Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band to perform pops at Miami-Middletown

Concertgoers from across the region can look forward to the onset of spring with the presentation of a pops-flavored March concert from The Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band.

“What we try and do is a program with a variety of featured pieces, so there’s something for everyone…The programming is very diverse for a symphonic band. You also don’t have to worry about the cost of ticket, because the concert is free to attend, and we have a lot of fun during the concert,” said Danny Maddox Nichols, music director, of The Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band.

The Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band (SOSB) will present its annual spring concert, “Bond…James Bond Meets the Pink Panther” on Sun, Mar. 6 at 2:30 p.m. at MUM’s Dave Finkelman Auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public.

The concert will begin with John Phillip Sousa’s, “Rider For The Flag March” edited by Frederick Fennell, followed by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivano’s “Procession Of The Sardar,” which was arranged by Scott Richards.

Audiences will also enjoy Alfred Reed’s “Greensleeves” (traditional) and Aram Khachaturian’s, “Dance” from Armenian Folk Song and Dance arranged by Clark McAlister.

The first half of the concert will conclude with a veteran’s tribute and the recognition of service members in attendance as the band plays Rossano Galante’s, “They Solemnly Served.”

“I think it’s very important to continue to honor our veteran’s and service members all the time,” Nichols said.

Following a brief intermission, the band will continue with Ottorino Respighi’s “The Pines of Rome, Finale: Pines Of The Appian Way,” arranged by James Curnow.

The afternoon highlight will have James Bond meeting the Pink Panther as the band performs, Henry Mancini’s “Mancini!” arranged by Stephen Bulla and “Bond…James Bond” also arranged by Bulla.

The band will close out the concert with Johann Strauss’s “Radetzky March Op. 282,” adapted and arranged by Alfred Reed.

The band will also celebrate the retirement of Jim Gast during the concert. Gast played his last Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band concert in December of 2021. He played clarinet in the band for 48 years. He has also been an integral part of the band’s leadership team for decades, keeping record of membership and instrumentation for each concert. Gast will be honored by becoming a player emeritus of the Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band.

“Jim has been playing clarinet in the band for 48 years, since right around the time that it was founded by William Stiehl. During that time, he’s played second clarinet, served as the stage manager, and helped to keep track of the band personnel,” said Nichols, “He’s been playing in the band for 48 years, so we decided to make him a player emeritus, and we will be presenting a plaque to him at the concert coming up in March.”

Typically, the SOSB performs three concerts each season in the Dave Finkelman Auditorium. The final concert of the season will be held on Sun. May 1 at 2:30 p.m. Musical selections will include Aaron Copland’s “The Fanfare for the Common Man,” “English Folk Song Suite,” by Ralph Vaughn Williams, “Aurora Borealis,” from Galante, and more.

In addition to the regular season, the band will perform an outdoor, summer concert at Keehner Park Amphitheater on Sat., June 4 at 7 p.m. Keehner Park is located at 7221 Barret Road in West Chester Twp.

How to go

What: “Bond…James Bond Meets the Pink Panther” presented by the Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band

When: Sunday, Mar. 6 at 2:30 p.m.

Where: Dave Finkelman Auditorium, Miami University Middletown, 4200 N. University Blvd.

Cost: Free and open to the public.

More info: Visit www.sosband.org. Masks are required inside the auditorium, regardless of vaccination status.

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