Wednesday, June 02, 2004

Plenty of musical variety, including a sing-along and whistle-along, will highlight the Southern Kentucky Concert Bands first Twilight Concert Series performance of the summer Thursday at Basil Griffin Park. Danny Boy is on the play list, as is Edwin Franko Goldmans On the Mall which is the sing- and whistle-along tune a medley of Irving Berlin Show Stoppers, a rumba, a trumpet trio and more. Theres quite a variety here, said Joseph Stites, who is acting as guest conductor of the concert with fellow Western Kentucky University associate music professor Jeffrey Steiner. The free concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the amphitheater at Basil Griffin Park off Three Springs Road. Stites thinks the public will enjoy the show, and said the audience is invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets and a picnic to enjoy while the music plays. As always, we start our concerts with the national anthem, and end with the state song, My Old Kentucky Home, and the national march, Stars and Stripes Forever, he said. And theres no pressure for those who dont want to sing or whistle along to the Goldman piece, for which the audience will be taught the words. Theyre welcome to abstain, or they can lip-synch, Stites joked. Stites usually plays tuba in the all-volunteer Southern Kentucky Concert Band, while Steiner usually plays saxophone. The guest conductors are taking over for usual co-conductors John Carmichael, who is Westerns director of bands, and Jeffrey Reed, conductor of the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra, since neither is able to attend Thursdays concert. Reed said the show will be in good hands. The Southern Kentucky Concert band was formed 11 years ago by Reed and Carmichael so adults in the community would have a place to make music and continue their music-making after high school or college, Carmichael said recently. It is made up of about 70 players from all walks of life and all levels of ability. Often, professional musicians play beside high school students, the way concert bands in small towns used to be. That, Reed said, is part of the bands charm. So is the fact that each Twilight Concert Series performance is outside. Its just an old-fashioned concert in the park, where people can bring their picnics and dont have to worry about their children being behaved because its outdoors, Reed said. Family pets are even welcome. Its a very relaxed atmosphere, he said. Twilight Concert Series performances will be held at 7 p.m. each Thursday at Basil Griffin Park Amphitheater through July 22. Each concert usually draws about 400 people. Rehearsals for concerts are held in the WKU band rehearsal hall in the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center at Western at 7 p.m. on the Tuesday before each performance. Everyone high school-age or older is welcome to attend, but high school students must have the recommendation of their band director.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700