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October 8, 2006 The DCB helped out recently for the fourth year in a row at Denver’s “2006 Komen Race for the Cure”. We were back in our usual spot (first along the route) to get the runners and walkers going with the "William Tell" Overture (otherwise known as the "Lone Ranger" theme) and other tunes. Check out some photos from a few years ago.
~ ~ ~ ~ August 27, 2006 Summer Pops Season 2006! We again had a great time performing at various locations throughout the Denver metro area this summer, closing with the historic Colorado mountain towns of Buena Vista and Leadville in late August. Here are some new photos from our performance of "America, The Beautiful" at Coors Field. Keep us in mind for your event next spring/summer, whether it is a neighborhood association party, corporate event, graduation, or a performance at a historical site or building. Click on the "Book the DCB" link for more information. We also support good causes such as the American Heart Walk in early June and the Race for the Cure in early October. ~ ~ ~ ~ April 29, 2006 30th Annual Young Artist Concert Beth Holloway (horn, Eaglecrest High School) was this year's Young Artist Contest winner, performing Concerto No. 1 for Horn in Eb Major, by R. Strauss. She definitely impressed the audience! Jim Stobie (acoustic guitar) provided the pre-concert entertainment. Click on "Photos" to see images of the concert!
~ ~ ~ ~ February 11, 2006 Sweetheart Dance Our specials guests Rumble Seat joined us at the historic 1770 Sherman Street Event Complex for night of concert band music and dancing! Photos are pending.
~ ~ ~ ~ December 28, 2005 Denver Botanic Gardens We were back at the Denver Botanic Gardens "Blossoms of Light" the evening of Wednesday, December 28th, and performed many of your holiday favorites! The performance times were 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Click on "photos" to see some images from last year. ~ ~ ~ ~ November 12, 2005 Honoring Our Veterans Our recent "Honoring Our Veterans" concert was yet another formal season success! The narrative from various band members added something special to the performance. In addition, the audience members were able to view informative displays representing the different military branches. Much thanks to the Air Force and Army Color Guard members who also assisted. The unfurling of a large flag from one of balconies while the band played "Stars and Stripes Forever" was the perfect ending to a special night for the nearly 500 audience members. Here are some photos of the concert (click on "photos").
~ ~ ~ ~ October 2, 2005 The DCB recently helped out for the third year in a row at Denver’s “2005 Komen Race for the Cure”. We were again stationed first along the route on Speer to get everyone going with the "William Tell" Overture, marches, and other upbeat tunes. Check out some photos from a couple of years ago. ~ ~ ~ ~ July 2005 Summer Pops Season 2005! We had a great time performing at various locations throughout the Denver metro area this summer, as well as the historic Colorado mountain towns of Buena Vista and Leadville. Here are some new photos from some of the performances. If you couldn't attend a concert this summer, we hope to see you next summer! ~ ~ ~ ~ Mid-May 2005
DCB Video Check out a recent video clip of an interview with DCB President Tera Sumner and video of the full band at a summer concert. The video clip ends with a trumpet trio performance (many thanks to Jesse and KCNC CBS4 for the clip!). ~ ~ ~ ~ May 1, 2005 29th Annual Young Artist Concert Our final formal concert of the season on April 30th was our traditional Young Artist soloist concert where we featured the winner of the our Young Artist Competition. This year's winner was Erik Mahon (trumpet). If you got there early you got to see a special performance by the Falcon Bluffs Middle School Jazz Band (Steve Martin, Director)! Here's a selection of photos from the concert.
©2005 Karen Rubin Photography, Inc., 303-755-5501 ~ ~ ~ ~ February 26, 2005 "Cool Nights, Hot Jazz" Our most recent formal season concert featured vocalist Wende Harston (of the Queen City Jazz Band) and the Hank Troy Jazz Trio. Our February concert is typically our "Guest Artist" concert, and we again didn't disappoint! If you arrived by 6:50 p.m., you also could have taken in the pre-concert entertainment from the Front Range Youth Symphony's Studio Jazz Ensemble. The audience of 500 had almost as much fun as we did. The photos are now on the website! (click on "photos").
