Corridor community bands ready for summer concerts

It’s time to strike up the summer bands, so roll out the drums, blow out the cobwebs, shine up the bells and buy a new reed or two.

The Corridor’s community bands typically play a mix of music, from show tunes to patriotic melodies, at their free concerts. And of course, in the state America’s March King — Karl King — called home for much of his adult life, audiences will hear plenty of marches.

They may even hear King’s “Iowa Band Law,” a march he wrote to commemorate the Iowa Band Law passed in 1921, giving cities permission to levy a local tax to maintain their bands.

While the area’s ensembles generally sit in concert formation, the Marion Community Band has been marching between Marion sites during recent construction uptown. The group even marched abroad in the 1988 Austrian National Band Festival in Vienna.

After playing in different spots and in Marion Square Park the past couple of years, the Concert and Jazz bands will be playing farther afield this year, moving to the pavilion area at Thomas Park, 343 Marion Blvd., to sidestep even more construction at Marion Square.

The ensemble will be easy to spot in its temporary locale — just head toward the portable band shell that will wheel into Thomas Park.

Longtime followers know they’ll hear “America the Beautiful” and “Stars and Stripes,” but this time, director David Law is shooting for the stars, adding music from “The Mandalorian,” a wildly popular “Star Wars” television spinoff featuring a big-eyed little guy commonly called Baby Yoda. Law hinted to The Gazette that he may have other “Star Wars” fare up his sleeve, as well.

And he said the Marion ensemble he founded in 1982 will be the first community band — and one of the first bands in Iowa — to perform the Space Force march, “Semper Supra,” meaning “Always above.”

It’s a natural fit, since the Marion Concert Band always plays the “Armed Forces Medley,” recognizing those who are serving in the military now and in the past. The Space Force theme is in the same 6/8 time as the Air Force song, “so we’ll just segue right in,” Law said.

“We’ll cue the percussion for another 6/8 and go right into ‘Space Force.’ There’s probably some parents out there whose kids are in the Space Force.”

So what keeps the retired band director at the baton with the Marion group after 41 years?

“The people,” he said. “It’s just fun.”

All are welcome to join what he calls “the best shortest-lived community band in the state of Iowa,” so dubbed “because we only exist in the month of June.”

The Concert and Jazz bands are open to any instrumentalist “who wants to walk in the room, sit down and have fun,” he said. He’s seen ages range from middle school to senior citizens. “In fact, before the pandemic, we had three generations of one family.”

Concert Band rehearsals begin tonight, May 30, and continue June 6 and 20, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. in the Marion High School band room. The Jazz Band rehearses on Thursdays, June 1, 8, 15 and 22, also at 7 p.m. in the Marion band room.

The free concerts will begin at 7 p.m. June 13 and 27. Audience members should bring their own seating, and picnics and dogs are welcome, too, Law said.

For details, go to marioncommunitybands.us/

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Cedar Rapids

The professional Cedar Rapids Municipal Band has been bringing music to city parks and venues since 1948, but according to the band’s website, the tradition of Sunday night concerts in the parks dates back to the 1890s.

These days, free concerts generally are given on Wednesdays and Sundays, beginning at 7:30 p.m., often with a prelude concert at 6:30 p.m. by a guest ensemble.

The 2023 season gets underway June 7, outside of The History Center, 800 Second Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. The season wraps up Aug. 6 near the Grande Avenue entrance to Bever Park.

For details, go to crmuniband.org/

Iowa City

The Iowa City Community Band is gearing up for the summer, and its Facebook page says it also welcomes anyone who enjoys playing band music.

The ensemble typically plays in Iowa City and Coralville parks during June and July, as well as local festivals, an ice cream social in Iowa City’s Upper City Park and Coralville’s Fourth of July celebration.

Watch for the schedule at facebook.com/ICCBand

Washington, Iowa

The Washington Municipal Band launches its season at 8 p.m. June 1, at the Central Park Fountain. The volunteer ensemble will perform there each Thursday night through Aug. 17. For details, go to washingtoniowa.gov/organizer/washington-municipal-band/

Comments: (319) 368-8508; diana.nollen@thegazette.com