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Charles City Municipal Band to present first of three summer concerts on Sunday

Charles City Municipal Band to present first of three summer concerts on Sunday
The Charles City Municipal Band will return for three concerts this summer, the first one Sunday at 7:30 p.m. in Central Park in downtown Charles City. (Press file photo James Grob.)
By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Municipal Band will return for three concerts this summer, the first one Sunday at 7:30 p.m. in Central Park in downtown Charles City.

Charles City High School Director of Bands Jake Gassman will direct the show, and said it will include “an evening of marches and classic concert band literature.”

“We’re doing four or five marches, a couple more lyrical pieces, a couple overtures and one or two fun pieces as well,” Gassman said. “There will be 12 songs in all.”

In the case of rain, the concert will move inside to Trinity Methodist Church.

Gassman said the band is “easing its way back” into performance shape after taking the summer off in 2020 and performing just one concert in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, the municipal band puts on three shows each summer.

“It’s good to see everyone back, Gassman said. “I like to see the familiar faces, and they’re playing well.”

Gassman said that currently the all-volunteer band has between 25 and 30 musicians, and they’re always looking for more members. The band will be rehearsing on Wednesdays each week for the month of June in the CCHS band room, and all musicians are welcome. Rehearsals start at 7:30 p.m.

“We can always use more players, especially coming off of COVID,” Gassman said.

Their remaining two concerts will be Sunday, June 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Central Park, and Sunday, July 3, at 7:30 p.m. behind the library as a lead up to the community’s fireworks celebration.

Charles City’s Municipal Band dates back to the Iowa Band Law, which allowed a tax to provide a community band. The group had municipal bands back before most can remember. Municipal bands in Charles City date back to the 1920s. The most recent incarnation has been around since 1981, and celebrated its 40th anniversary last summer.

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