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Composer DiJulio conducted a 'full harmonic' life (Reprinted with permission) By Marc Shulgold, Rocky Mountain News
February 1, 2005 Max DiJulio had a special place in his heart for students aspiring to be what he had been all his life - a first-class musician. During the four decades he headed the Fine Arts Department at Loretto Heights College, he launched the careers of innumerable young artists. But that was only one aspect of a long and busy life in music. Known as much for his love of music as for his fondness for off-color language, he remained a crotchety but beloved fixture in the local music scene for half a century. Diagnosed with colon cancer in October, Mr. DiJulio died of the disease Friday in his Denver home. He was 85. The composer/conductor/arranger/trumpeter/teacher was born Massimo Joseph DiJulio, but "when he walked in the room, it was Max - just Max," said his daughter-in-law, Deborah Demko DiJulio. Born in Philadelphia to a musical family, Mr. DiJulio took up the trumpet as a boy and turned professional while in high school. During World War II, he joined the Army Air Forces Band, often collaborating with Glenn Miller and Henry Mancini. In 1944, soon after being transferred to what is now Buckley Air Force Base in Denver, he married Esther Barnett. After the war, they settled in Colorado (she died in 1980), where he lived for much of his life, save for a decade in Santa Fe with his second wife, Mary Louise. In addition to teaching from 1947 until his retirement in 1987 at Loretto Heights (now Teikyo Loretto Heights), Mr. DiJulio served as music director of the Bonfils Theater and, for 20 years, of The Denver Post Opera, which presented musicals in Cheesman Park. His lengthy list of conducting engagements included appearances with the Denver Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Denver Chamber Orchestra and orchestras in Omaha; Sioux City, Iowa; and Fort Collins. He also directed Colorado performances by Rosemary Clooney, Bob Hope, Jack Benny and Jimmy Durante. In November 1955, Mr. DiJulio led a birthday concert for President Dwight Eisenhower, who had suffered a heart attack while in Denver. The president later sent him a note of gratitude. That was one of numerous honors for Mr. DiJulio during his long, successful career. Last year, he was presented a Spirit of Loretto Award from Regis University. In 1972, he received the Larry Tajiri Award for distinguished arts achievement. Six years later, he was given the title Cavaliere by the Republic of Italy. In 1995, he took his family to Mozzanica, Italy, for a concert that included two of his works. Though he was associated with The Denver Post, Mr. DiJulio also enjoyed a relationship with the Rocky Mountain News, through a long friendship with the late columnist Gene Amole. It was Amole who inspired him to compose The Rocky Mountain News March in 2000, performed for the newsroom staff by the Denver Concert Band. "There's a Max DiJulio sound," he said during an interview with the News before the performance. "It's a full harmonic sound." Among his other compositions was an opera based on the life of Colorado's legendary Baby Doe. After marrying Mary Louise Allin in 1991, Mr. DiJulio moved to Santa Fe, where he lived until his wife was killed by a drunk driver 10 years later. Soon after, he returned to Denver to be near his children. "He was always in the moment," recalled Deborah Demko DiJulio. "But he was also thinking about the future. He talked with us about visiting Mexico this year. One thing about Max, he lived life to the fullest every minute." He is survived by a son, Michael, of Las Vegas; daughters Adele Nielsen, of Littleton, and Lorraine Schaefer, of Lakewood; and by three grandchildren: Andrew, Christine and Sarah. A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. today in Notre Dame Catholic Church, 2190 S. Sheridan Blvd., with burial at Fort Logan National Cemetery. Make donations to: Max DiJulio Fund, c/o Denver Foundation in Support of Music and the Arts, 950 S. Cherry St., Denver 80246. shulgoldm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5296 ~ ~ ~ ~ December 27, 2004 Denver Botanic Gardens We were back at the Denver Botanic Gardens for a holiday concert in the auditorium. The doors to the gardens open at 6 p.m. for the "Blossoms of Light." Click on this Botanic Gardens - Blossoms of Light link for more information. We've now got a few photos of that performance (click on "photos"). ~ ~ ~ ~ December 11, 2004 Holiday Concert Our most recent performance was the DCB Holiday Concert, only held every two years. The concert took place on Saturday, December 11th at 2 p.m. Two years ago we featured small groups from the band, and this time we were joined by our special guests the Arapahoe High School Concert Choir (Ms. Kelly Parmenter, Conductor) and both groups performed holiday favorites for the festive audience of 500. Even Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus paid a visit! Here are some photos.
