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June 13, 2016 – The Band Camp for Adult Musicians will hold its free Gala Concert at 7 p.m. Friday, June 17, in Shafer Auditorium on the Allegheny College campus. No reservations are required.

A new conductor will be on the podium for the concert this year. Colonel Michael Colburn is the former director of the “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band. He is a native of St. Albans, Vermont. He earned a bachelor’s degree in euphonium performance at Arizona State University and received his master’s degrees in conducting from George Mason University. He won a position in the euphonium section of the U.S. Marine Band in 1987 and became the principal of the section. He was appointed as assistant director of the U.S. Marine Band in 1996, and he served as the 27th director of The President’s Own from July 2004 to July 2014. He is currently on the faculty of Butler University as director of bands.

The soloist for this concert will be the principal cornetist of the band camp, James Seidel. Seidel is director of the Ringgold Band of Reading, Pa. He was for many years a high school band director in Reading. He also currently serves as director of bands at Alvernia University in Reading. Mr. Seidel will perform the “Twilight Dreams” by Herbert L. Clarke.

The music included will be transcriptions from the orchestral literature, original works for band, lighter works, and marches. The composers range historically from Johann Strauss and Ralph Vaughn Williams to Michael Daugherty and Ryan Nowlin. The marches on the list are by both European and American composers, including John Philip Sousa.

The 64 campers attending Week II have traveled from states ranging from Vermont, Florida and California. For the first time, there is a camper from Hawaii. Two of the campers are from the province of Ontario.

“All the campers have come to Meadville because they are attracted by the quality of the band music to be played, the fine instruction received from a remarkable staff, and the privilege of playing for an outstanding conductor,” said John Fleming, camp director emeritus for the Band Camp for Adult Musicians. “Those are the musical reasons for the popularity of the camp. However, campers also return because the camp has become a family, and each year’s edition is like a family reunion. The camp has produced a wonderful comradeship, with close friendships that grow each year, and even a few marriages.”

For more information, please call the Allegheny Office of Conference and Events at (814) 332-3101.