Marches at Sunset: CC Municipal Band kicks off 39th season

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Municipal Band kicked off its 39th season with a Sunday evening performance in Central Park in Charles City, under near-perfect whether conditions.

About 130 music lovers brought their lawn chairs and enjoyed the local musicians, directed by Jake Gassman, as the sun started to set. Gassman is director of bands from Charles City High School.

The band performed an eclectic mix of marches and other pieces, including “Rough Riders” by Karl King, “Officer of the Day March” by R.B. Hall, “How Firm Thy Friendship” by Jim Searingen, “Konigsmarsch” by Richard Strauss, “Dusk” by Steven Bryan, “Minnesota March” by John Philip Sousa, “Fall Rover Overture” by Robert Sheldon and “Flourish for Wind Band” by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The show also included a pair of medleys from well-known Broadways musicals, including from “Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and “Fiddler on the Roof,” by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock.

Future concerts this season are scheduled for June 16 and July 4, both starting at 7:30 p.m. The June 16 concert will be held in Central Park, while the Fourth of July concert will be behind the Charles City Public Library prior to the fireworks.

Mike Fisher, superintendent of Charles City schools, will conduct the June 16 concert, and Scott Stroud, director of bands from Nashua-Plainfield High School, will conduct the July 4 concert.

The Charles City Municipal Band board of directors members are Teresa Bertelsen, Susan Jacob, Joel Thompson, Scott Nolte and Shirley Kelly.