July 8, 2019

Band playing at Iowa Municipal Band Festival in Boone



The Greater Des Moines Community Band will kick off the Iowa Municipal Band Festival at 11 a.m. Saturday in Boone.
The band will perform for 45 minutes, according to director Christa Miller.
Established in the summer of 1991, the Iowa Municipal Band Festival has become a popular statewide celebration of music.
The 1994 festival featured the world premier of "Pavilion March" by Iowa's noted march composer Frank Piersol. The march was commissioned by the Iowa Municipal Band Festival Committee and performed by the Boone Municipal Band under Piersol's direction.
For more information, contact the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, 903 Story St., Boone, Iowa 50036 or call 515-432-3342.
The Greater Des Moines Community Band is an all-volunteer organization comprised of musicians from throughout central Iowa. It presents fall, Christmas and spring concerts as well as a series of concerts throughout the summer. For the rest of this summer's schedule, see another post on this site.

April 3, 2019

2019 summer schedule announced

The Greater Des Moines Community Band has announced its summer schedule for 2019.
Times, dates and locations are as follows:
11 a.m. Saturday, May 25, John Wayne Festival Parade, Winterset.
Monday, May 27, World War II Memorial, East 13th Street and Grand Avenue, Des Moines. Time to be announced
7 p.m. Monday, June 3, Kennybrook Village, 100 SW Brookside Drive, Grimes
7 p.m. Monday, June 10, The Lodge of Ashworth, 909 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines
7 p.m. Monday, June 17, The Shores of Pleasant Hill, 1500 Edgewater Drive, Pleasant Hill
7 p.m. Monday, June 24, Beaverdale Estates, 4610 Douglas Ave., Des Moines
7 p.m. Monday, July 1, Wesley Acres, 3520 Grand Ave., Des Moines
7 p.m. Monday, July 8, Prairie Hills, 5815 SE 27th St., Des Moines
Saturday, July 13, Boone Band Festival. Time to be announced.
7 p.m. Monday, July 15, Edgewater, 9225 Cascade Ave., West Des Moines
7 p.m. Monday, July 22, Woodlands Creek, 12675 Woodlands Parkway, Clive
Saturday, July 27, Indianola Balloon Classic Parade. Time to be announced.
7 p.m. Monday, July 29, Grand Suites Retirement Campus, 3801 Grand Ave., Des Moines
7 p.m. Monday, August 5, Reserve on Walnut Creek, 2727 82nd Place, Des Moines
Saturday/Sunday, August 10, 11, 17, Iowa State Fair. Time to be announced.
7 p.m. Monday, August 12, Deerfield, 13731 Hickman Road, Urbandale
7 p.m. Monday, August 19, The Village at Legacy Pointe, 1650 SE Holiday Crest Circle, Waukee

Spring concerts this weekend

The Greater Des Moines Community Band will present two spring concerts this weekend.
The first concert will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Merle Hay Mall Food Court, 3800 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines.
The second concert is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at Indian Hills Junior High School, 9401 Indian Hills Drive, Clive.
The late band member Gale Chatterton will be honored during the concerts.
The all-volunteer band will play such selections as "A Disneyland Celebration," "Give My Regards to Broadway," "The Blues Brothers Revue," "Leroy Anderson's Irish Suite," "Tijuana Brass in Concert," "Pop and Rock Legends: Chicago," "The Bells of Iowa State - ISU Alma Mater" and "Iowa State Fights - 2012 Edition."
Band member Carl Johnson will direct the Leroy Anderson number. The band is directed by Christa Miller.
There is no admission charge to either  concert.
The band is a recipient of a Prairie Meadows Community Grant.

August 28, 2018

2018-19 concert season announced

The Greater Des Moines Community Band has announced details of its upcoming concert season.
The all-volunteer organization will present four concerts during autumn, starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Merle Hay Mall Food Court, 3800 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines.
The second fall concert will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at Indian Hills Junior High School, 9401 Indian Hills Drive, Clive.
The third fall concert is scheduled at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29, at Edgewater, 9225 Cascade Ave., West Des Moines.
The band will play at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at the State Historical Museum of Iowa, 600 E. Locust St., in honor of Veterans Day.
Four holiday concerts have been scheduled, starting with a performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, at the Perry Performing Arts Center, Perry High School, 1200 18th St., Perry.
The second holiday concert will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Merle Hay Mall Food Court, 3800 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines.
The third holiday concert is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, at Indian Hills Junior High School, 9401 Indian Hills Drive, Clive.
The final holiday concert will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10, at The Shores at Pleasant Hill, 1500 Edgewater Drive, Pleasant Hill.
Two spring concerts have been scheduled next year. The band will play at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Merle Hay Food Court at the Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at Indian Hills Junior High School in Clive.
All concerts are free and open to the public.
The band has received a community betterment grant from Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino.

