Burlington Municipal Band honored its longest-serving musician at its July 23 concert in Crapo Park.
“As all who attended last week’s concert already know, we honored our longest-tenured band member, clarinetist Sue Kristensen, for playing in the band for an amazing 75 years,” said Jim Priebe, Muni Band member and foundation director.
“To commemorate the event, the Burlington Municipal Band Foundation bought the band a new podium (the box upon which the conductor stands) that has a railing — a feature particularly appreciated by our more ‘mature’ conductors,” said Priebe.
A plaque with the inscription, “Presented in grateful recognition of SUE KRISTENSEN on her 75th year as a member of the Burlington Municipal Band” will be affixed to the podium.
“Congratulations, Sue, on this remarkable achievement!” Priebe said.
She also is the band’s first female musician.
“Kristensen was asked to join the band in 1948 when the band, heretofore an all male institution, was suffering from a shortage of men in the aftermath of World War II,” he explained.
“As a member of the Burlington Municipal Band, Sue has always played first chair clarinet except when serving as the band’s assistant to former conductor Maurice Wright,” he added.
This week, the band will present its annual jazz concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Crapo Park bandshell, featuring a jazz “big band” assembled from members of the Burlington Muni Band and led by BHS band director Derrick Murphy.
“The jazz band’s performance will begin at 6:15 p.m. preceding the regular concert and will feature some exciting ‘charts’ that you won’t want to miss including the ‘Bugle Call Rag,’ an arrangement of ‘Wave’ featuring bari saxophonist Adam Creager, ‘Tribute to the Duke,’ a medley of Ellington favorites, a Chick Corea ballad, ‘Crystal Silence’ featuring keyboardist Richie Bliesner and ‘Brass Machine,’ an exciting trumpet section feature,” said Priebe.
The conductor for this week’s regular 7:30 p.m. concert will be Janel Horn, band director at Burlington’s Edward Stone Middle School.
Horn’s concert will feature several selections that are new to our audience as well as old favorites including “A Festival Prelude” by Alfred Reed, “The Big Cage by Karl King, “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” “Where Words End” by Randall Standridge, “Disney at the Movies,” “Mad Dash Galop,” “Fable” by Erik Morales, “Amparito Roca Spanish March,” “March of the Belgian Parachutists,” “American Flourish” and “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