~ ~ ~ ~ October 30, 2004 "Monsters & Movies" We performed the first concert of our formal season "Monsters & Movies" at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 30th. The concert was free admission. The audience of almost 500 also got to hear the amazing Central Presbyterian Church pipe organ open the concert (Organist: Richard Seaton). Kathy Walker (News Director, KOA Radio) continues as our announcer for a 2nd season. Check out the photos!
~ ~ ~ ~ October 3, 2004 The DCB helped out for the second year in a row at Denver’s “2004 Komen Race for the Cure”. You were able to see and hear us along the route just after the start. The "William Tell" Overture (otherwise known as the "Lone Ranger" theme) always gets everyone going! Check out some photos from last year.
Photo by Lori Kay Allred ~ ~ ~ ~ August 2004 Join the Joy of Education Fund Friends of the DCB now have a new way to support music education. The DCB Board of Directors has added the Joy of Education Fund to the Denver Concert Band Endowment Fund. This fund’s annual proceeds will support two educational outreach programs within the DCB: The Young Artist Scholarship (now in its 29th year) and the Show and Tell Band (starting its 13th year). Young Artist is an annual scholarship awarded to Colorado’s top high school band musician, and Show and Tell is a small ensemble that travels to area schools to teach young children about music. "I’m thrilled,” said Education Chair Corrie Hitchens. “With area schools facing budget cutbacks, this fund is a great tool for us to keep music and education a part of our children’s lives for generations to come.”
The DCB has set an aggressive goal to have
Joy of Education fully funded in three years. To
jump-start the fund-raising, two former board Presidents
have issued an $800 donor challenge. Stan Joy and Scott
Takeda will match any donation received by the end of the
calendar year. “Ideally, we’re looking for a corporate donor to match all donations for a year,” said Development Chair David Oliver. “However donations of any size are welcome.” Joy of Education joins two other funds within the Denver Concert Band Endowment Fund. The Frank Parce Fund supports the DCB’s marketing efforts, and the Gene Chick Fund supports general expenditures. If you’d like to make a donation to the Joy of Education Fund or another DCB Endowment Fund, please send your donation to:
DCB Endowment Fund With your donation, please indicate the Endowment Fund to which you wish to donate in the memo field. If you have any questions, please contact David Oliver via the band e-mail address at info@denverconcertband.org. ~ ~ ~ ~
May 2004 DSA Senior's Music the Key To His Future (Reprinted with permission of the Rocky Mountain News) By Mark Wolf Monday, May 10, 2004 Tim Mendoza began playing the trumpet when he was in fourth grade, but he didn't get serious until he enrolled at Denver School of the Arts as a freshman. "My first influences were the tremendous musicians around me at DSA. The really inspired me, showed me what I could become," said Mendoza, now an 18-year-old senior at DSA, where he plays with the jazz workshop, orchestra and wind ensemble. He won the 2004 Denver Concert Band Young Artist Competition, earning a $1500 scholarship and a spot as featured soloist at a Denver Concert Band performance last month. "It was a great night. It was completely packed. I played the Grand Russian Fantasia and got a standing ovation," he said. Outside DSA he plays in the Denver Young Artist's Orchestra, Colorado Honor Band and the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts. He was chosen for the All-State Concert Band, All-State Orchestra and All-State Jazz Band this year. He has composed pieces for DSA's jazz ensemble and a string quartet. "It's nothing real major, just practicing on the side. Composing is spontaneous; it's like a slowed-down improvisation," said Mendoza, who carries a 3.8 grade-point average at DSA. He will go to New York later this month with the DSA's jazz band, which is one of 15 finalists in the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival at Lincoln Center. Mendoza, who plays golf and racquetball, will attend the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music next fall as a concert performance major. "I'm just going to keep studying and see where it takes me and if I can make a living out of it. I'd like to see myself as a soloist, both jazz and classical. I enjoy them both equally. Learning from one benefits the other. Jazz is about communication and listening, and that translates to the classical world when you're playing with an orchestra. Classical is all about playing your instrument well, and that transfers over to jazz. The better you can play your instrument, the better you can express yourself."
