It's that time of year again!--2

We'll have everything BUT the fireworks!

Originally published June 30, 2011

I'll admit it as I have practically every year since I began leading concerts on important national holidays:  I am an unabashed patriot.  Now, I understand that word can get a bad rap because of its political ramifications.  Everyone insists that certain acts, certain political parties, even certain individuals, are unpatriotic.  To that I can only reply, "Hogwash!" (or some even more emphatic expletive).

To me, a patriot is someone who loves his/her country; one who is always willing to cast a ballot in this wondrous country that we call a democracy (or a republic, depending upon one's point of view).  I am a patriot who fully supports our armed forces and our veterans but wishes that we could make our armed forces extinct.  But the world is not nearly ready for that, and someone--or some bastion of democracy and freedom--has to accept the mantle of protecting the world from despotism and anarchy.  Among other things, this is what the Tri State Wind Symphony celebrates at this time of the year. 

Our next concert on Thursday, June 30 (THAT'S TONIGHT!!!) promises to be a big favorite because it's our annual Star-Spangled Spectacular! American Trust, a long-time supporter of this event, is once again our concert sponsor. American Legion Post 6 will be on hand with the presentation of the colors as well as our salute for our servicemen and women with Bob Lowden's marvelous Armed Forces Salute.

Pierre LaPlante

Wisconsin composer Pierre LaPlante has ties to the Tri-States as a former principal bassoonist with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. For many years he has quietly been arranging a large number of folk songs from different traditions into outstanding works for the wind band. American Riversongs is a new work to our repertoire and includes Down the River, Shenandoah, Stephen Foster's The Glendy Burke, and an old Creole "Bamboula" tune that has found its way into a number of pieces, including Gottschalk's Night in the Tropics.

One expects to come to a patriotic concert to hear John Philips Sousa and, of course, we will not disappoint. Regular TSWS concert-goers know that they will always hear Stars and Stripes Forever, but this concert will offer another, lesser-known (but still wonderful!) march, The Invincible Eagle.

A few years ago we offered Dwayne Milburn's American Hymnsong Suite, a marvelous arrangement of what were originally composed for the pipe organ. Familiar tunes include Wondrous Love, Balm in Gilead, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, and a delightful march setting of When We All Get to Heaven. Astute concert-goers may even note that this suite takes on the form of a little symphony, with a prolonged first movement, a slow responsive movement, a scherzo and the closing march.

Morton Gould

Morton Gould is best known to audiences because of his American Salute, a version of "When Johnny Comes Marching Hone" written literally overnight in the 1940s. Originally an "orchestra snob," Gould was of the mind that the wind band was not a medium for serious music, until he heard the University of Michigan Symphony Band perform his Cowboy Rhapsody. Filled with familiar tunes of the old west, it marked Gould's first "real" tune for winds but certainly not his last. He would go on to publish 47 compositions for the band, including his fourth symphony, subtitled West Point. This piece is new to the band as well (we found it dust-covered and languishing in the vault at Dubuque Senior HS), but I'm sure that it will find its way into future programs (as well as however many of Gould's "gems" I can get my hands on).

2011 marks the 30th anniversary of the great film Raiders of the Lost Ark and what better excuse for a medley! Jack Bullock's arrangement includes both the "Raider's March" and the hauntingly gorgeous "Marion's Theme."

Of course there will be an annual concert staple, Alfred Reed's Rushmore, and, who knows, maybe even a few surprises. Let's hope there are none for the band (or the conductor).

So come and support live community music, something we are still very fortunate to have (count our lucky stars).

Eagle Point Park

Date: Thursday, June 30

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Place: Eagle Point Park, Dubuque

For more information on the group, keep checking us out on our web page: www.tsws.org, or on Facebook (become a fan!) Information on your humble author can be located at his web site www.brianlhughes.com.

See you there!