Oct 05

We Are Nearly There!

The bandshell campaign has been STUPENDOUS! Thanks to all of you who have chosen to support a new bandshell. Because of you and the generous support of the Greater CR Community Foundation, local Rotary clubs, and Hall-Perrine, we are at $135,305, just short of our goal of $150,000.

There is still time to donate. We are keeping the campaign open until 31 December. So if you’ve been sitting on the fence, or you decided to support but just haven’t done it yet, now is the time.

Again, thanks for your support of the campaign. Keep coming to the concerts!

Sep 01

City Band Commission Meeting 20 September

The City Band Commission will meet in formal session at 7 PM on 20 Sep 2015 at Marquis Hall on the Coe College Campus.

Aug 01

Last concert of the season this Sunday at Bever!

If you haven’t made it out to a Cedar Rapids Municipal Band Concert yet this summer, Sunday is your last chance! Pack up the lawn chairs, a picnic, and your friends and family and join us for a great evening of music at Bever Park. Concert starts at 7:30!Sunday’s program includes:

Loren Flory, Xavier High School, will perform the National Anthem and Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication

A Festival Prelude (Alfred Reed)

The Pink Panther Meets R2D2 (arr. Jerry Brubaker)

Children’s March (Percy Grainger, ed. Erickson)
…
Bravura (C.E. Duble, arr. John Edmondson)

Concertino Classico (Philip Sparke)
Featuring Paul Kulka, flute

National Emblem (E.E. Bagley)

I’ve Got a Crush on You (Gershwin) & I Can’t Believe That You’re InLove With Me (McHugh & Gaskin)
Featuring the CRMB Trombone Section

Bond…James Bond (arr. Stephen Bulla)

Circus Days (Frank Piersol)

 

Jul 29

Sokol Park on Wednesday!

Join us Wednesday night at Sokol Park for our last Wednesday performance of the season! The weather forecasts call for a clement evening, so grab a chair and head on out.

The program includes:

  • Vocalist: Loren Flory, Xavier HS
  • A Festival Prelude (Alfred Reed)
  • The Pink Panther Meets R2D2 (arr. Jerry Brubaker)
  • Children’s March (Percy Grainger, ed. Erickson)
  • Bravura (C.E. Duble, arr. John Edmondson)
  • Concertino Classico (Philip Sparke)
    Featuring Paul Kulka, flute
  • National Emblem (E.E. Bagley)
  • I’ve Got a Crush on You (Gershwin) & I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love with Me (McHugh & Gaskin)
    Featuring the CRMB Trombone Section
  • Bond…James Bond (arr. Stephen Bulla)
  • Circus Days (Frank Piersol)

If you can’t make it to the concert, you can hear it live on KMRY Radio (1450 AM/93.1 FM), starting promptly at 7:30.

 

Jul 22

Tonight’s Concert on KMRY and on kmryradio.com!

Tonight’s concert at Bowman Woods will not only be carried live on KMRY radio, but also on the internet on kmryradio.com! Just click on “Listen Live” at the top.

Jul 22

Check out our Musician of the Week, Greg Pittam!

Check out our musician of the week, Greg Pittam!

Instrument: Tenor Saxophone

Number of years playing with CRMB: This is my 34th season (started in 1982)

 

Occupation: Financial Analyst for Rockwell Collins

Family: My family is still all in the Cedar Rapids-Marion area. I come from a musical family. My parents, Don and Nancy are retired and have been involved with band activities from chaperoning high school band trips to enjoying each week’s Municipal Band concerts. My sister, D, is a local vocalist that performs at many ballroom dance venues with her partner Mark Pence as the duo “Polyester Blend”. She also sang the Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication and guest solo’d with the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band for many seasons. My niece Morgan is an 8th grader at Linn-Mar and is involved with vocal music and band, but her true love is dance and, of course, spending time with her uncles! (She’s going to kill me for that!) My partner Terrence is an emergency room nurse and is an official “muniband groupie” – never missing a performance!

Hometown: I’m a true local – born in St. Lukes Hospital, raised in Marion, Iowa, graduated from Linn-Mar High School and the University of Northern Iowa.

Hobbies: During the summer, Municipal Band is my main hobby. During the winter attending Iowa Women’s Basketball and Broadway Theater shows takes us to many mid-west cities and as far as Las Vegas and Cancun. I am a fitness fanatic – weights, running and yoga. I also enjoy Rock -n- Roll history and never miss a replay of the American Top 40 from the 70’s and 80’s! (Tune-in Radio is my best friend!)

