June 7, 2015

KING BAND OPENED THE 2015 SUMMER SEASON:

     Conductor Jimmerson programmed a variety of selections based around the theme of “Sounds of Summer”.   Marches scheduled to be performed included “Hawkeye Fair”, written by the band’s namesake, Karl L. King, along with Edwin Franko Goldman’s fine march, “On The Mall”, Joe Berryman’s “North Iowa Band Festival”, and former 1st trumpet player John Erickson’s “Oleson Park”.

Other Karl King compositions on the program included his beautiful aerial waltz, “June Twilight”, along with the fast-paced galop. “Sunshine”.

Classical offerings for the evening included the overture to the comic opera “Das Pensionat”, written by Franz von Suppe, the father of the Austrian operetta.    Also on the program was the sounds of the Boston Pops Orchestra with “On The Esplanade”,  from Bostonia Suite.   On the lighter side was “Carolina Clambake”; and George Gershwin’s hit song “Oh Lady Be Good”.

     Special guest soloist was be Bob Patton, baritone, from Gowrie.   Mr. Patton attended the University of Northern Iowa before joining the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants in Washington, D.C.    During his twenty year career in the military, Patton soloed with the National Symphony and the Boston and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras.    He also performed with the Washington Civic, Baltimore, Wolf Trap, Northern Virginia and Annapolis opera companies.

In 1991 he returned to Gowrie IA and became editor and publisher of The Gowrie News, the fourth generation owner of a 110 year-old family business.   He is now retired from the newspaper after a 20-year career, but is still very active and much sought-after as a vocalist throughout the Midwest.

Mr. Patton performed the exciting “Toreador Song” from the opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet, along with “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from the epic motion picture and musical, The Sound of Music.