Uniontown: Marcus Neiman & The Sounds of Sousa Band will appear as a featured performing group for the Lake Project Connect Concert Series, Sunday, May 22nd, 3p. The Sounds of Sousa Band will perform in the Lake High School Performing Arts Hall – Door 5 – 1025 Lake Center Street, Uniontown 44685. Parking is available throughout the area at no charge and there is no admission charge for this concert. For additional information on the site and concert, visit the Lake Local Schools website: http://www.lakelocal.org/.
Marcus Neiman will bring his Sounds of Sousa Band to Lake High School in their first performance of the 2011 season. The ensemble was created by Neiman in 1994 in an attempt to recreate concerts in the style of the great band director John Philip Sousa, who started his first professional concert band in 1894. Neiman’s current edition of The Sounds of Sousa Band is composed of 40 of the finest professional wind and percussion players in Northeastern Ohio. The ensemble has performed for over 500,000 since its first concert and has been featured throughout Ohio in halls large and small. Neiman has performed throughout the United States and traveled to Russian in 2004 to lecture on American bands and John Philip Sousa at the University of Moscow and conduct the Volga Concert Band in Saratov, Russia in October of 2004. Sharing the conductorial duties for the band will be Lake Local Schools band director Mark Tryon who serves Sounds of Sousa Band as associate conductor of bands. Neiman indicated that the Lake concert will feature Colleen and Mark Tryon, both music teachers in the district, in Mendelssohn’s Concertpiece for Two Clarinets. Featured vocal soloist will be Wadsworth (Ohio) mezzo-soprano Denise Milner Howell. For more information on Marcus Neiman & The Sounds of Sousa Band, please visit their website: http://www.soundsofsousa.com/. Featured Soloists
 Denise Milner Howell, mezzo-soprano, is equally at home on the opera, musical theatre or concert stage. Her solo engagements include performances with Opera Cleveland, Chautauqua Opera, Red {an orchestra}, Akron Lyric Opera Theatre, Tanglewood Festival, Akron Symphony Orchestra, Carousel Dinner Theatre, Sounds of Sousa Band, and Buffalo Philharmonic. Additionally, Ms. Howell is a founding member of the vocal chamber music ensemble “Red Campion”, performing concerts throughout Ohio and offering outreach into area schools. She can be heard in a CD release on the North/South recording label singing “Sappho Songs”, composed by Ira-Paul Schwarz.In addition to performing, Ms. Howell is an active voice teacher. She currently teaches at Ashland University, and has served on the voice faculties of the University of Akron School of Music, and the State University of New York College at Fredonia. Ms. Howell earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music education from Long Island University/CW Post College, and a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from New England Conservatory of Music. She lives in Sharon Township, Ohio with her husband, Gregg, and their two sons, Miles and Wesley.  Colleen Tryon, clarinet soloist, (right) Colleen Tryon is instructor of clarinet at Malone University and maintains a large private studio of beginning through college level students. She holds a masters degree from The Ohio State University and a bachelors degree from The University of Akron in clarinet performance. She has studied clarinet with James Pyne and Dr. Kristina Belisle Jones and saxophone with James Hill. While at Ohio State, she was named as the 2007 Outstanding Graduate Student in Winds, Brass, and Percussion by the faculty. In 2008, she premiered the new work, Eastern Pinnacle, by Ben Williams, for the Johnstone Woodwind Master Series Competition. The composition won first prize, and her performance was favorably reviewed in The Clarinet (September 2008). She has performed with the Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra and the Canton Concert Band. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honorary, the International Clarinet Association, and OMEA. Mark Tryon, clarinet soloist, (left), is also a band director in the Lake Local Schools. He directs the Lake High School Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and teaches small group lessons in grades five through eight. He is a graduate of the University of Akron, where he earned degrees in music education and clarinet performance. He also served as a graduate assistant in bands at The Ohio State University where he earned a master’s degree in instrumental conducting. In addition to his conducting and teaching responsibilities, he is active as a freelance clarinetist, pianist, and organist, having performed with the Sounds of Sousa Band, Blossom Festival Band, Lakewood Hometown Band, Canton Concert Band, and Silver and Strings Trio. He is a member of the Ohio Music Education Association. He resides in North Canton with his wife, Colleen, a clarinetist, and their son, Calvin. Marcus L. Neiman, artistic director and conductor, (right), retired from posts held with the Medina County Schools Educational Service Center in 2010 (1980 through 2000 as fine arts consultant and 2000 through 2010 as director of fine arts tours and festivals). He was formerly director of bands at Medina High School (1972 through 1980).He attended the Akron Public Schools, received his bachelor of science in music education degree from The University of Akron, master of music in music education degree from The University of Michigan, postgraduate hours at The Kent State University, and The University of Akron. He was appointed as the interim assistant director of bands and administrator for the division of bands at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music at Kent State University in May of 2010. In addition to his duties with the division of bands, he also teaches their “Music Teaching as a Profession” course and supervises music education student teachers. Neiman was appointed to the position of part-time lecturer in January of 2004 for the music department at Case Western Reserve University with major responsibilities of teaching their “Foundations of Music Education” course and supervising music education student teachers.
