The third and final indoor concert for the 2025 season by the Karl L. King Municipal Band will be held beginning at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the Fort Dodge Middle School Auditorium, located at 800 N. 32nd S. There is no admission charge, with these concerts being provided by the city of Fort Dodge. The band will be led by Conductor Dan Cassady, with Paul Bloomquist serving as the band’s announcer and also as chairman of the scholarship committee.

This April concert is always the band’s annual scholarship event, with the presentation of the Karl L. King Memorial Scholarships. Talented students audition that day, and the winners will be recognized that afternoon with either a $500 scholarship to Iowa Central Community College or a $1,000 scholarship to anyfour4-year Iowa college or university of their choice. Providing the funds for these scholarships is the Karl L. King Memorial Education Foundation, which “exists to provide band instrument scholarships for students majoring in music.”

All students who audition for a scholarship will be invited to join the band in playing Karl L. King’s march, “The Iowa Band Law,” during the concert, and the major scholarship recipient will perform their award-winning solo during the afternoon program.

This concert will open with Henry Fillmore’s musical tribute to one of Fort Dodge’s most famous citizens, “King Karl King.” Both King and Fillmore were natives of Ohio and well-known composers. Fillmore directed the municipal band in Cincinnati, Ohio, for many years, while King was famous for his nine-year circus career and his 50 years spent directing the municipal band here.

Selections to be performed include two of Karl King’s marches, “Sells-Floto Triumphal” from 1914, and “The Ohio Special” from 1946. Also included will be King’s popular 1912 overture, “Princess of India”; his ragtime selection from 1919, “Kentucky Sunrise”; and his exciting 1910 circus galop “Excelsior.”

Other selections on this one-hour concert include Narciso Serredell Sevilla’s beautiful Mexican waltz, “La Golondrina (The Swallow)”; one of America’s finest and most popular hymns, “Amazing Grace”; along with a medley of popular songs from several well-known musicals, titled “The Golden Age of Broadway,” by the famous song-writing team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.

All concerts conclude in the traditional way with the playing of our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In case of inclement weather, the concert may be canceled. Any announcement will be made on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/karlkingband/, or on the band’s website at www.karlking.us, No make-up date will be scheduled.