St. Joseph Municipal BandThe City of St. Joseph offers video concerts released each concert day, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Normally the concert would take place at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell.
Featured Performers, August 9, 2020
Jay Crouch, Trumpet, graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1968, and from Western Michigan University (BM 1972) and did graduate work at northwestern University in 1996. After graduation, Mr. Crouch tough at Brandywine High School from 1972 until his retirement in 2003. While at Brandywine, his bands consistently were recognized with the highest of awards. As a performer he has played with the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, LaPorte County Symphony, Bobby Davidson Orchestra, Southwest Michigan College Brass Band, the Ed Bagatini New Swing Orchestra and the North American Brass Com[any. This is his 25th year with the St. Joseph Municipal Band.
Christopher Keech, Alto Saxophone, a native of Hartford, Michigan, has lived in St. Joseph for over 20 years. He holds degrees in music from Lake Michigan College and Western Michigan University. As a professional musician for many years, he has performed in 49 states (he's still looking for a Hawaii gig!) and 19 countries. He has performed with artists such as John Lewis, Jimmy Heath, Shirley Jones, Ben Vereen, The Captain and Tennille, Michael Bolton, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The Temptations, and Ben Folds. Chris presently works in the instrumental music department at Coloma Community Schools, and is also a saxophone instructor at Southwestern Michigan College. Chris still regularly performs with the St. Joseph Municipal Band, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, and with various local and regional jazz artists.
Gary A. Cooper, Trombone, attended Lake Michigan College, Indiana University at South Bend, and the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. He has studied Trombone with Arnold Jacobs, Edward Klienhammer, Jay Friedman, and Charles Vernon and has studied Voice with Margret Hillis and Thomas Hardy. Cooper has sung with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and has performed solo roles in Mahler's Eighth Symphony, Boris Godunov by Mussorsky, and Moses und Aaron by Arnold Schoenberg. He has worked under the direction of Sir George Solti, James Levine, Claudio Abbado and Margaret Hillis. He has performed as a soloist with the Southwestern Michigan Symphony, Elkhart Symphony as well as many ensembles throughout England and Europe. He has played on stage with the New York traveling ensemble of “Chicago” and with “Celtic Women” in their recent shows in South Bend, Indiana. He recently was the featured soloist with the Andrews University Symphonic Winds European tour.
Gary Cooper is Artist in Residence in the St. Joseph Schools and teaches for Southwestern Michigan College. He also teaches at Citadel Arts Center in Benton Harbor and teaches privately. He continues to perform as a Vocalist and Principal Trombonist with the St. Joseph Municipal Band and plays Principal Trombone in the Southwest Michigan Symphony and the Whiting Park Festival Orchestra. Gary also performs with several brass quintets; SMSO Brass Quintet, Quintessence Brass, and with North American Brass Company in the Southwest Michigan and Indiana areas. He is active as a clinician and soloist in the Midwest area.
Matt Landon, Guitar, is a passionate musician and educator. Being most accomplished as a jazz guitarist, Landon has performed alongside John Patitucci, Joey DeFrancesco, Donny McCaslin, Joe Martin, Fred Hersch, Rich Perry, Jeff Hamilton, Dave Liebman, Ingrid Jensen, Sammy Figueroa, Nestor Torres, Sheila Jordan, and many more jazz masters. He recently recorded an album with the jazz/classical crossover group, All Angles Orchestra featuring master trumpeter, Alex Sipiagin, on which he was thoroughly featured as a soloist. Remaining an in-demand sideman, Landon has also earned awards for his pursuits as a leader. In 2012, the modern jazz/rock group Desolation Row, led by Landon, won a Downbeat Magazine Student Music Award (SMA) for Best Blues/Pop/Rock Group—Landon’s work with this group on their debut album Remember to Breathe also earned him the Downbeat SMA for Best Blues/Pop/Rock soloist the same year. After earning his Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Studies at Western Michigan University in 2012, Landon placed third in the 2013 Montreux Jazz Festival International Jazz Guitar Competition; was a semi-finalist in the 2015 Wes Montgomery International Guitar Competition; placed second in the 2017 and 2018 Wilson Center Jazz Guitar Competitions, and placed fifth in Lee Ritenour’s Six String Theory Guitar Competition in 2018. Outside of the jazz realm, Landon is an avid singer-songwriter and performer of popular music from many eras and genres. In addition to his many pursuits as a performer, Landon enjoys teaching private lessons and master classes, covering the topics of harmony, theory, improvisation, composition, repertoire, and general musicianship. Landon recently earned a Master’s of Music degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Colorado, where he held a teaching assistantship, coaching small groups, co-directing Lab Band II, and teaching improvisation and private lessons. He is excited to currently be on the jazz faculty at his alma mater, Western Michigan University.
