From BOWLING GREEN AREA COMMUNITY BANDS
The community is invited to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with the Bowling Green Area Community Bands as members perform their patriotic concert on Tuesday, June 16, at 7 p.m., at 1 Courthouse Square, Bowling Green. This event will be part of a community block party that will run from 4 – 8 p.m. and will include guided tours of this historic Wood County Courthouse (reservations required), live music from local veterans, food trucks along Court Street, kids games and activities, and treats served by Wood County elected officials. The evening will conclude with a patriotic concert by the Bowling Green Area Community Bands on the courthouse lawn.
The band will begin its concert with Catherine Lewis leading them through “Who’s Who in Navy Blue” by John Phillip Sousa, who served in the Navy in World War I and wrote the song in 1920. He composed it in dedication to the famous Native American Tecumseh, whose statue stands outside of Bancroft Hall at the Naval Academy.
Up next will be the song “Excursion,” written by Lisa Galvin. “Excursion” takes listeners for a ride on the Erie Canal. Drawing on themes from the well-known “Erie Canal” folk song, this frolicking work transforms that theme into a celebration of the famous stretch of waterway and those who built it.
Bruce Corrigan will conduct the band through “Bugler’s Holiday” by Leroy Anderson, which was composed in 1954. Originally written for three trumpets, this is one of his most well-known pieces. This version will feature the entire trumpet section of the Bowling Green Community Band. The band will also play the familiar show tune “Seventy-Six Trombones,” the signature song from the 1957 musical, “The Music Man,” by Meredith Willson and arranged by Leroy Anderson. This song was adapted for concert band by Jay Bocook.
BiG Band BG will take the stage and play the 1946 popular rhythm and blues song, “Route 66,” written by Bobby Troup and arranged by Mike Sweeney. Next up will be the upbeat tune “The Flix Machine.” It was composed by Randy Newman and arranged by Paul Martha for the 1998 Disney/Pixar film “A Bug’s Life.” The last song selection, “Hit the Bricks,” was composed by Gordon Goodwin and published in 2010 to bring Big Phat Band style music to youth bands.
The community band will continue its performance with the traditional 1948 Shaker song, “Simple Gifts,” by Joseph Brackett and arranged by Noah D. Taylor. Then, it will perform the classic “Over the Rainbow” with words by E.Y. Harburg, music by Harod Arlen, arranged by Warren Barker, and featuring vocal soloist Liz Green. Next will be “America the Beautiful,” written by Samuel Augustus Ward and arranged by Carmen Dragon and featuring Bowling Green High School vocal soloist Cole Boswell. The final song performed will be the classic patriotic march, “Stars and Stripes,” composed by John Phillip Sousa in 1896.
Jerry Anderson will be the guest announcer for this community event. Everyone is invited to celebrate America’s 250th, bring a lawn chair or blanket, and enjoy a musical evening with the bands.
