IT’S OFFICIAL˜SUMMER ARRIVES WITH ALUMNI BAND
Concerts provided by the Utah State University Alumni Band have become an anticipated tradition spanning several decades, and the season officially begins with the first concert of the summer June 17. Under the direction of Utah State faculty member Nicholas Morrison, members of the all-volunteer band kick off the summer concert season with this appearance that also coincides with Father’s Day and the beginning of Summer Music Clinic, a week-long music camp for middle and high school students provided by the Department of Music.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall of the Chase Fine Arts Center on the Utah State campus. The concert is free and all are invited, especially families.
Over the years the concert format has developed into a popular mix of show tunes and movie themes, works from the standard band repertoire with a healthy dose of marches. Vocal and instrumental guest soloists may appear and an “intermission feature” spotlighting a smaller group is often included. The concerts are reminiscent of old-time concerts in the park, standard entertainment in 20th century America. Several concerts by the Alumni Band are presented outdoors each season.
There are several guests included in this opening concert. The popular father-daughter duo of Larry Smith and Monica Fronk will be featured. Fronk fronts the band as vocalist while her father, head of the jazz program in the music department, conducts. They will provide several selections. In a blast-from-the-past, the Scotsmen Orchestra appears as the intermission feature, Morrison announced. This popular student group performed at Utah State in the 1950s, 60s and early 70s before disbanding, performing jazz selections of the era. A reunion was organized by member John Skinner (also a regular Alumni Band performer) and nearly two dozen musicians will reunite for the concert.
The Scotsmen Orchestra will be featured the next night (June 18) in concert as part of music clinic activities. This concert is also free and begins at 7 p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall. “John Skinner has put this whole thing together,” said Morrison. “This is a wonderful group that provides a noteworthy example of the role of music education. Some members are professional musicians but there are others in the group like John who came to USU to study and music was an important part of the experience. They left school and began careers ˜ John’s day job happened to be flying jets ˜ but music remained a part of their lives. John has a band of his own in California and runs a successful music camp as well. Music has always been a part of his life and he has been instrumental in introducing young people to the art as well. That is what music education is all about.” The Scotsmen Orchestra first formed at Utah State in 1954 and performed throughout northern Utah and southern Idaho at school dances, proms, assemblies and at sports events. The group’s name was a natural ˜ it was derived from the school’s fight song, “Show me the Scotchman!” In an earlier interview Skinner talked about appearing in front of a group of 90s-era music students.
“During our concert they’ll get to see these 50- and 60-plus-year-old guys who never stopped playing,” he said. “They’ll see that music lasts a lifetime.” The Alumni Band is presented by the Department of Music at Utah State, with assistance from the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. Band members donate their services and provide transportation to and from concerts. Additional assistance is provided by an arts grant from the City of Logan.
Approximately 60 musicians participate in each concert during the summer and travel from across the region to perform. Some, like John Skinner, travel from as far away as California to participate. All are graduates or friends of Utah State’s music program.
The band’s complete schedule follows. June 24, 7 p.m., Kent Concert Hall. July 1, 7 p.m., Amphitheater, Old Main Hill. July 3 – the band performs at the Logan City fireworks celebration in Romney Stadium. July 6 – a special appearance in Salt Lake City at the Brigham Young Historic Park, 8 p.m. (By invitation of the Temple Square Concert Series.) July 15, 7 p.m., Kent Concert Hall. July 22, 7 p.m., Amphitheater, Old Main Hill.