Tim King, Bass, is the owner and operator of LRD Productions, Berrien Springs, which specializes in performing, recording and consulting. He play upright and electric fretless jazz bass, keys, clarinet, saxophones, and has a special interest in jazz music theory and music technology. He was musically educated at St. Joseph HS, Lake Michigan College and the University of Michigan and “on the road” touring with a variety of bands including: LTD Jazz Combo, Blue Shoes, Jazzmin II, Jim Cooper, LMC Faculty Jazz, Ed Bagatini Groups, Lake Effect Jazz Big Band, The Old Moonlighters, Otsego Jazz Enseble, Friens Jazz Trio, Mister Edd. Four Spacious Gusy, Cardinal Number, J. R. Clark, Brian Lubeck. and all in Love.
Ronald Hull, Drums, has performed with the St. Joseph Municipal Band for many years. He has performed as guest conductor, percussion section leader, soloist, with the Big Band and in many ensembles. In 2018 he retired as Percussion Artist in Residence at St Joseph Public Schools. He has performed with the Southwest Michigan Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, numerous Broadway shows when they performed in South Bend and Kalamazoo area. He has performed with many bands and orchestras in the area for many years. He spent two summers teaching at the New England Music Camp. Ron has performed in Europe on 8 musical tours. Mr. Hull has many compositions and arrangements for bands and percussion ensemble. His groups have received the highest ratings at the state levels in Michigan and Indiana. His percussion ensembles have premiered several compositions as well as being guest groups at several colleges. In his spare time, he has refurbished a couple of houses and has a nice collection of "Drummer Boys" from all over the world.
Jeff Cramer, vocal soloist for July 12 Jazz Band video, is entering his 19th year as the Director of Choirs at NorthWood High School in Nappanee, Indiana. He is a graduate of Bethel College with degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance. His NorthWood ensembles have performed in both local and national venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Walt Disney World, and the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. They consistently receive superior ratings at state contests and festivals. In addition to full-time teaching at NorthWood, Jeff serves as a worship leader at Nappanee Missionary Church, and frequently appears as a soloist throughout the Michiana region. He and his wife Kristin reside in Goshen, and are the proud parents of two daughters.
2020 St. Joseph Municipal Band
Corona Virus adjusted season
Website for each date below will be posted when video is released.
Pre-Season Concert Videos:
Regular Concert Season Videos:
- Sunday, Aug. 9 Jazz Combo Video
- Sunday, Aug. 16 Municipal Band Video
- Sunday, Aug. 23 Municipal Band Video
- Sunday, Aug. 30 Municipal Band Video
- Sunday, Sept. 6 Municipal Band Video
- Sunday, Sept. 7 Municipal Band Memorial Day Video
St. Joseph Municipal Band
St. Joseph Municipal Jazz Band
Our thanks to: the City Manager, John Hodgson, Head of Public Works, Greg Grothous, Mayor, Michael Garey, City Commissioners and Taxpayers. We couldn’t perform without their fine support.
John E. N. Howard, was conductor of the Municipal Band beginning in 1948 through 1987; he also was the St. Joseph High School Band Director until he retired in 1963. The band has been conducted by Dr. Donald Moely, since 1987.
Dr. Donald K. Moely Director St. Joseph Municipal Band
Dr. Moely has completed 33 years as Director of the St. joseph Municipal Band. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee, followed by his Masters and Doctoral Degrees in Music Education from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. Dr. Moely served as Director of Bands at Winona State University, IN Winona, Minnesota. During his term there he developed the Symphonic Band this was followed by the position of Chairman of the Music Department, and Director of Bands at Lake michigan College, where he directed the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Show Choir, taught brass lessons and piano classes in the electronic keyboard lab. Dr. Moely received several outstanding commendation awards for his leadership in the college's music program. During his work there Donald and Eloise Moely received the Bernard Radde Award given annually by the College Board of Trustees to outstanding contributors to the development of Lake Michigan College. He directed a European music tour featuring the college's Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Show Choir. Dr. Moely continued his post Doctorate studies in trumpet and music education administration at North Texas State University and received a Sabbatical leave from the college to study trumpet and orchestral conducting at the Mozarteum in Salzburg Austria. He recently retired as the choral director of John Adams High School in the South Bend Public Schools. Donald and Eloise Moely are the parents of a daughter Donelle, son Michael (Laura) and grandson Matthew living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
"Serving the St. Joseph audiences takes a different form this season with prepared concert videos each Sunday and holidays during this 2020 summer season. We encourage our fine audiences to tune into our videos during this adapted season. We look forward to seeing you again in person at the beautiful scenic setting of the City of St. Joseph John E. N. Howard Band Shell."
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