The Cedar Rapids Municipal Band, a professional concert band that presents 18 (or more!) concerts in area parks, will hold its annual auditions on Friday, 29 March, and Friday, 5 April, in the band room at Cedar Rapids Washington High School at 2205 Forest Drive SE.

There are known openings for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Horn. Other instrument openings are possible, and substitute players are welcome on all instruments, particularly Oboe, Saxophone, and Trumpet this year.

A typical concert week consists of a Monday evening rehearsal, followed by concerts on the following Wednesday and Sunday. This season, we have one additional Saturday afternoon performance.

We encourage all qualified musicians to apply. To sign up for an audition, please email Scott Haney (business AT crmuniband.org) with the following information:

1. Name of the person auditioning
2. Musician’s email address(es)
3. Musician’s phone number.
4. Instrument on which the musician will audition
5. Desired date for the audition.

We strongly prefer that all auditions be scheduled by the Tuesday before the audition date (26 March and 2 April).

Please be aware of the following:

1. We are able to offer a choice of date only if time is available on both days. Once all slots are filled on a given day, only the other day is available.
2. We cannot offer a choice of times. Slots will be filled on a given day in order, on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have extenuating circumstances, please mention them, but we may not be able to adjust to them.
3. Auditions each day will be from 6 PM to 9 PM. Audition will be around 7 minutes for winds, and 14 for percussion. Winds should bring their own instruments. Percussion should bring sticks/mallets only.

Musicians will be evaluated primarily on sight-reading ability, but all are welcome to play an excerpt of one’s own choice (less than a minute) to warm up and gauge the room. This excerpt will not be considered part of the audition, however.

Please also bring along a brief resume.

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a City program, service, or activity, should contact the Municipal Band Business Manager at 319-431-9649 or email business AT crmuniband.org as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the event.

Finally missed the change of year and listed 2018 in our post about the Young Artist Competition. That post has been corrected. The PDF poster was correct, however. My apologies!

The 2019 Young Artist Competition will be held Wednesday, 17 April, at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids. This is the ninth year of the YAC, and we heartily encourage you to enter!

The competition is open to woodwind, brass, and percussion students in grades 9-12 who live or attend school in Linn County and participate in a school band program. The winner will be a featured guest soloist one week during the 2019 CRMB season, and will receive the Margaret Kegel Memorial Scholarship, worth $500. Deserving runners-up may also have an opportunity to perform with the band.

For more information, click this link for a poster, or write to Steve Shanley at sshanley@coe.edu by Friday, 5 April.

Meeting is moved up to 5 PM to avoid inclement weather tonight

The City Band Commission will meet in formal session on Sunday, 27 January 2019, at Marquis Hall on the Coe College campus. The agenda will include financial reports, setting the venues for the 2019 concert season, and discussion of the Publicity Manager position.

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a City program, service, or activity, should contact the Municipal Band Business Manager at 319-431-9649 or email business AT crmuniband.org as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the event.

The City Band Commission will meet in formal session on 30 September 2018 at Marquis Hall on the Coe campus. Start time is 7 PM. We’ll discuss the 2018 season, budgets, and dig into possible venues for the 2019 season.

We’ve packed in the favorites for our final week!   We have a little something for everyone: music from the hit musical Hamilton, a medley of music from Pixar films including Toy Story, Up, The Incredibles, Cars,  and Ratatouille, and a fantastic clarinet solo from University of Iowa clarinet professor Jorge Montilla.  Gather your family and friends, a picnic, and join us at Bever Park for our final concert of the season at 7:30!  Better yet, come at 6:00 to hear the Coe College Touring Bands before they head out on a tour of Italy the following day!

This week’s program:

• The Star-Spangled Banner, Bibiana Granadillo, voice, Kennedy High School
• Procession of the Nobles (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, arranged by Erik Leidzen)
• The Flea (Rizzo, Horton, Blalock, arranged by Wayne Robinson)
• Pixar Movie Favorites (arranged by Michael Brown)
• Manhattan Beach (John Philip Sousa)
• Concerto for Clarinet and Band (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov) featuring Jorge Montilla, Clarinet
• Suite from “Hamilton” (Lin-Manuel Miranda, arranged by Jerry Brubaker)
• Radetzky March (Johan Strauss, arranged by Alfred Reed)
• Tribute to Count Basie (arranged by John Moss)
• Ringling Brothers Grand Entry (Al Sweet, arranged by Andrew Glover)
• Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication, Bibiana Granadillo, voice, Kennedy High School

It’s the last week of our season, so if you haven’t made it to a municipal band concert yet this summer, this is the week to check us out!  We have a fantastic program this week with a little something for everyone: music from the hit musical Hamilton, a medley of music from Pixar films including Toy Story, Up, The Incredibles, Cars,  and Ratatouille, and a fantastic clarinet solo from University of Iowa clarinet professor Jorge Montilla.  Gather your family and friends, a picnic, and join us at the McGrath Amphitheater Wednesday at 7:30!

This week’s program:

• The Star-Spangled Banner, Bibiana Granadillo, voice, Kennedy High School
• Procession of the Nobles (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, arranged by Erik Leidzen)
• The Flea (Rizzo, Horton, Blalock, arranged by Wayne Robinson)
• Pixar Movie Favorites (arranged by Michael Brown)
• Manhattan Beach (John Philip Sousa)
• Concerto for Clarinet and Band (Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov) featuring Jorge Montilla, Clarinet
• Suite from “Hamilton” (Lin-Manuel Miranda, arranged by Jerry Brubaker)
• Radetzky March (Johan Strauss, arranged by Alfred Reed)
• Tribute to Count Basie (arranged by John Moss)
• Ringling Brothers Grand Entry (Al Sweet, arranged by Andrew Glover)
• Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication, Bibiana Granadillo, voice, Kennedy High School

We have some amazing special guests this week!  Kentucky Derby bugler (and Cedar Rapids native) Steve Buttleman will amaze you with a simply gorgeous rendition of Puccini’s Nessun Dorma and invite two outstanding high school trumpeters to join him on Leroy Anderson’s Bugler’s Holiday.  Ninth grade Hannah Langley will also impress on Carnival of Venice and everyone will enjoy music from Star Wars and other movie favorites.  Join us Sunda night, 7:30-8:30, at Ellis Park!

This week’s program:

• Star Spangled Banner, Ian Weiss, vocals, Washington High School
• Chimes of Liberty (Edwin Franko Goldman)
• Variations on a Korean Folk Song (John Barnes Chance)
• Carnival of Venice (arranged by Steve Shanley) featuring Hanna Langley, flute, Oakridge Middle School, Brett Dupree & Stephanie Nuss, conductors
• Great Moments in Cinema (John Williams, arranged by Jay Bocook)
• Nessun Dorma (Giacomo Puccini, arranged by Les Taylor) featuring Steve Buttleman, trumpet
• Entry March of the Boyars (Johan Halvorsen, arranged by CliffordBarnes)
• Bugler’s Holiday (Leroy Anderson) featuring Steve Buttleman, Morgan Eadie (Prairie High School), Caleb Burken (Xavier High School), trumpets
• Tribute to Harold Arlen (arranged by James Kessler)
• Leichtes Blut Galop (Johann Strauss, arranged by Glen Lienhart)
• Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication, Ian Weiss, vocals, Washington High School

We have some amazing special guests this week!  Kentucky Derby bugler (and Cedar Rapids native) Steve Buttleman will amaze you with a simply gorgeous rendition of Puccini’s Nessun Dorma and invite two outstanding high school trumpeters to join him on Leroy Anderson’s Bugler’s Holiday.  Ninth grade Hannah Langley will also impress on Carnival of Venice and everyone will enjoy music from Star Wars and other movie favorites.  Join us Wednesday night, 7:30-8:30, at Noelridge Park near the new playground!

This week’s program:

• Star Spangled Banner, Ian Weiss, vocals, Washington High School
• Chimes of Liberty (Edwin Franko Goldman)
• Variations on a Korean Folk Song (John Barnes Chance)
• Carnival of Venice (arranged by Steve Shanley) featuring Hanna Langley, flute, Oakridge Middle School, Brett Dupree & Stephanie Nuss, conductors
• Great Moments in Cinema (John Williams, arranged by Jay Bocook)
• Nessun Dorma (Giacomo Puccini, arranged by Les Taylor) featuring Steve Buttleman, trumpet
• Entry March of the Boyars (Johan Halvorsen, arranged by CliffordBarnes)
• Bugler’s Holiday (Leroy Anderson) featuring Steve Buttleman, Morgan Eadie (Prairie High School), Caleb Burken (Xavier High School), trumpets
• Tribute to Harold Arlen (arranged by James Kessler)
• Leichtes Blut Galop (Johann Strauss, arranged by Glen Lienhart)
• Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication, Ian Weiss, vocals, Washington High School

It’s Czech week with the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band!  We celebrate Cedar Rapids’ Czech heritage with some long-lost Czech gems in a variety of styles ranging from marches to beautiful lyrical pieces.  In addition to some fantastic Czech music, you will also enjoy a medley from Rent, Irving Berlin showstoppers, and a flashy xylophone solo by UNI professor Matt Andreini.  Sunday is looking to be a gorgeous evening for an outdoor concert!  Pack a picnic and your posse for a beautiful evening of music at Bever Park starting at 7:30!

This week’s program includes:

• The Star-Spangled Banner, Madelyn O’Brien, Kennedy High School
• “Our Heroes” March (Julius Fucik, arranged by Armin Suppan)
• Selections from “Rent” (arranged by Jay Bocook)
• Czech Suite (arranged by Paul Whear)
• Horse and Buggy (Leroy Anderson)
• March for Masaryk (Rudolf Obruca)
• Steppin’ ‘Round (Cort McClaren, arranged by Al Anderson) featuring Matt Andreini, Xylophone
• Fandango (Frank Perkins, arranged by Floyd Werle)
• Irving Berlin Showstoppers (arranged by John Higgins)
• Muziky, Muziky (Frantisek Kmoch)
• Cedar Rapids Song of Dedication, Madelyn O’Brien, Kennedy High School