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King Band to perform Independence Day concert today

The Karl L. King Municipal Band, conducted by Jerrold P. Jimmerson, will perform the annual Independence Day concert on Sunday evening. Concert time is 7:30 p.m. at the Karl L. King Band Shell in Oleson Park. There is no admission charge, courtesy of the city of Fort Dodge.

Conductor Jimmerson says, “With July 4 being on Thursday this year, I think people will be taking a long weekend break. What a great way to wrap up the holiday weekend with a band concert of familiar patriotic music to celebrate our country’s independence.”

The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Bell Choir from Fort Dodge will again be selling homemade ice cream and cake before and during the concert, starting around 6:30 p.m.

Marches on the evening program include “Salute to Camp Harrison” by Karl L. King, Henry Fillmore’s “Americans We,” along with the fine Fred Jewell march, “E Pluribus Unum.” This concert will also include an exciting piece, “An American Spectacular,” which traces the musical history of the United States.

On the lighter side will be Leroy Anderson’s arrangement of the Meredith Willson classic, “Seventy-Six Trombones,” originally done for the Boston Pops Orchestra, along with M.L. Lake’s ragtime selection, “The Booster (An American Absurdity Rag).” Also, there will be a medley of songs from the popular Broadway musical set during World War II, “South Pacific.”

An audience favorite will be the performance of Leroy Anderson’s “Bugler’s Holiday,” featuring a trumpet trio of Tim Miller from Humboldt, David Swaroff from Dayton, and Luke Yoakam from Humboldt. It just wouldn’t be a summer concert without hearing this band standard.

Special guest conductor will be Andrew Glover, nationally prominent composer and arranger. Glover is a native of Missouri, and was educated in the public schools of St. Louis. He began writing and arranging music for bands while still a student in high school, and now has nearly 300 publications in print. He received his bachelor of music education degree from Central Methodist College, and taught instrumental music in St. Louis area public and private schools for nine years. In October 1998, he joined the C.L. Barnhouse Company in Oskaloosa as staff composer, arranger and editor. He is now the chief operating officer of that music publishing business as well as Walking Frog Records.

The King Band will premiere his newest work, “Song to the Moon,” from Anton Dvorak’s opera, “Rusalka,” along with his novelty number titled “A Trombone Family Reunion.” Both of these arrangements were made by Glover and will be conducted by him. The latter number will feature the King Band’s own trombone section on a medley of standard ragtime songs originally written by Henry Fillmore.

Closing this concert of patriotic music will be Glover’s stirring arrangement of “God Shed His Grace On Thee,” followed by our national march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa, along with our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

People attending today’s concert are encouraged to bring small American flags to wave at appropriate times during the concert. People also need to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets, etc., since there is no seating available.

In case of inclement weather, the concert may be cancelled at the starting time. Any announcements will be made on the band’s Facebook page listing for the Karl L. King Municipal Band at https://www.facebook.com/karlkingband/or on the band’s website at www.karlking.us.

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