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Karl King Band concert is Feb. 23

-Submitted photo
The Grand Army of the Republic Band in Canton, Ohio, is pictured in 1910. Karl King is seen with a moustache in the back row slightly left of center.

The Karl L. King Municipal Band of Fort Dodge will open its 2020 indoor season on Feb. 23 with a concert beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the Fort Dodge Middle School Auditorium, 800 N. 32nd St. Concert-goers should note the change of location for this concert. There is no admission charge, with these concerts being provided by the City of Fort Dodge. Jerrold P. Jimmerson is the conductor of the Karl King Band with Dr. David Klee serving as assistant conductor and Paul Bloomquist as the announcer.

Karl King was born on Feb. 21, 1891 in Paintersville, Ohio. After his childhood in Canton, Ohio, he left at the age of 19 to travel for nine years with several different circuses, conducted several of their bands, and reached the pinnacle of success as conductor of the world-famous Barnum and Bailey Circus Band during the 1917 and 1918 seasons. He returned to Canton after his trouping days were done in November of 1918 to settle down with his wife, Ruth, and direct the local Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Band there. In addition, the Kings’ only son, Karl Jr., was born in November of 1919.

This concert will be the band’s annual tribute to former conductor Karl L. King in honor of his birthday. Conductor Jimmerson has drawn music for this concert from several of the compositions published 100 years ago in 1920, when Karl King was a 29-year-old young man in his second year as conductor of the G.A.R. Band in Canton.

Selections to be performed include two of Karl King’s marches, “Tuscawaras,” published in 1920, and one of his earliest marches, “Greater Canton,” published in 1909 when he was just 18 years old. Karl King composed more than marches, however. Also included from 1920 on this tribute concert will be his beautiful serenade, “An Autumn Romance,” and the Oriental fox trot, “Abdallah.” His exciting 1912 circus galop “Homestretch” is also included on the program.

Special guest soloist will be Dan Cassady, a regular member of the Karl L. King Municipal Band and a frequent trombone soloist. Cassady will perform Arthur Pryor’s classic solo, “Thoughts of Love.” Cassady is a retired music educator who currently lives at Twin Lakes. Previously he taught music and directed band programs at Fort Dodge Senior High School, Iowa Central Community College and St. Edmond High School, and currently performs as trombonist with Jive for Five.

Classical selections on this one-hour concert include Ludwig von Beethoven’s overture, “Egmont,” as a tribute to the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, along with the “Pilgrim’s Chorus” from Richard Wagner’s opera, “Tannhauser.” In addition, a medley of popular songs from composer Jerome Kern, including his 1920 hit, “Look for the Silver Lining,” is on the program.

The concert will conclude with “Diamond Jubilee.” A portion of King’s most famous composition, “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite March,” is included in this closing selection. Diamond Jubilee” is a medley of portions of seven best-selling King marches arranged to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the C.L. Barnhouse Company in Oskaloosa, a major supplier of King’s music throughout the world.

In case of inclement weather, the concert may be cancelled. Any announcement will be made on the band’s website at www.karling.us, or on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com /karlkingband/.

The next performance by the Karl L. King Municipal Band will be the annual Irish concert on March 15, back in the Decker Auditorium on the campus of Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.

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