Favorite Web site: trumpetstuff.com Favorite band: "They come and go. I'm not sure I could name one right now." Favorite TV show: Family Guy Favorite book: Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. "It's a book that compares and contrasts all three in scientific, mathematical and music terms." Hero: "Wynton Marsalis. He is everything I want to be, and he does it better than anybody else." Advice: "Invest yourself in everything you do. There's fun in being serious." Friday nights I'm usually: "practicing the trumpet." I really like to: "Play trumpet and hang out with my friends." Do you know a young person, ages 8 to 18, who's going places? Fax the name, address and phone number and a brief summary of interests and accomplishments to: Lifestyles, Going Places, 303-892-5407, or e-mail: spotlight@rockymountainnews.com (Include your name and phone number) ~ ~ ~ ~ April 2004 28th Annual Young Artist Concert Our Young Artist concert on April 24th featured Young Artist Competition winner and trumpet soloist Tim Mendoza (Denver School of the Arts). Tim impressed the 525 audience members (and band) with his ability, and "Godzilla Eats Las Vegas" was a fun way to end the concert and the successful 2003-2004 DCB formal season. Check out the photos! ~ ~ ~ ~
April 2004 Godzilla Meets the King (Reprinted with permission of the Rocky Mountain News) By Linda McConnell Tuesday, April 20, 2004 The Denver Concert Band had a dress rehearsal Monday for its Spring Young Artist Concert. Chris George, left as Elvis, and Mike Raizen, as Godzilla, share "a scary moment" during a concert piece called Godzilla Eats Las Vegas. The band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Central Presbyterian Church, 1660 Sherman St.
~ ~ ~ ~ March 2004 "Show and Tell Band" Back at Boettcher Concert Hall The DCB's educational arm, the "Show and Tell Band," returned to Boettcher Concert Hall for a 2nd year to perform in the lobby prior to the last Colorado Symphony Family Concert of season on Sunday, March 14th. The CSO concert started at 2:30 p.m., but the S&T Band started playing at 1:15 p.m. The S&T Band does fast paced 45 minute educational show for children which includes instrument demonstrations and a chance to conduct the band. Bring the joys of playing a wind instrument to children at your favorite elementary school by helping them book the DCB's "Show and Tell Band." Click on "Music Educators" in the margin above to find out more about this special group. ~ ~ ~ ~ February 2004 Marches and More! Our February Guest Artist concert featured Frank Kaderabek, former principal trumpet with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, and Dallas Symphony. The concert was performed on Saturday, February 21, 2004. Frank also gave a well attended free admission masterclass for trumpet (and brass) players of all ages that same morning. The large concert audience of almost 600 enjoyed every minute! Check out the concert photos.
~ ~ ~ ~ November 2003 AMERICAN SAMPLER By all accounts our first performance of the 2003-2004 season on November 15, 2003 was a great success! The large audience of 550 enjoyed the performances of both the DCB and the Warren Kennison True Blue Grass Band. Holding true to our promise of variety, Gino Proctor also performed an interpretive dance during the final piece "Colours." Kathy Walker (News Director, KOA Radio) also makes her first appearance as announcer. Check out the photos from that concert.