May 8, 2018

Band to participate in Memorial Day service

The Greater Des Moines Community Band will participate in the World War II Memorial Day Remembrance at 1 p.m. Monday, May 28, at East 13th Street and Grand Avenue in Des Moines.
The annual event sponsored by VFW Post 738 also will include a guest speaker, the Young Patriots Club, a guest speaker, a rifle detail memorial salute and a tribute to World War II veterans with Taps.
The event will be held near the Freedom Flame, which honors all those men and women who served during World War II and explains why the U.S. became involved in the conflict - to preserve freedom around the world.
The band's musical selections will include "The Star Spangled Banner," "Armed Forces Salute," "National Guard March," "American Legion March," "Vietnam Veterans March," "Midway March," "The Strategic Air Command," "God Bless America," "Duty, Honor, Country" and "The Stars and Stripes Forever."


April 4, 2018

Summer schedule announced

The Greater Des Moines Community Band has announced its summer schedule for 2018.
The new season will kick off with an appearance during a Memorial Day observance at the World War II Memorial near the state Capitol in Des Moines at 1 p.m. Monday, May 28. The memorial is located at East 13th Street and Grand Avenue.
Other concerts are set for:
7 p.m. Monday, June 4, at Kennybrook Village, 100 SW Brookside Drive, Grimes.
7 p.m. Monday, June 11, at The Lodge of Ashworth, 909 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines.
7 p.m. Monday, June 18, at Walnut Ridge, 1701 Campus, Clive.
6:30 p.m. Monday, June 25, at The Gardens at Luther Park, 2901 E. 16th St., Des Moines.
7 p.m. Monday, July 2, at Wesley Acres, 3520 Grand Ave., Des Moines.
7 p.m. Monday, July 9, at Prairie Hills, 5815 SE 27th St., Des Moines.
To be announced, Saturday, July 14, at Boone Band Festival, Boone.
7 p.m. Monday, July 16, at Wesley the Village, 1203 North E St., Indianola.
7 p.m. Monday, July 23, at Woodlands Creek, 12675 Woodlands Pkwy., Clive.
To be announced, Saturday, July 28, at Indianola National Balloon Classic Parade.
7 p.m. Monday, July 30, at Grand Suites Retirement Campus, 3801 Grand Ave., Des Moines.
7 p.m. Tuesday, August 7, at National Neighbors Night Out, Colby Park, Windsor Heights.
7 p.m. Monday, August 13, at Reserve on Walnut Creek, 2727 82nd Place, Des Moines.
To be announced, Saturday/Sunday, August 12, 18, 19, at Iowa State Fair, Des Moines.
7 p.m. Monday, August 20, at Deerfield, 13731 Hickman Road, Urbandale.

November 12, 2017

Christmas Concert Series dates set

The Greater Des Moines Community Band has announced the schedule for its Christmas Concert Series next month.


The all-volunteer band will play at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Merle Hay Mall Food Court, 3800 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines.


The next concert is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at the First Christian Church, 2500 University Ave., Des Moines.


The final Christmas concert in the series will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, at Beaverdale Estates, 4610 Douglas Ave., Des Moines.
The band will play "A Christmas Flourish," "Holly Jolly Christmas," "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer," "Joy to the World," "Carols from the British Isles," "Christmas Vacation," "Silver Bells" from "A Calypso Christmas," "Jingle Bells," "Holiday Piece," "A Holst Christmas," "Grown Up Christmas List," "Sleigh Ride" and "White Christmas."


There is no admission charge for the concerts.


The band is directed by Christa Miller. Bob Bees will be guest director.


The band practices at 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Rieman Music Store on Douglas Avenue near the Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines.