The third and final indoor concert for the 2023 winter season by the Karl L. King Municipal Band of Fort Dodge will be held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the Fort Dodge Middle School auditorium, 800 N. 32nd St. There is no admission charge, since these concerts are provided by the city of Fort Dodge for everyone’s enjoyment. Conductor Jerrold P. Jimmerson has once again planned a varied and exciting program of band music. Dan Cassady serves as the assistant conductor for the band, and Paul Bloomquist is the band’s announcer.

This April concert is the Band’s annual scholarship event, with the presentation of the Karl L. King Memorial scholarships. Five talented students will audition during the day, and the winners will be announced during the afternoon concert. Winners will be recognized with either $500 scholarships to Iowa Central Community College or a $1,000 scholarship to any four-year Iowa college or university. Providing the funds for these monetary awards is the Karl L. King Memorial Education Foundation, which “exists to provide band instrument scholarships for students majoring in music.” All persons who audition will be invited to join in playing one selection with the band during the concert, and the major scholarship recipient will perform their award-winning solo.

Compositions by the band’s namesake, Karl L. King, on this hour-long concert will include his 1925 march, “True Blue” and an exciting circus galop titled “Walsenburg,” published in 1915 while King was in his second season as conductor of the Sells-Floto Circus/Buffalo Bill Wild West Shows Band.

The afternoon’s classical offerings will include Rimsky-Korsakov’s cortege, “Procession of Nobles” from his Opera-Ballet “MLADA”; “Pavanne” by Morton Gould from his American Symphonette No. 2; and a contemporary composition by Alfred Reed titled “A Jubilant Overture,” reflecting the joy of spring and the exuberance of youth.

Lighter, popular selections on the concert will include “Beguine for Band” by Glenn Osser; a “Fantasy on an African-American Spiritual,” based on the hymn tune, “My Lord! What a Morning” by Harry T. Burleigh; and “Big Band Signatures,” arranged by John Higgins. This last medley of well-known songs from the Big Band era includes the music of Benny Goodman, Les Brown, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller. Closing out the concert program will be John Philip Sousa’s march, “The Corcoran Cadets.”

The concert will conclude in the traditional way with the playing of our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In case of inclement weather, even though it will be on April 23rd, the concert may be cancelled. 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.

Looking ahead, the next performance by the band will be at the traditional Memorial Day ceremonies on May 29 at Veteran’s Memorial Park. The summer series of concerts will again be held on eight consecutive Sunday evenings during June and July, beginning on June 4 and lasting through July 23 at the Karl L. King Band Shell in Oleson Park.