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

When I began planning the August concerts, I took a survey of the band members, asking them to share with me the pieces they would most like to play on a concert.  I was inundated with so many suggestions that I decided to dedicate the entire concert to their requests.  There will certainly be a little something for everyone on this concert.  From the music of the movie King Kong to classical favorites like Debussy’s Clair de Lune and Copeland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, this will be an evening of variety and entertainment.  Before the main event even begins, my good friends Gosia and Ali will be providing pre-concert music.  They are popular musicians in Gainesville, Florida, and their services are always in high demand.  They play an amazing variety of music from pop to jazz.  We are so lucky to have them playing for us two nights in a row!

I hope to see you all there with a table of your friends, enjoying the food and the music.  Where else in Brevard County can you get such an incredible evening of fun for FREE?  The MMB has been providing that to the citizens of Brevard for almost 45 years now.  Come join us.

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ANYTHING GOES!

Hello all!  I am extremely excited and honored to be participating in the Melbourne Municipal Band’s Conductor Search.  When asked if I would conduct a program with the ensemble, I immediately jumped at the bit.  I have had a chance to work with the gifted musicians of the MMB over the last month and it has been an absolute pleasure putting this exciting program together with them.

So, why a Sousa Style Concert?  When I was asked to select a theme for this program, I thought this particular style of concert would showcase the musicians of the band.  In addition, it gives both myself and the band a chance to perform a variety of works that include light classics, solo pieces, important 20th Century works, contemporary pieces being written today, and of course, marches.

The music for this program is quite challenging!  The MMB will perform Dmitri Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, William Schuman’s New England Triptych, Leondard Bernstein’s Candide, music from Fiddler on the Roof, and music from one of my favorite wind band composers, Frank Ticheli.  In addition, the concert will feature two extremely talented soloists, Philip Vu and David Ewing.  David Ewing has been a great friend of mine for many years and it’s a great honor to share the stage with him.  Lastly, each work will be followed with an encore taken from Sousa’s march catalog.
 
I know you will enjoy the band’s performances on April 21st and 22nd!  Every rehearsal is a treat and the musicality of this ensemble is at such a high level.  I would like to thank all of the members of the band who embraced me with open arms, the Board of Directors, and the hard working volunteers.  Melbourne is lucky to have a cultural gem like the Melbourne Municipal Band.
 
I look forward to seeing you all,
Aaron Collins

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

A Sousa Style Concert Flyer

Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy the Celtic Concerts last week.  We had a great audience both nights, and I enjoyed meeting many of you.  Those of you who came to the Tuesday show will be interested to know that I managed to keep my shoes on for the entire concert on Wednesday night, but it wasn’t easy.  I think hitting my 40th birthday has done something strange to my feet.  They are no longer cooperating with my desire to wear beautiful heels!   But the music was fun, and the band really enjoyed presenting these concerts for the community. 

Thanks again to “Kindred Spirits” for their performance, and also to David Spurlock, our guest performer on bagpipes.  And thank you once again to all the musicians and volunteers who contribute their time and effort to make these concerts happen.  It couldn’t be done without all of you.  As usual, it was my pleasure to have the opportunity to make music with the MMB.

Keep an eye on our calendar page (http://melbournemunicipalband.org/category/events/) for upcoming events.

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.

I enjoyed meeting Terri Wright, General Manager of WFIT, this week.  We recorded an interview concerning the Celtic Concerts for their “Coastal Connections” segment which will air on Friday, February 12 at 8:30 a.m. and at 5:30 p.m.  You can click on the link above to hear the interview any time you like.   If you want to listen to WFIT live or just check out their website,  go to www.wfit.org.