Cleveland to Lead Band at Free “Band Member Favorites” Concert on August 11 and 12 at 6:30 p.m.

MELBOURNE, FL, July 14, 2010 – Staci Cleveland, a Melbourne Municipal Band musician and board member for nearly 10 years, has been named Principal Conductor of the musical group and will lead the band in its last ‘not-in-the-park’ picnic concerts of the season, August 11 and 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Melbourne Auditorium.

The concerts will feature a selection of band members’ favorite tunes. Special pre-show entertainment will be provided by Gosia & Ali, a highly regarded, Gainesville-based musical group that performs light jazz and pop music.

Cleveland was named Associate Conductor of the band in early 2008.  She has a Master’s degree in Conducting from the University of Florida, where she studied with Dr. David Waybright, and a degree in Music Education. Cleveland taught middle school bands in Volusia and Orange Counties and is active in various musical ensembles in Brevard County, including the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, the Central Florida Chamber Winds and the Space Coast Flute Orchestra.

“Staci has been instrumental in many improvements to the MMB program over the years,” said Anne Adams, chair of the band’s Board of Trustees. “She has conducted many concerts in recent years that have always been well-received by our audience members, such as her Celtic concerts and movie-themed concerts, among others.”

“I am so excited to have the opportunity to lead the MMB,” said Cleveland.  “It has been very rewarding for me to work with the members of this ensemble over the years, and I know we are going to work hard together going forward to take the band to the next level. I am really looking forward to the 2010-2011 concert season.”

Cleveland plans to seek professional, amateur and school-aged musicians to play an active role in MMB concerts in the coming season.  She also plans to further enhance the MMB’s goal of promoting music education in our community.

In order to make the most of the ‘not-in-the-park’ picnic concert theme, 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. 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
Fax: 321-752-9814

Second Concert in New Conductor Audition Series
Aaron Collins Featured

MELBOURNE, FL, March 23, 2010 – The patriotic sounds of the man dubbed “America’s first music superstar” will ring loud and clear when the Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB) presents a “Sousa Style Concert” on Wednesday, April 21st and Thursday, April 22nd at 7:30 p.m. in the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E Hibiscus Blvd.

It is the second in a series of concerts this year during which the band is auditioning candidates for the position of Principal Conductor and will feature Aaron Collins as the guest conductor. Collins is a composer and the conductor of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Brevard Symphony Youth Orchestra.

The program will include very challenging and popular works, including Leonard Bernstein’s Candide Overture, Dmitri Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, William Schuman’s Chester, and two works by one of America’s most popular contemporary composers, Frank Ticheli. Interspersed with these selections will be a variety of Sousa Marches, a program style that was typical of Sousa concerts.

David Ewing and Phillip Vu, musicians with the MMB, will be featured as soloists on the program.

Sousa was the creator of the American Pops concert and was the model for Arthur Fiedler when he started the Boston Pops. His concerts were a blend of light classics, new works, virtuoso soloists, and Sousa’s own inspiring marches, blended by a master showman. He is remembered for many patriotic songs and marches, including the celebrated Stars and Stripes Forever.

There is no charge for the concert and tickets are no longer required. Doors open at 6:30. 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
Fax: 321-752-9814

The Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB) in conjunction with the Melbourne Police Athletic League (PAL) is holding its 3rd Summer Youth Band Music Program from July 5, 2010 thru July 29, 2010.  The program is open to all students currently enrolled in 6th-9th grades who want to learn to play or already play a musical instrument.  It will be 4 days a week (Monday thru Thursday) from 9 AM to 11 AM.  Each student will receive a 50 minute group lesson with a qualified teacher on his or her instrument and also will be part of a band.

The summer music program will be held at Melbourne High School, 74 Bulldog Blvd., Melbourne.  There will be a concert on the final day of the program, July 29th at 6:00 PM at the Melbourne Civic Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd., Melbourne.  We ask parents to bring a covered dish to share at the conclusion of the concert.  Drinks will be provided by the Melbourne Municipal Band.

The students attend the program free of charge.  The cost of the lesson book and the first month rental of the instrument for those students beginning a new instrument will be paid for.  Parents or Guardians are responsible for the rental after the first month.  The rental of the instrument is applied toward the purchase of the instrument.

If you have an instrument in your home that your son or daughter would like to play, please take it to one of the music stores listed to make sure it is in good working order.

Rental information is available for the following music stores:

Rentals will be directly through the music stores.  Lesson books will be given to the students on the first day of the summer program.

If you are interested, you can download the registration form for the Summer Youth Band.  Please fill it out and return it by Friday, June 25, 2010 to the address on the form.

If you have any questions about the Summer Youth Band Program, please call 321-956-2283 or email Art Martin at artmartin27@gmail.com.

Concert Kicks Off Auditions for New Conductor ~ Features Staci Cleveland

MELBOURNE, FL, January 20, 2010 – The Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB) will feature “A Celtic Concert” celebrating the musical legacy of Ireland and Scotland at 7:30 p.m. February 16 and 17 at the Melbourne Auditorium. It is the first in a series of concerts this year in which the band is auditioning candidates for the position of Principal Conductor.

Staci Cleveland, currently associate conductor, will audition for the principal spot during this event, leading the band in performing a variety of new selections, including a suite from the popular Riverdance program that contains airs, jigs and a percussion feature called “Thunder and Lightening.”

The program also will showcase new music that recently was added to the band’s library – thanks to the donations of audience members – such as “Be Thou My Vision,” a beautiful arrangement of a hymn tune which is derived from an old Irish ballad.

The band’s trombone section will be featured in a traditional rendition of “Loch Lomond,” arranged by one of the band’s newest members, Jim McCreary.  It is dedicated to the memory of Tim Hartselle, a former member of the MMB trombone section who recently passed away.

Special pre-show entertainment will begin at 6:45 with “Kindred Spirits,” a Celtic band. The MMB’s Sunshine Brass Quintet will provide intermission entertainment.

There is no charge for the concert and tickets are no longer required. The move is part of the MMB’s goal to make concert attendance easy for its audience and to save costs and eliminate the environmental impact of ticket printing. 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

Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB) Facts (download PDF here)

At-A-Glance

• Established in 1965 with 16 members and has provided free concerts for Brevard County audiences for 43 years, creating a sense of community in the Melbourne area and making high-quality music available to many people and families who can not otherwise afford to attend live concerts. (more…)