Bonita Springs Concert Band

The final concert of the 2010-2011 took place on April 10 at Riverside Park.  Dr. Dennis Hill directed the band playing songs recorded by The Blues Brothers, an arrangement of songs from Porgy and Bess, Themes from Offenbach, Serenata, Armed Forces Salute, Dixieland on Parade, America, the Beautiful , Die Fledermaus Overture, Children of Sanchez, El Camino Real and a number of marches.  A highlight of the concert was Latin Fantasy, a Chuck Elledge arrangement  played beautifully by Maureen Steger, principal flutist.

The Bonita Springs Concert Band is comprised of more than sixty talented  musicians, professional and non-professional, who offer concert goers the opportunity to enjoy quality music in an informal setting. The Band Shell in Riverside Park is a great place for Sunday afternoon concerts. Each year the audience gets larger as people learn about us.  The Band would like to thank everyone for their support. Have a great summer.

Our next concert is November 6.

Bring your neighbors and friends to Riverside Park on Sunday, April 10 for a special free concert. The band, under the direction of Dr. Dennis Hill, will play the overture from the well known operetta, Die Fledermaus. Maureen Steger, principal flutist, will play the very beautiful Latin Fantasy. The band will get into high gear playing Chuck Mangione’s Children of Sanchez. Chuck won a Grammy for this piece. Who can forget The Blues Brothers? The band plays a revue of I Can’t Turn You Loose, Soul Man, Soul Finger, and Everybody Needs Somebody To Love. Dixieland on Parade including Sugar Blues, a medley from Porgy and Bess, an Armed Forces Salute, Serenata, Themes from Offenbach, marches, and First Suite in E-Flat for Military Band round out the program.
The concert starts at 2:00 P.M. Bring a chair and refreshments.

The Bonita Springs Concert Band, under the direction of Dennis Hill, was electric on Sunday as they played old and new music for the audience’s enjoyment. Antonio Castillo and Skip Perry sounded magical playing Star Dust on trumpet and keyboard. Skip also accompanied the band in a musical arrangement from Ben Hur. You could hear the people singing along to such old favorites as Peg O’ My Heart, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, I Want A Girl, By the Light of the Silvery Moon and 12th Street Rag.. Connie Hill, vocalist, entertained by singing Someone To Watch Over Me and My Heart Will Go On.The band also played marches, folk rhapsodies, light classics, the Big 11 Medley, patriotic songs and a medley of songs by the Beatles.
The Bonita Springs Concert Band is made up of sixty talented, dedicated musicians who are eager to share their love of music. Be a part of the fun and come to the final concert of the season. The venue is Riverside Park on April 10 at 2:00 P.M.

The Bonita Springs Concert Band will play a special concert on Saturday, March 26, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, at the Naples Fort Myers Greyhound Track, Bonita Beach Road (Exit 116, West of 75), Bonita Springs.

A wonderful concert is in store for the audience on Sunday, March 13, at 2:00 P.M. at the Band Shell in Riverside Park on Old 41. Connie Hill, a professional  singer,  returns to sing two solo selections with the band. They are My Heart Will Go On and Someone to Watch Over Me. Skip Perry, keyboard player and  Band Director at Three Oaks Middle School, will be featured with Antonio Castillo, trumpet player and Band Director at the Bonita Springs Charter School. They will be playing Hoagy Carmichael’s Star Dust. Skip also will accompany the band in a stirring rendition from the movie  Ben-Hur. The band has a special treat for all the Beatles lovers in the audience: a medley of   Beatles favorites. Stand up and sing your fight song as the band plays The Big 11 Medley–Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State and Penn State. There also will be some real oldies like Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Peg O’ My Heart, I Want a Girl, By the Light of the Silvery and many more.  What fun! Bring a chair and enjoy the free concert.

A  huge audience gathered at Riverside Park to enjoy a very special concert played by the Bonita Springs Concert Band. A highlight of the concert was Flight of Valor, a special composition composed by J. Swearingen, in honor of the Pennsylvania people who lost their lives on 9/11/2001. It was very emotional and beautifully done. Connie Hill sang, Bob Thurston played a euphonium solo, the saxophone section entertained with Root Beer Rag, the brass section entertained playing That’s A Plenty, and the woodwind section played Waggery for Woodwinds. A few showtunes and big band classics were fun as well as everyone’s favorite John Sousa marches. Dr. Dennis Hill, our music conductor, is amazing. The band practices three times between concerts, and yet, the music is flawless. Our next concert is March 13th at 2:00 p.m.  See you there!

The Bonita Springs Concert Band will perform on Sunday, February 20, 2:00 PM, at the Band Shell in Riverside Park on Old 41 in Bonita Springs. The band, under the direction of Dr. Dennis R. Hill, will play a diversified program showcasing their talented musicians.

A highlight of the concert will be the musical composition Flight Of Valor, composed in honor of the people who died in the Pennsylvania plane crash on 9/11. Vocalist Connie Gowin Hill will sing Embraceable You and I Dreamed A Dream. Robert Thurston will play a euphonium solo. Root Beer Rag will be played by the saxophone section, and the woodwind section entertains with Waggery For Woodwinds. The band will also play a medley of Broadway tunes and a variety of marches.

Bring a chair or a blanket and sing along to all your favorite, familiar songs. This is a FREE concert.

What a wonderful, appreciative audience! What a fabulous concert! A huge crowd was at Riverside Park on January 23 to enjoy the sounds of the Bonita Springs Concert Band. The sixty-plus members in the band played the fighting songs of the “Big Ten” schools. Members of the audience stood up and sang their fight songs as they were played. People stomped their feet and clapped to “Hot Hot Hot,” a percussion song. A duet was played by  flutists, and a tuba solo was a treat for all. Everyone knew the music of the Italian and Broadway medley of songs and hummed and sang along.
The concerts are a great opportunity for people to come together for an afternoon in the park to hear this marvelous band. The next concert is Sunday, February 20, at 2:00 P.M.

A grand concert is planned for January. The Bonita Springs Concert Band is playing the Big 11 Medley so come hear your school song –Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Ohio and Penn State. What fun!!   Joe Choomack, tuba soloist, will play  the Tuba Tiger Rag; and Maureen Steger and Winnie Kost, piccolo players, will entertain the audience with Two Little Bulfinches. How about Hot Hot Hot, a percussion feature. The band will play marches and twelve Broadway tunes. This will be a fabulous afternoon of music. See you at the band shell in Riverside Park at 2:00 P.M.

The rain didn’t diminish the enthusiasm of the large audience who came to listen to Christmas music played by The Bonita Springs Concert Band. Connie Gowan Hill, vocalist, sang White Christmas, and the wind section played a selection of Christmas favorites that had the audience humming and singing. Feliz Navidad is always a favorite, as well as It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Mark the date for the next concert on your calendar. Bring refreshments and bring the family to Riverside Park on Old 41 in Bonita Springs. The time is 2:00 P.M. on January 23.