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Music to fill VFW Park once again

By Shawn Linenberger - | Jun 25, 2008

Shawn Linenberger

Tonganoxie Community Band director Charles VanMiddlesworth directs a group of roughly 30 musicians at the band's 2007 annual concert in the VFW Park.

In a few days, VFW Park again will turn into an amphitheater for one night only.

The Tonganoxie Community Band will have its seventh annual summer concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the park.

Under the direction of Tonganoxie High School band director Charles VanMiddlesworth, roughly 40 musicians will perform. According to the director people call “Mr. Van,” this year’s band has quality and quantity.

“This is the best band we have ever had,” VanMiddlesworth said, noting this also is the largest band since he started the event in 2002.

Some of the music planned for the concert includes: “A Day at Disneyland,” “Flight of the Bumblebee,” “Cartoon Carnival” and “Andrew Lloyd Weber in Concert.”

“It’s really neat because it’s got a lot of music you would associate with Disney,” VanMiddlesworth said about the Disneyland piece.

As is tradition with the concert, VanMiddlesworth will be performing a solo – this year it will be during “Flight of the Bumblebee.”

A patriotic medley, “Freedom” by Michael W. Smith, will be included in the concert list as well. Mr. Van said the song elicits many different emotions when he hears it.

“I hear this piece and it makes me really proud to be an American,” he said.

The band director said another song, “The Cowboys,” would add a touch of Kansas flavor to the concert, while “Cartoon Carnival” would have some familiar tunes from cartoons wrapped into one piece.

Festivities actually start at 6 p.m. when hot dogs, hamburgers and soft drinks will be sold.

The Tonganoxie High School VIP Music Booster Club will be sponsoring the event. In addition, donations will be taken for a drawing for a Christmas crazy quilt. The handmade quilt is large-sized and is made with buttons and lace. The drawing for the quilt will be held in November during the Madrigal Feaste.

Denise Sours donated the quilt, while Dennis Bixby made a wooden rack to hold the quilt. Proceeds will go toward funding music scholarships for Tonganoxie band and vocal students.

As for the concert, anyone interested in attending is encouraged to bring lawn chairs to the outdoor concert.