The St. Joseph Municipal Band continues the 2008 summer season with its normal set of double concerts on Sunday, July 20 at the regular 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. times, as an additional activity as part of the Venetian Festival event in downtown St. Joseph. Their weekly summer concerts are held at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell in downtown St. Joseph overlooking Lake Michigan. The July 20 weekend concerts are the 5th of 12 double concerts scheduled for the season. Director Dr. Donald Moely announced this week’s fare will include a guest performance by vocalists Sally Stine and Dennis Varo. The band also features a trumpet soloist from Chicago, William Camp.

The concert begins with a Sousa march, "Hands Across the Sea," followed by an Alfred Reed composition "A Jubilant Overture." Next the band introduces its trumpet soloist from Chicago William Camp who performs "Hailstorm" by

WILLIAM CAMP currently resides in Chicago, and is originally from Niles Michigan. Camp earned his music degrees from Berlin Conservatory of Music and The University of Michigan. His Principal instructors include Tom Crown, Gene Young, Louis Davidson, Armand Ghitalla, and Arnold Jacobs. Mr. Camp has performed as a soloist with The Albion City Bands, Neuqua High School Wind Ensemble, Waubansie Valley Wind Ensemble, St. Joseph Summer Band, Quad Cities Symphony, Dallas Wind Symphony, Oregon Symphony, and at the Peter Britt Music Festival. He has performed with the Flint Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Pops Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Springfield Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, Kenosha Symphony, American Ballet Theater Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Westwind Brass. His recording with the Dallas Winds and Chicago Chamber Brass, called "The Brass and the Band," has received national acclaim. Currently performing, touring and recording with Chicago Classic Brass, Camp is an active musician in the Chicago area. For today’s performance Camp is performing Hailstorm by William Rimmer. Mr Camp is performing with us again for the 32nd year during the summertime.

The band then brings forward Craig Heitger, principal trumpet of the band to perform a trumpet duet with William Camp entitled "Short and Sweet," composed by Thomas Short.

CRAIG HEITGER lives in South Bend and teaches private trumpet lessons for Indiana University South Bend, Bethel College, and younger students. He directs a brass choir for Indiana University South Bend and band for St. Pius school in Granger. He leads the Symphony Brass Quintet and plays for weddings, banquets, graduations, and church services in the Michiana area. He received his performance degrees in trumpet from Indiana University South Bend and Bloomington and is the principal trumpet player in the Municipal Band, and this is his 35th season in the band

In keeping with the Venetian Festival theme the band next performs "Naval Cadet March," by Joseph Olivadotti. Next guest vocalists Sally Stine and Denis Varo are featured. Sally Stine will sing "Anyway." Guest vocalist Dennis Varo joins Sally Stine in a duet "From this Moment." Sally then concludes with "You Raise Me Up."

SALLY STINE was born and raised in St. Joseph and currently resides in Lake Township. She is the mother of three daughters, and grandmother of two. Although she has had no formal vocal training, she has been performing locally for more than 30 years. She is probably best known as a "Wedding Vocalist", but has also performed for local restaurants, pageants and programs. One highlight was the opportunity to record in Nashville, TN.

DENNIS VARO, born and raised in Wisconsin, has lived in St. Joseph since 1994. He started singing at age 10, and was a voice major at Viterbo College in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Dennis toured the US with several bands for a few years, and is currently a member of the local Christian Group Reconciliation. He is married, and has two children.

The band continues with "Mancini: A Medley for Concert Band."

and concludes with "Colorburst March," by George Kenny.

The hour long Municipal Band concerts at the John E. N. Howard band shell in down town St. Joseph overlooking the St. Joseph River and Lake Michigan, are held each Sunday at 3:30 & 7:30 p.m. and continue through August 31 concludings with the final set of concerts Monday, September 1, Labor Day.