The 1996 festival has a circus theme

By Jennifer Brummett
Staff Writer

The two greatest shows on Earth come together with the 1996 circus-themed Great American Brass Band Festival in June.
According to festival chairman and Norton Center for the Arts director George Foreman said the circus theme developed from communication with the Windjammers, a national organization of people who are enthusiasts of circus music. Foreman said the group meets every year in Florida to play and record music used for circuses, and many members of the organization have been coming to the brass band festival.
``We've talked almost since the beginning about doing something with them at some point,'' Foreman said. ``And this is the year we're going to do it.
``They have actually scheduled a special meeting here. They are assembling a band of about 35 players'' who will give a concert of circus music, he added.
Because the Windjammers were going to attend this year's festival, Foreman and the brass band committee decided to devote the band history conference to circus music and circus composers.
Most people think of the calliope when they think of circus music, and Foreman said that instrument was definitely part of it. He noted the band was also ``extremely important in circuses.''
``Everything that (occurred in the acts) happened to the accompaniment of a brass band like the Advocate Brass Band,'' Foreman explained. ``There was special music associated with different acts. For instance, the trapeze act might have a special piece used with it. The same with the clowns and so forth.
``It was really demanding on the players because they played the entire program. They would almost have to have the music memorized - it would have to change from one thing to another, based on what's going on in the act.''
Foreman said the circus brass band had intricately timed music that was choreographed in different acts. In particular, they used a particular kind of march called a GALOP, which has one beat to a measure rather than two beats. Foreman said the galop was ``a particular kind of march associated with the circus'' and many marches were written for circuses.
``Barnum and Bailey's favorite was by Karl L. King,'' he noted, adding that circus music was an interesting topic for the American brass band history conference.
There are other interesting little-known or unrealized associations with circuses.
``There was a genre of Wild West shows (as related to circuses) and one of the people coming is doing a paper on the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show,'' Foreman explained. ``And probably the most famous circus bandmaster was Merle Evans, who was with the Ringling Brothers, and his nephew is doing a paper on him.''
To go along with the circus theme, the GABBF committee is working on getting some authentic circus wagons for the festival.
``We have the wagons located,'' Foreman said. ``But we have to provide the horses. We could use people who would like to volunteer draft horses to pull the wagons.''
The GABBF will also feature several Shriner units in the parade, including a clown unit. Foreman also noted there are more bands than ever in the parade this year. ``And it's still free for everyone,'' he added.

Grand marshal

Although it has not been confirmed yet, there is a distinct possibility that John Philip Sousa IV will be the grand marshal at this year's Great American Brass Band Festival.
``He has expressed an interest in doing it,'' Foreman said. ``He will if it meets with his schedule.''

Audio-documentary

This year, the GABBF committee is working with Eastern Kentucky University to produce a 60-minute audio documentary about the festival.
``It will include highlights of the festival,''Foreman said, adding that the EKU station is in the process of offering the documentary to public radio stations across country.
``A lot of places will be (playing) it July 4,'' Foreman said. ``From coast to coast, radio stations have already asked to have it and air it.''

Who is playing?

The Canadian Brass has played the GABBF before and returns for the 1996 festival. Foreman called this quintet ``probably the most famous brass ensemble in the world.''
``They are known both for their absolutely flawless playing, which is technically and artistically astounding,'' he said, ``as well as the way they inject a lot of humor into their program.''
Advocate Brass Band member Vince DiMartino is the clinician for the Canadian Brass.
``They manufacture a line of instruments call Canadian Brass Instruments and I endorse their trumpets,'' he said. ``I play their instruments. ``Four or five years ago, they brought me a horn to try and I've been playing it ever since.''
The River City Brass Band from Pittsburgh, the only full-time, professional brass band other than military bands will be at the festival.
The U.S. Military Academy Hellcats, which provides the field music at the academy, will perform a special patriotic concert. The 12-piece group is composed entirely of drums and bugles, and they usually perform in Civil War uniforms, according to Foreman.
The London Citadel Band is one of Canada's top Salvation Army bands, according to DiMartino. He added that the Wright Brass, which will also play at the festival, is attached to the U.S. Air Force Band of Flight.
``One of people in that group studied with me last year,'' DiMartino added. ``Jon Linker was in Centre Trumpets and now he is in the Air Force attached to that unit.''
DiMartino said Americus Brass Band is from the Los Angeles area and have played in a number of movies.
``I think they might have played on the movie `Gettysburg','' he noted. ``And they just did a CD of Wild Bill Cody's Wild West show.''
Other returning and new bands on the concert list include: Scott Kirby, Main Street Brass, 8th Regiment Brass, Olympia Brass Band, Indianapolis Symphonic Band, Triangle Brass Band, Windjammers Center Ring Concert Band, Bluegrass Brass Senior Drum & Bugle Corp, 202nd Army Band of the Kentucky National Guard, Americus Brass Band and, of course, the Advocate Brass Band.

100 years of ``Stars and Stripes''

John Philip Sousa wrote ``Stars and Stripes Forever'' in December, 1896, so the piece is almost a century old.
``In the next year, there will be lots of `Stars and Stripes Forever' interest,'' Foreman said. ``We're featuring `Stars and Stripes' themes in the logo this year.''
Foreman said ``Stars and Stripes Forever'' is ``probably the most famous march ever composed.''
``It is actually, by act of Congress, the national march of the United States,'' Foreman said. ``It is the one thing as a band that we play which absolutely never fails to achieve a response. Personally, I never program it with any band I'm leading except as the last thing. I don't know what to play after it - anything else would be anticlimactic.''
The balloon race will be held Friday evening, and about 30 balloons are expected to participate. In addition, food booths will be set up at the festival throughout the weekend. Anyone wanting to make any kind of donation to the festival should contact: GABBF, Box 423, Danville, KY 40423.