MID AMERICA FREEDOM BAND ANNOUNCES 16TH SEASON AND NEW CONCERT HOME
The theme “Colors” for Mid America Freedom Band’s 16th season stems from those of the LGBT rainbow flag to shimmering metallics of the holidays and stark black-and-white photography of World War I.
This year, MAFB will hold its concerts in the band’s new venue at the Medallion Theater, but will continue its partnership with the National World War I Museum and Memorial for February’s educational program.
RED, ORANGE, AND YELLOW
Saturday, October 20, 2018
7:30 pm
Medallion Theater, Plexpod Westport Commons
300 E. 39th St., Kansas City, MO
Autumn colors and big, bold symphonic hues are in store for MAFB’s fall concert, which features three marches: Margaret Brouwer’s Red Hill Special March, Sergey Prokofiev’s March from Love for Three Oranges, and Henry Fillmore’s Orange Bowl March. Also programmed are Stephanie Berg’s Summoning Fire, Autumn Passages by Eric Knechtges, Quincy Hilliard’s In Praise of Autumn, Arthur Sullivan’s Pineapple Poll, and more.
SILVER AND GOLD
Saturday, December 15, 2018
7:30 pm
Medallion Theater, Plexpod Westport Commons
300 E. 39th St., Kansas City, MO
Let the warm glow of candlelight and friendship wash over you during MAFB’s holiday concert, which features Ralph Raymond Hays’s Hanukkah Medley, Ayatey Shabazz’s Christmas Fantasia, Yukiko Nishimura’s Winter Milky Way, Bob Krogstad’s Bells of Christmas, and many more.
BLACK, WHITE, AND GRAY
Sunday, February 24, 2019
2:00 pm
J.C. Nichols Auditorium, National World War I Museum and Memorial
2 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, MO
The harrowing times of World War I are captured in the premiere of Kimberly Archer’s Songs of Longing and Solitude with text by WWI-era poet Rainer Maria Rilke. Also to be performed are various marches and laments from both the Allies and Central Powers.
GREEN, BLUE, AND PURPLE
Saturday, May 4, 2019
7:30 pm
Medallion Theater, Plexpod Westport Commons
300 E. 39th St., Kansas City, MO
MAFB’s 16th season concludes with one of the modern band world’s favorites: Frank Ticheli’s Blue Shades. The program is rounded out by Catherine McMichael’s Sapphire, Anne McGinty’s Greensleeves Fantasia, Purple Mountain Majesty by Chris Sharp, the world premiere of a new commissioned piece, and more.
Season and individual tickets go on sale June 1, 2018, at www.freedomband.com. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Season tickets are $25. Admission to the February concert is free.
COMPLETE SEASON
(works subject to change)
RED, ORANGE, AND YELLOW
Stephanie Berg: Summoning Fire
Leonard Bernstein: “Mambo” from West Side Story
Margaret Brouwer: Red Hill Special March
Henry Fillmore: Orange Bowl March
Quincy Hilliard: In Praise of Autumn
Clifton Jameson Jones: Saddle Up!
Eric Knechtges: Autumn Passages
Sergey Prokofiev: March from Love for Three Oranges
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Variations on a Theme of Glinka
Arthur Sullivan: Pineapple Poll
SILVER AND GOLD
Leonard Bernstein: “A Simple Song” from Mass
Carol Brittin Chambers: So Wondrous Bright
BJ Brooks: Willows of Winter
Katherine Davis: Carol of the Drum
Amy Dunker: Ice
Shelley Hanson: Patapan
Ralph Raymond Hays: Hanukkah Medley
Bob Krogstad: Bells of Christmas
Yukiko Nishimura: Winter Milky Way
Ayatey Shabazz: Christmas Fantasia
Gloria Shayne and Noël Regney: Do You Hear What I Hear?
BLACK, WHITE, AND GRAY
Kimberly Archer: Songs of Longing and Solitude (Book II) (world premiere)
Nathan Brown: Grey Hill
Edward Elgar: “March of the Mogul Emperors” from Crown of India
Gustav Holst: Second Suite in F
Pierre Leemans: March of the Belgian Paratroopers
Charles Gourdin: American Parade (Two Step)
Traditional mehter music from the Ottoman Empire
GREEN, BLUE, AND PURPLE
TBD: New Commissioned Work
Lee Hartman: Sapphire
Ted King-Smith: Reflections through Green and Gold
Anne McGinty: Greensleeves Fantasia
Catherine McMichael: Sapphire
Claudio Monteverdi: “Toccata” from L’Orfeo
Music of Prince
Arthur Pryor: Blue Bells of Scotland
Chris Sharp: Purple Mountain Majesty
Frank Ticheli: Blue Shades
Giuseppi Verdi: Il trovatore
The Mid America Freedom Band is a community ensemble of LGBT and allied instrumental musicians with 70+ playing members. MAFB provides opportunities for instrumental music lovers to share their passion of performance with the diverse community of Kansas City. It strives for excellence while promoting equality, fostering education, and celebrating the joy shared through music. For more information, visit http://www.freedomband.com.
