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.

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Performing Group: Swingtime Jazz Band
Location: Melbourne Auditorium
Type:

A Not-in-the-Park Picnic Concert