Neiman has served The Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) as a member of the governmental relations and adjudicated events committees, district president, vice-president, state chair for Music In Our Schools and public relations, state editor of their professional journal TRIAD, and state chair for their council of supervisors. He was elected by OMEAs membership to serve as state president from July 1, 1998 through July 1, 2000, and is currently OMEAs state historian. He was awarded OMEAs highest honor, the “Distinguished Service Award” on January 29th, 2010 at the Professional Development Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. Neiman has been published in Music Educators National Conference journal MEJ, The Instrumentalist, The School Musician, The Music Educator, OMEAs TRIAD, FANFARE magazine, and Bands of America Newsletter. His first book, edited for MENC, entitled Life in the Music Classroom, was published by MENC in April 1992. He is listed in Marquis “Who’s Who in America (58th Edition). Neiman has appeared with junior high/middle and high school, college and university, community bands, and American Federation of Musicians union professional bands as a guest conductor and in his characterization of famed bandmaster John Philip Sousa in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, (state of) Washington, and Wisconsin. On October 15, 2004, Neiman conducted the Volga Concert Band in Saratov, Russia in a Sousa-style concert following a week’s residence in Moscow and Saratov. In addition to conducting the Medina Community Band (since 1973), he formed his own professional touring band -- The Sounds of Sousa Band -- (in 1992) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the formation of Sousa's first non-military band. To this date he has performed for over 200,000 people in the role of Sousa. Neiman is a member Local 24 (Akron), American Federation of Musicians. Neiman continues to conduct Medina Community Band, having served as the conductor longer than any other of the organization’s conductors (since the 1973 season), his goal has always been to preserve the presence and character of the traditional “town-band.” There are no auditions, membership dues or fees, or chair placements in the ensemble. Membership is open to adults who desire to continue their growth as instrumentalists. In addition, Neiman has encouraged composers to write for the band. Over the years the band has commissioned works by Douglas Court, Robert Feldbush, Stuart Ling, Edmund J. Siennicki, Tadd Russo, and David Shaffer. The Sounds of Sousa Band Marcus Neiman, artistic director-conductor Mark Tryon, associate conductor Denise Milner Howell, mezzo soprano vocal soloist Colleen and Mark Tryon, clarinet soloists Lake Project Connect Concert Series Sunday, May 22nd, 2011 – 3p Anthem, Star Spangled Banner (1931) Francis Scott Key/John Philip Sousa-Walter Damrosch Overture, Die Fledermaus (1874) Johann Strauss, Jr./Lucien Cailliet Vocal Solo, Die Fledermaus – Chacun à son Goŭt (1874) Johann Strauss, Jr. Encore, My Fair Lady – I Could Have Danced All Night (1956) Frederick Loewe Denise Milner Howell, mezzo-soprano voice soloist March, Bonds of Unity (1955) Karl L. King Folksong, Irish Tune from County Derry (1894) Percy Grainger March, Americans We (1929) Henry Fillmore Novelty, Cartoon (1991) Paul Hart Interval Dance Suite, Dance Diabolique Josef Hellmesberger/Tohru Takahashi March, Black Horse Troop (1924) John Philip Sousa
Dance Suite, Puszta (1987) Jan Van Der Roost Clarinet Duet, Concertpiece No 2 for Two Clarinets (1832) Felix Mendelssohn/Gee Colleen and Mark Tryon, clarinet soloists Clarinet Feature, Clarinet Candy (1962) Leroy Anderson Characteristic, Lassus Trombone (1915) Henry Fillmore March, A Slavic Farewell (1912) Vasily Agapkin/Bourgeois March, The Stars and Stripes Forever John Philip Sousa When John Philip Sousa played his final concert with The United States Marine Band in the late 1890s, one newspaper reporter commented that “the skies opened up and cried as our little band director played his final concert on the White House lawn for a huge crowd of well-wishers. Their umbrellas sprung up like black mushrooms as the rain continued and the band played.” They certainly don't write like that anymore, do they? Sousa took a huge chance leaving the security of his military commission and directorship of the United States Marine Band. Yet, David Blakely, manager for such great ensembles as the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, (Patrick) Gilmore Band, and others, encouraged Sousa that he would become a wealthy man. Blakely was right, but it took at least one name change (from The New Marine Band, which the U.S. Congress didn't appreciate), to the final and more lasting name of simply, The Sousa Band, to get the entire process in motion. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Mr. Sousa's starting his first professional band in 1892, Marcus L. Neiman decided to organize a professional level concert band in Northeastern Ohio capable of performing throughout the state and nation. His goal, simply stated, was to produce a band capable of bringing the sights and sounds of John Philip Sousa to a new generation of listeners. Thus was born Marcus Neiman & The Sounds of Sousa Band. The ensemble, called the great band from Ohio's Western Reserve, is the only professional touring concert band in Northeastern Ohio. Encouraged by life-long friends Mike Hadgis and Richard Keel, then both officers of the Akron (Ohio) American Federation of Musicians Local 24. With the help of his wife, Mary Ann, the two began recruiting members for the ensemble. The criteria was simplistic: (1) the finest wind and percussion players in the area; (2) a dedication to reproducing the music of the Sousa era; and, (3) the ability to be a team player and work for the general good of the band. In 2009, due in part to the changing economic times, the ensemble moved from an all-union ensemble to a non-union ensemble. The ensemble is currently in a reorganization process and rehearsing monthly. Concertizing in the Cincinnati area encouraged the Neiman's to use the same formula “down south” to recruit another roster of superior players. To date, the entire Sousa Band roster boasts a membership of well over 125 musicians from across the state of Ohio. The majority of the members of the ensemble are professional musicians, orchestra players, school instrumental music directors, or studio musicians. Almost all are capable of, or have performed as a soloist with Sounds of Sousa. “Our goal has been, and will continue to be to entertain our audience,” Neiman commented. We have expanded our operation from simply playing summer venue concerts to a full year season of engagements, educational concerts, as well as guest appearances. The band has performed in 33 of the 88 counties in Ohio, and in Indiana, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, (state of) Washington, and Wisconsin. The ensemble has performed engagements for an estimated 500,000 people. For additional information on Marcus Neiman & The Sounds of Sousa Band, visit our website: http://www.soundsofsousa.com. END 330.723.8966 – Fax soundsofsousa@zoominternet.net – email |
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