~ ~ ~ ~ October 2003 RACE FOR THE CURE The DCB continues to support good causes at the local and national level by performing along the race route in the median of Speer Blvd for the women's 5K run/walk, and the co-ed 5K run/walk on Sunday, October 12, 2003. The band members were thrilled to be able to donate their time and assist in the effort to raise funds for breast cancer research. Here are some photos from that special day! ~ ~ ~ ~ September 2003 SUMMER POPS SERIES The Denver Concert Band Summer Pops Series was another success! We were excited to be performing as part of the new Historic Elitch Gardens Carousel Concert Series. We performed a wide variety of popular and patriotic tunes at our summer concerts, which ranged from the Denver metro area to Vernon to Leadville (Tabor Opera House). Click on Summer Photos for a shot from last year and some photos from this season (including our Coors Field appearance in June 2003). You can view the Historic Elitch Gardens photos from July 4th, 2003 by clicking on Historic Elitch Photos. ~ ~ ~ ~ April 2003 27th Annual Young Artist Concert The 27th Annual DCB "Young Artist" Concert was held on April 26, 2003. The program selections meant that there was something for everyone! The DCB presented Alex Baker (Denver School of the Arts) first and foremost as the winner of the Young Artist Competition, but we also had a euphonium soloist, marches, well known tunes, and African drums. Now you can't have much more variety than that! Check out the photos from the concert. ~ ~ ~ ~ March 2003 Show and Tell Band Performs at Boettcher Concert Hall The DCB's educational arm, the Show and Tell Band, performed in the lobby of Boettcher Concert Hall on March 16th, 2003 prior to the "Denver Young Artists Orchestra" concert with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. The kids (and the band members) had a great time. Click on "Music Educators" at the top of the page, then "Show and Tell Band" to see the photos on the informative Show and Tell Band webpage - look for the dark red carpet! Also check out the text above the photos for information on how to book the Show and Tell Band to play at your local school. Show and Tell Band photos from Smoky Hill Library on July 19th, 2003. ~ ~ ~ ~ February 2003 Colonel Arnald Gabriel Conducts the DCB On very short notice, Arnald Gabriel (Col. USAF [ret.]) came to Denver to conduct the DCB at the "Spotlight On Fennell" concert held on February 22, 2003. Maestro Fennell had suddenly taken ill within one week of the concert and could not travel to Denver. December 2004 Update: Maestro Fennell unfortunately passed away on Dec. 7th, 2004 at the age of 90. We were fortunate to have Col. Gabriel as special guest conductor on that special night. February 2003 Photos
Photos by Matthew Staver ~ ~ ~ ~ January 2003 Surprise Guest Conductors at Botanic Gardens Concert The DCB was honored at the Denver Botanic Gardens concert on December 29th, 2002 by the presence of two special guest conductors! Composer Johan De Meij was in town visiting his friend, conductor David Warble. Johan conducted his "Polish Christmas Music," and David led us through two other holiday compositions. A fun time was had by all!
Johan De Meij, Composer
David Warble, Conductor ~ ~ ~ ~
October 2002 The Next Stage: Wells Fargo Bank and The Show and Tell Band
The Show And Tell Band has yet another feather in its cap. Thanks to the efforts of board member Mike Raizen, a grant from Wells Fargo Bank in 2002 funded Show and Tell Band performances at schools in low-income areas which could not otherwise afford the group’s appearance. Help us to identify schools in Denver that fit these qualifications. Please call Carol Dreiling, 303-798-4719, or the DCB information line at 303-83-MUSIC (303-836-9742) with your suggestions. The Denver Concert Band is
particularly proud of this unique program, and its members. Since 1992, Show and Tellers have traveled across the metropolitan area,
performing a fun, interactive and educational music
program designed for elementary-school youngsters. Wells Fargo Bank agreed with the premise of the band’s grant request: “These are not ordinary people; they are dedicated musicians who play as an avocation and take time from their days to travel the community and perform for children and adults, showing their instruments and sharing their music and their dedication to the art.” Update: The Show and Tell Band usually performs twice a month and is now booking performances for the 2004-2005 school year. Here is a chance for DCB followers to give an extra boost to our community. Please think about bringing a performance to your child’s school or simply suggesting a Denver school that would benefit from one of our performances. You come too; you’ll enjoy it as much as the kids will. ~ ~ ~ ~
