The August 17 concert represents the 9^th of 12 concerts performed at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell in downtown St. Joseph.

Director Dr. Donald Moely announced the concert begins with a John Philip Sousa march "Occidental March." This is followed by Frank Erickson’s "Toccata for Band." The audience is then entertained with "The Southwestern Michigan Flute Choir, organized and directed by Penny Kohns, on of the members of the Municipal Band Flute section.

The SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN FLUTE CHOIR is directed by Penny Kohns (St. Joseph, SJMB 3 yrs.), who earned her Bachelor’s degree from Spring Arbor College and a Master of Music degree from University of Massachussets–Lowell, under Iva Milch (Boston Ballet, Boston Pops) both in flute performance. After gradutation, Penny performed with the Nashua Flute Choir in New Hampshire, which performed at two National Flute Conventions and recorded two CD’s. Currently, Penny is flute faculty at: Crescendo Academy of Music in Kalamazoo, Salvation Army in Benton Harbor, and at Andrew’s University, and teaches privately in her home studio in St. Joseph. Other members are Nancy Pollyea, piccolo (St. Joseph, SJMB 43 yrs.), David Ballasteros (Berrien Springs, grad. student Andrews University), Jan Street (Berrien Springs, SJMB 12 yrs.), Elizabeth Jewell (Stevensville, Grad. student University of Michigan), Bianca Kumar (Niles, Niles High School), Becky Vajdic (St. Joseph, Andrews University), Jonathan Davis, bass flute (Paw Paw, Crescendo Academy of Music), Paul Goodman, bassoon (SJMB 36 yrs.). Leslie Buekelman (Hartford, Grace Christian School teacher), Andrea Prathier (St. Joseph, Anderson tlineUniversity), and Denall Miller, alto flute (Sodus, SJMB 25 yrs.) 

The band then performs "Basses on a Rampage," by G. H. Huffine, following by an arrangement of "Shenandoah," by Frank Ticelli.

Next the band features their guest vocalist, Abbey Clark. 

ABBEY CLARK recently graduated from Lakeshore High School where she was greatly involved in the choir program. She sang with the top ensemble and also worked as an independent study student with the choir director, Mr. Adam Wurst. She sang with a group in New York City, and directed the group on one of the pieces as well. Abbey will attend Western Michigan University in the fall, with an intention of majoring in either Vocal Music Performance or Music Theater. She hopes to some day work in New York on Broadway.

Miss Clark will sing, ‘I'm not afraid of anything,’ from "Songs For a New World"; ‘Stars and the Moon,’ from "Songs For a New World"; and ‘Change in Me’ from "Beauty and the Beast."

The Band concludes the concert by R. H. Hall’s "Officer of the Day" march.

The hour long Municipal Band concerts at the John E. N. Howard band shell are held each Sunday at 3:30 & 7:30 p.m. and continue through Sunday, August 31, followed by the 9:00 p.m. ‘Big Band’ concert, after which the City of St. Joseph is putting on a 10 p.m. fireworks show for the community in appreciation to the Municipal Band. The season then concludes with the final set of concerts Monday, September 1, Labor Day.