Celebrating 250 years with patriotic music
In celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, signifying the birth of our nation, the Appleton City Band will perform a special evening of patriotic music. Gather up your lawn chair and your family and friends and head over to Pierce Park on Tuesday, June 30th.
Promptly at 7 p.m., Jim Thaldorf, Director of the Appleton City Band, will step onto the podium and give the downbeat for the opening fanfare. The audience will be treated to popular music from World War I and World War II. Other patriotic favorites will include America the Beautiful and John Philip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever. In honor of those who served in the military, the band will perform Salute to the Armed Forces, along with the presentation of the Colors. The concert will conclude with the audience singing as the band plays our National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.
Each Tuesday concert has a unique theme with music selected by Director Jim Thaldorf. The themes for the upcoming summer concerts are Music Beginning with the Letter F (July 7), Music We Haven’t Played for Four Years (July 14), Variety – Carmen: featuring Mayor Jake Woodford as Narrator (July 21), Music of Leroy Anderson (July 28), Guest Conductor Night (August 4), and A Feel Good Night (August 11).
The band will perform inside the pavilion if it rains. Severe weather will require cancellation.
Thaldorf has been the director of the Appleton City Band since 2012, following 45 seasons under Ivan “Ike” Spangenberg’s leadership. Spangenberg died on May 26. The Appleton City Band performs weekly on the bandstand that was dedicated to Spangenberg in 2015.
Park concerts are also performed throughout the summer by the Kimberly Community Band, the Little Chute Community Band, and the Neenah Community Band.
