Three dates have been scheduled, and will be Sunday, Feb. 15; Sunday, March 22; and Sunday, April 26. These concerts begin at 3:30 p.m., and are held in the Fort Dodge Middle School Auditorium, 800 N. 32nd St. There is no admission charge, with these concerts being provided by the City of Fort Dodge.

This nationally-known group can trace its origins back to the 1870s, when military veterans and local citizens formed their first band. Two competing groups existed for several years until they organized into the Fort Dodge Municipal Band around 1901.

This group is currently under the direction of Conductor Dan Cassady. The band annually performs a series of at least 12 concerts each year locally, and has also been featured through the years at state, national, and international conventions.

February concert

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The Feb. 15 concert will be the band’s annual tribute to former Conductor Karl L. King.

King was born Feb. 21, 1891, in Paintersville, Ohio. After his childhood in Ohio, he left at the age of 19 and traveled for nine years with several different circuses, playing in or conducting several of their bands. He reached the pinnacle of success as conductor of the Barnum and Bailey Circus Band during the 1917 and 1918 seasons.

King came to Fort Dodge in the fall of 1920 to conduct the local Municipal Band, a position he held for more than 50 years until his death in March 1971. He published nearly 300 compositions, with nearly 200 of those being marches.

He is Fort Dodge’s most famous citizen, with a highway bridge (one of only three in the United States named after a bandmaster), a city park which contains his statue, and a band shell all named in his honor.

This concert will open with King’s march tribute to one of Fort Dodge’s most famous hoaxes, “The Cardiff Giant”, published in 1925. Other selections to be performed include King’s Spanish march titled “Pan-American”, a circus staple from 1942, along with his 1925 march, “Step On It!” dedicated to long-time Fort Dodge player and band manager Walter Engelbart, otherwise known as ‘Speed King’.

King published more than just marches among his nearly 300 compositions. Also included in this concert will be King’s popular 1924 overture, “Fountain of Youth”, an Oriental intermezzo from 1919 titled “Ung-Kung-Foy-Ya”, and his 1925 serenade, “Lover’s Lane”, dedicated to his wife.

Bringing an international flavor to this concert is the march by Vasilij Agapkin, titled “A Slavic Farewell”, one of the gems to come out of post-Cold War Russia. Other familiar selections on this one-hour concert include Hoagy Carmichael’s 1927 standard, “Stardust”, along with a musical “Tribute to Sinatra”. This medley of popular songs was recorded by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, and includes “Theme from New York, New York’, “It Was A Very Good Year”, “The Lady is a Tramp”, and closes with Sinatra’s signature song, “My Way”.

This concert will conclude with Karl King’s most famous and well-known 1913 composition, “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite March”, one of the most played and recorded marches ever written, followed by our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

March concert

The March 22 concert is the band’s annual Irish Concert to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This concert dates back to the early days of the band under King’s direction.

Cassady has planned a wide variety of Irish music, and will include an audience sing-along of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” and “My Wild Irish Rose”, led by Roger Netz, along with everyone’s favorite Irish tune, “MacNamara’s Band”, all arranged by one of the band’s previous conductors, Reginald R. Schive.

April concert

The April 26 concert will be the band’s annual Scholarship Concert, where talented high school seniors and college freshmen can audition for three scholarships that the band annually awards.