Favorite CRMB piece(s): Everyone in the saxophone section would tell you that my favorite piece is Fandango but it is actually my #2 favorite. And in the spirit of Casey Casem’s countdowns – my #1 Municipal Band favorite is …..drumroll…….River Dance! “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.”

Greg Pittam

Jul 21

It’s a teddy bear picnic at Bowman Woods tomorrow!

It’s “Teddy Bears’ Picnic” week with the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band!  Have your kids (or if you are a kid at heart!) bring your teddy bear in honor of the march of the same name.  This weeks also features front man of the Rod Pierson Big Band, Rod Pierson, on alto sax; Young Artist Competition runner-up Joshua Yem on oboe; and the Harmony Hawks with a rousing rendition of “Sweet Caroline.”  There’s something for everyone this week!  Concert starts at 7:30 and don’t forget those teddy bears!

This week’s program includes:

Sarah Rosales from Jefferson High School will perform the National Anthem and the Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication

The Klaxon (Henry Fillmore, ed. Fennell)

Concerto in C Major for Oboe (Haydn, trans. Steve Shanley)
Featuring Joshua Yem, Oboe

Arabesque (Samuel Hazo)

Persuasion (Sammy Nestico)
Featuring Rod Pierson, Alto Saxophone

Esprit de Corps (John Philip Sousa)

Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond, arr. Gene Cokeroft & Steve Shanley)
Featuring the Harmony Hawks

Teddy Bears’ Picnic (John Bratton, arr. Paul Yoder)

Hurry Home Firefly (Dan Higgins, arr. Steve Shanley)
Featuring Rod Pierson, C Melody Saxophone

In Storm and Sunshine (John C. Heed)

Jul 17

Check us out Saturday at the Farmer’s Market, 10:00 AM!

This is the perfect week to bring the kids! They will love music from Beauty and the Beast and the Avengers, a guitar solo from Coe president Dave McInally, toe-tapping marches, and an impressive trombone solo from recent Kennedy graduate Josh Lyman. Find us at the corner of 3rd Street and 4th Avenue SE. We play from 10-11 am!

This week’s program:

Katie Weston from Washington High School will perform the National Anthem and the Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication

Hey! (Timothy Mahr)

Review (John Philip Sousa)
…
Trombone Concerto (Gordon Jacob, arr. Denis Wick)
Featuring Josh Lyman, Trombone

Salute to Louis Armstrong (arr. Eric Osterling)

The Avengers (Alan Silvestri, arr. Michael Brown)

Chickin’ Pickin’ (Michael Daugherty, trans. William Carson)
Featuring Dave McInally, guitar & William Carson, conductor

Belle of the Ball (Leroy Anderson)

Beauty and the Beast Highlights (Menken & Ashman, arr. John Moss)

Go Galop (Henry Fillmore, arr. Contorno)

Jul 15

Steve Shanley on KCCK

And he’s right…McInally can really shred! (I keep hoping he’ll hire me for a band, but I think he only works with actual Presidents. Heh.)

 

Jul 13

Next concert this Wednesday at Noelridge!

This is a great week to bring the kids!  They will love music from Beauty and the Beast and the Avengers in addition to toe-tapping marches and an impressive trombone solo from recent Kennedy graduate Josh Lyman.  Join us this Wednesday at Noelridge with your lawn chair, picnic, and of course, the kids!  Concert starts at 7:30.

Get there early to hear the Metro Youth Flute Ensemble at 6:30!

This week’s program:

Katie Weston from Washington High School will perform the National Anthem and the Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication

Hey! (Timothy Mahr)

Review (John Philip Sousa)

Trombone Concerto (Gordon Jacob, arr. Denis Wick)
Featuring Josh Lyman, Trombone

Salute to Louis Armstrong (arr. Eric Osterling)

The Avengers (Alan Silvestri, arr. Michael Brown)

Chickin’ Pickin’ (Michael Daugherty, trans. William Carson)
Featuring Dave McInally, guitar & William Carson, conductor

Belle of the Ball (Leroy Anderson)

Beauty and the Beast Highlights (Menken & Ashman, arr. John Moss)

Go Galop (Henry Fillmore, arr. Contorno)