Zanesville Memorial Concert Band kicks off their 100th season

ZANESVILLE, OH- The Zanesville Memorial Concert Band is celebrating their 100th season this summer. 

The Zanesville Memorial Concert Band has provided free outdoor concerts to the community each summer since 1923. As part of their momentous 100th season, the Zanesville Memorial Concert Band has an exciting lineup of concerts planned. 

“We specialize in music of all styles and genres, kind of one of the missions is to provide these free concerts which we’ve done since 1923, and of quality music but not just classical music. So, you’ll hear marches, you’ll hear this concert has some fanfares in it, we have more serious kind of pieces, we also have an 80’s flash back piece,” said David Turrill, Artistic Director of the Zanesville Memorial Concert Band. 

This Sunday at 7 p.m. they will take the stage at Zane’s Landing for their “Centennial Celebration.” the highlight of the evening will be the world premiere of a specially commissioned work entitled “Eternal Flame,” composed by Brian Balmages, a well-known composer and guest conductor. 

“I feel really honored and perhaps really lucky that I happen to be the conductor at this time, there have been about 16 or 17 conductors of the band since we started in 1923, the one who conducted the longest was the first one, his name was Paul Kern and he conducted for 35 years, so yeah I just feel really honored and glad that we can do all the things that we’re doing, and the band is really really excited about the concert and about the whole season,” said Turrell. 

Here are the key dates and themes of the upcoming performances: 

1. “Centennial Celebration” – June 25: This concert at Zane’s Landing will feature the world premiere of “Eternal Flame,” paying tribute to the Memorial Band and the eternal flame at Zane’s Landing dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients. 
2. “Celebrate America” – July 2: A patriotic concert featuring the Zanesville Community Choir at Secrest Auditorium. 
3. “Sousa Spectacular” – July 16: A lively concert at Zane’s Landing in the style of John Philip Sousa, showcasing his marches and patriotic tunes. 
4. “Through the Years” – July 30: A special concert that honors the band’s history, featuring former conductors of the Memorial Band and selected local high school student musicians. 

All concerts begin at 7 p.m., and the rain location for the Zane’s Landing concerts is Secrest Auditorium. 

These concerts provide the community with a diverse range of musical genres and styles, reflecting the band’s commitment to providing quality music that appeals to everyone. For more information visit their website or Facebook page.