The final concert of this 2025 summer season by the Karl L. King Municipal Band of Fort Dodge will be held on Sunday at the Karl L. King Band Shell in Oleson Park. Concert time is 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, courtesy of the City of Fort Dodge. Conductor of the Band is Dan Cassady and Paul Bloomquist is the announcer.

An ice cream social, provided by the Southeast Valley Music Boosters, will precede the concert. Persons are reminded to bring their own lawn chairs or a blanket, since there is no public seating provided.

Selections by Karl King are always featured, and will include his most famous and often-recorded march, “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite,” along with one of King’s famous galops, “Prestissimo.” Henry Fillmore’s well-known march, “His Honor,” is also on the program.

This week’s classical selections include Russian composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov’s “Procession of the Sardar” from his “Caucasian Sketches,” written in 1894 and 1896. Bohemian composer Antonin Dvorak’s lively and exciting “Slavonic Dances No. 8,” typical of Czech music from that European region, will round out the classical portion of the evening.

Lighter sounds will be heard with “Highlights from Sophisticated Ladies” by Duke Ellington. This popular musical appeared on Broadway in the early 1980s, and includes such well-known Big Band hits as “Caravan,” ‘Mood Indigo,” and “It Don’t Mean A Thing” among others. Frank Perkins’ lively Spanish dance “Fandango” is on the program as well.

A special guest conductor for the evening will be Andrew Glover, a nationally prominent composer, conductor, and arranger. He joined the staff of the C.L. Barnhouse Company in Oskaloosa in 1998, as executive vice president in charge of music production. He now serves as staff composer-arranger and editor, and is the president of that company.

Originally a native of the St. Louis area, Glover was educated in the public schools of Webster Groves, Missouri. He received his bachelor of music education degree from Central Methodist University, did graduate work at Southeast Missouri State University, and taught in the St. Louis area for several years. His performance experience includes playing with the Detroit Municipal Band under the direction of Leonard Smith.

His band compositions and arrangements now number close to 300. Most of these have been published by the C.L. Barnhouse Co. These have been performed, recorded, and broadcast by bands worldwide. Glover will conduct the Karl King march, “Alhambra Grotto,” dedicated to a band in St. Louis, along with one of King’s beautiful serenades, “An Autumn Romance.”

Glover will also premier one of his newest band arrangements, titled “The Booster (an American Absurdity Rag).” He offers this exiting preview: “With the whimsical subtitle ‘An American Absurdity Rag,’ Mayhew Lake’s ‘The Booster’ is a lively and delightful composition. It embodies the playful spirit of the ragtime era of the early 20th-century and the energetic tempo and humorous character makes it a delightful addition to performances seeking a change of pace. Sure to be a favorite of audiences and performers. Great fun!”

This final summer concert always closes in the traditional circus way, with the playing of Karl King’s march, “Auld Lang Syne,” followed by our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In case of inclement weather, this concert may be cancelled or moved at the starting time. Any announcements will be made on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/karlkingband/.