and performance time.

Media Contact:

Carmen L. Bright

Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.

Voice: 321-254-0171

Fax: 321-752-9814

Melbourne Municipal Band Salutes Heroes of 9/11 with Special “Never Forget” Concerts September 28 & 29

tculp — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 02:50:36 +0000

MELBOURNE, FL, August 12, 2011 – The Melbourne Municipal Band will pay tribute to all the heroes of September 11, 2001 with a collection of patriotic and stirring music at its September 28 and 29 concerts, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. There is no charge and tickets are not required.

The evening will feature a beautiful tribute called Never Forget, written by local composer and former firefighter John Ryan, and sung by Laurie Broadway, band director at Jefferson Middle School in Merritt Island. The program also features a march called First Responders, written by another local composer, Michael Rowsey, band director at Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in Melbourne.

“This program will lift your spirits and remind you of why we are proud to call America our home,” said Principal Conductor Staci Cleveland.

The concert also will include selections such as Hymn to the Fallen, America the Beautiful, The Chimes of Liberty, and The Stars and Stripes Forever.

Call 724-0555 or visit www.mmband.org for more information.

About the Melbourne Municipal Band
The Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB), established in 1965, plays free concerts for the citizens of Brevard County nearly every month, and also contributes to the community through parades, patriotic concerts and ceremonial performances. Some 30 percent of the band’s 80-plus members are professional musicians. In a typical year, the band serves 69,000 concert attendees, and its members give 27,000 hours of community service in the form of rehearsals and performance time.

Media Contact:
Carmen L. Bright
Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.
Voice: 321-254-0171
Fax: 321-752-9814

Swingtime Jazz Band Kicks Off Fall Dance Season September 23

tculp — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 02:41:27 +0000

MELBOURNE, FL, August 12, 2011 – The Swingtime Jazz Band – the dance ensemble of the Melbourne Municipal Band - is kicking up its heels and starting its 2011-2012 season with the annual Fall Kick-Off Ball on Friday, September 23 at 7 p.m. at the Melbourne Auditorium. Dance tickets are $5 in advance or $6 at the door.

The dance will include a wide variety of selections covering swing, waltz, polkas and Latin music – as well as the occasional rock tune. The audience will be treated to some new arrangements of old favorites.

Several soloists will be featured during the performance. Swingtime vocalists Sally Hart, a singing star with the Lawrence Welk Show, and Len Fallen, another local favorite, also will be featured.

“The band is looking forward to playing for everyone after two months off,” said Art Martin, conductor. “We play different styles of music with different beats and anyone who enjoys dancing or who just likes to listen to great music, is more than welcome.”

Swingtime, considered one of the finest jazz and big band groups in the Southeast, also is available for hire for community, church and other social functions. More information about the event, ticket locations, and the band is available by visiting www.mmband.org or calling 724-0555.

About the Melbourne Municipal Band

Media Contact:

Carmen L. Bright

Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.

Voice: 321-254-0171

Fax: 321-752-9814

Free “American Commemoration” Concert Brings Nation’s History to Life with Music on August 10 and 11

tculp — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:50:00 +0000

Well-known Guest Conductors Col. Hal Gibson (Ret.) and Dr. Dan Bolin Take the Stage at “Not-In-The-Park” Picnic Concert

MELBOURNE, FL, June 27, 2011 – The sounds of American history will fill the air when the Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB) presents its “American Commemoration” concerts on August 10 and 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Admission is free.

Col. Hal Gibson (Ret.), a well-known conductor who has made the Space Coast his home for the past 18 years, and Dr. Dan Bolin, chair of the School of Music at Butler University in Indianapolis and a part-time resident of Brevard County, will lead the band as it recognizes important dates in our nation’s history with appropriate music selections.

Selections will include “American Civil War Fantasy,” by Jerry Bilik; “The Gladiator March,” written by John Philip Sousa for the dedication of the Statue of Liberty 125 years ago; and two World War I pieces.

Gibson, who was a conductor of the U.S. Army Field Band and is Professor Emeritus at Columbus State University in Georgia as well as a veteran of World War II, will conduct Richard Rodgers’ stirring score for the video series, Victory at Sea. Called “The Homefront: Musical Memories of WWII,” this contains many of the pop tunes enjoyed by those who waited at home. He also will conduct “South Pacific.” The program concludes with musical remembrances of the Viet Nam war and closes with a solemn remembrance of 9/11 with the playing of “God of our Fathers.”

“Dr. Bolin and I are very pleased to be able to conduct this concert and we know that the audience will be inspired by this musical journey through our nation’s history,” said Gibson, who was recently awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Columbus State University for his contributions to its world-class Schwob School of Music.

The concert is the last of the band’s annual Not-In-The-Park Picnic concerts and the audience is invited to bring family, friends and a picnic dinner to enjoy. Instead of traditional concert seating, long tables will be set up to enable a ‘dinner and show’ experience and audience members can bring along their picnic dinners. Drinks, ice and snacks will be available for purchase at the Concession Table.

There is no charge for the concert and tickets are not required. Doors open at 5:30. Call 724-0555 or visit melbournemunicipalband.org for more information.

About the Melbourne Municipal Band
The Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB), established in 1965, plays free concerts for the citizens of Brevard County nearly every month, and also contributes to the community through parades, patriotic concerts and ceremonial performances. Some 30 percent of the band’s 80-plus members are professional musicians. In a typical year the band serves 69,000 concert attendees, and its members give 27,000 hours of community service in the form of rehearsals and performance time.

Media Contact:
Carmen L. Bright
Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.
Voice: 321-254-0171

Stay “Cool” with Free Swingtime Jazz Band Concert July 20 and 21

tculp — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:39:11 +0000

Summertime Favorites On Tap for Annual July Jazz Picnic

MELBOURNE, FL, June 23, 2011 – “The Cool Sounds of Swingtime” is the theme of the Swingtime Jazz Band’s free concert July 20 and 21 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Avenue. The event is the second of the band’s annual Not-In-The-Park Picnic concerts and the audience is invited to bring family, friends and a picnic dinner to enjoy.

A breezy summer program will feature such favorites as Jump Jive and Wail, Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man, All The Things You Are, Love Will Keep Us Together, Orange Colored Sky, and many more. Popular local vocalists Sally Hart, who performed with Lawrence Welk, and Len Fallen, also well known on the Space Coast, will be featured.

The band is under the direction of Conductor Art Martin, tenor and baritone saxophonist, who has performed with Warren Covington, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie and The Platters, to name a few.

Instead of traditional concert seating, long tables will be set up to enable a ‘dinner and show’ experience and audience members can bring along their picnic dinners. Drinks, ice and snacks will be available for purchase at the concession table.

There is no charge for the concert and tickets are not required. Doors open at 5:30. Call 724-0555 or visit melbournemunicipalband.org for more information.

Swingtime, part of the Melbourne Municipal Band, is a 20-piece jazz band, playing music from the 1920s to the 1970s. The for-hire band features saxophones, trombones, trumpets, a piano, guitar, bass and trap set, along with two vocalists and a conductor/announcer.

About the Melbourne Municipal Band

Media Contact:

Carmen L. Bright

Marketing Communications Associates, Inc.

Voice: 321-254-0171

Fax: 321-752-9814

Click here to see the flyer…

Reminder: Summer Youth Band Music Program

tculp — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:43:26 +0000

Time is running out for the Summer Youth Band Music Program! Click here to download the REGISTRATION FORM FOR SUMMER YOUTH BAND 2011.