The Karl L. King Municipal Band of Fort Dodge will continue its 2021 summer concert season at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Karl L. King Memorial Park located in front of the library downtown at the City Square. These concerts are free to all, and are provided as a public service by the city of Fort Dodge.

Conductor of the Karl L. King Municipal Band is Jerrold P. Jimmerson, with Dan Cassady serving as the assistant conductor and Paul Bloomquist doing the announcing.

The Karl King Band has decided to relocate these concerts, at least during the month of June, to safely allow band members to distance themselves more from each other in front of the library during this time of caution regarding COVID-19.

Audience members may bring their own lawn chairs to sit socially distanced in the park, or they can remain in their cars to listen and park around three sides of the square and then honk their car horns as applause. There will be no ice cream social provided during June, and there will be no public restrooms available at any time during the evening.

A wide variety of music is being planned to appeal to all musical tastes during this special Father’s Day presentation. The concert will begin with Aaron Copland’s classic piece, “Fanfare for the Common Man,” followed by Henry Fillmore’s march, “The Man of the Hour.” Other marches to be performed include two by the band’s namesake, Karl L. King, with “King Henry” and “Samson” along with one of King’s famous circus galops, “Homestretch.”

The evening’s overture is also from the pen of King with “Omar Khayyam,” a piece published in 1941 that definitely contains the sounds of the circus. A song celebrating the June 20 solstice will be Larry Daehn’s “As Summer Was Just Beginning,” which commemorates the life and tragic death of James Dean, the famous movie actor during the 1950s. Also from the blockbuster movie, ”Superman,” will be the beautiful love theme, “Can You Read My Mind?” composed by John Williams.

Music from the Broadway stage will be on this concert with an audience favorite, a medley of songs by Mason City native Meredith Willson, “Highlights from The Music Man.” The trombone section will be in the spotlight with a slow foxtrot selection by G.H. Huffine, “Dull Razor Blues,” published by the K.L. King Music House here in Fort Dodge.

Featured vocalists Roger and Shari Netz from Manson will perform two popular songs with band accompaniment. First will be a beautiful love song from the movie Casablanca “As Time Goes By,” followed by a popular song made famous by the duo of Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli titled “The Prayer,” from the movie ”Quest for Camelot.”

Each concert always closes in the traditional way, with the playing of our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In the event of inclement weather, this outdoor concert may be canceled.