Sequim City Band 2019 ‘Concerts at the James’ series

Note: All concerts are at The James Center just north Carrie Blake Community Park, 202 N. Blake Ave.

• 3 p.m. Sunday, June 9

• 3 p.m. Thursday, July 4

• 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18

• 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15

After sharing the stage about five years ago, the Port Angeles High School Wind Ensemble and Sequim City Band are reuniting to present a free public concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at the Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave.

Any donations go to support the Port Angeles High School Band Boosters, an all-volunteer group that helps PA High bands afford travel and entry fees for events such as the recent WindFest.

The two wind ensembles last performed together in concert on May 18, 2014, and while many Sequim City Band members are returning for this concert, members of the current PA High Wind Ensemble were in grade or middle school at the time.

Both bands will perform separately and then together as a combined wind ensemble.

Under the direction of Doug Gailey, the Port Angeles High School Wind Ensemble will play pieces they recently performed at the Central Washington University WindFest, an invitational concert band three-day festival showcasing 48 high school wind ensembles.

That includes Aaron Copeland’s 1962 composition “Down a Country Lane,” a modern composition written specifically for young piano students. Since then, the piece has been arranged for other youth musical groups, including orchestras and concert bands.

Tyler Benedict will direct the Sequim City Band with a reprisal of Gustav Holst’s “Second Suite in F” composed in 1922. In an entirely different genre, the band will perform the pastoral piece “Ammerland,” by the Dutch composer Jacob de Haan.

The two bands join forces to play Julie Giroux’s “Khan” — a programmatic piece composed in 2008 depicting Genghis Khan. The driving percussion section propels the music forward with opening themes “Warlord” and “Horseback” that represent Khan’s army on the move.

About the Sequim City Band

The Sequim City Band’s mission is “to perform, preserve and promote concert band music.” One of the ways in which the band meets its mission, band representatives say, is “the support of young musicians by demonstrating the lifelong opportunity to ‘make’ music by the inclusion of young musicians in our ensemble, and by providing scholarships to students who plan to continue their performance of music while attending university.”

Band officials have announced the group’s summer 2019 “Concerts at the James” series (see box). The first outdoor concert at The James Center in north Carrie Blake Community Park is at 3 p.m., Sunday, June 9.

For more information about the Sequim City Band, “like” the band on Facebook or visit www.sequimcityband.org and learn how to support the band by becoming a “Band Aide.”

Doug Gailey conducts during dress rehearsal for a May 2014 concert. Photo courtesy of Sequim City Band

Sequim City Band’s Tyler Benedict conducts a during dress rehearsal for a May 2014 concert. Photo courtesy of Sequim City Band

Tyler Benedict and Doug Gailey prepare the combined Sequim City Band-Port Angeles High School Wind Ensemble band during a dress rehearsal for a concert in May 2014. Photo courtesy of Sequim City Band