September 2002 9Cares...Colorado Shares Musical Instrument Drive In partnership with 9News, and following on the success of the prior year, the Denver Concert Band again helped collect more than 200 musical instruments on Sep. 7, 2002 to benefit music students in Denver metro-area public schools. These instruments were donated to the school music departments, which will be responsible for tuning, cleaning, repairing, and distributing them to music students in need of an instrument. ~ ~ ~ ~
May 2002 MAKING MESSAGE HEARDDenver Concert Band Plays in D.C. By Bill McAllister, Denver Post Washington Bureau Chief May 2, 2002 (Reprinted with permission of the Denver Post) Fairfax, VA – Deirdre Nalven, Carl Duncan, Carol Atkins, and many of their Denver friends came to the Washington, D.C. area last week to demonstrate. Not against war, abortion, injustice or any of the usual causes. Theirs was a demonstration of love for music. For most it was a devotion that stretches back to childhood and defies age and profession – not to mention a few taunts from disbelieving family and friends. But then, this is the 41-year old Denver Concert Band. It’s a musical organization that firmly believes – as percussionist Don Awalt, a Denver financial planner put it – that “there is no such thing as a band geek.” Sooner of later, Awalt says, almost everyone who has painstakingly learned how to play a musical instrument develops the itch to play again. When they do, the solution for their musical anguish could be a community band. Only those who’s minds are stirred by the warm, mellow tones of a saxophone, the deep oom-pahs of a tuba, or the boom-boom of a tympani need have walked into Fairfax High School in the Virginia suburbs Friday night. There, the Colorado band left the audience at the annual convention of the Association of Concert Bands standing in applause over a Western-themed program that ended with a raucous encore of the “William Tell Overture.” “Were we too raucous?” a timid band member had asked conductor Jacinda Bouton at rehearsal earlier in the day. “No,” Bouton, their 33-year old director, assured the musician with a smile. “I like the raucous.” Indeed, the musicians say that making classical band music come alive with a bold, brassy sound has helped the Denver Concert Band and dozens of similar groups across the nation survive the onslaught of rock and hip-hop. Whether it’s enough to ensure the music’s survival is a question that worries some of the Colorado musicians. What they made clear, however, in their stay here is that as long as the nation’s schools are turning out more band members than bands, there will be performances in their future. Founded in 1961 by members of the Christian Reform Church in South Denver, The Denver Concert Band now comprises about 80 members, all volunteers. Only Bouton and the associate are paid for their work. Members pay $50 a year in dues and rehearse on Monday nights at Central Presbyterian Church in downtown Denver. Gifts, not tickets sold for concerts, make up most of the band’s $35,000 to $40,000 annual budget. Most members picked up their instruments after an absence of years. Clarinetist Carol Atkins, 67, hadn’t played for nine years when she astounded her family by announcing she would resume her musical career with the then-new band in 1962. “I love music. I always wanted to play,” she said. Her family was skeptical – “We’ll let her try,” they scoffed – and she took up her clarinet “with fear and trembling,” she said. But after taking lessons, she was hooked and has been a member of the band every since. Carl Duncan, 71, played in school and in the military. A certified public accountant, he too, returned to his instrument, the French horn, after a long absence. “I found that when I was playing in the band, I didn’t worry about anything. It was a relief.” Arnie Rosenberg, 52, a Denver Post assistant city editor, picked up a trumpet at age 10, and he has never put it down. When he had a chance to move from Cleveland to Denver two years ago, one of the things he checked out was the area’s community bands. Now he’s glad he found an opening in the Denver Concert Band. Deirdre Nalven also says that music is essential. “Music is my therapy,” said the clarinetist. “There’s something about me that has to have music in my life.” In 1978, after she became a single parent, she joined the band after a long absence from playing. For her, the transition back to her instrument was quick. “It’s like riding a bicycle. It didn’t take long,” she added. Most members of the band made the trip to the Washington area last week; about 30 skipped it because of the expense. Those who did go came home in agreement with Bouton’s assessment of the week: “It was quite an honor to be selected to play in the nation’s capital in front of your peers,” she said.
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