St. Joseph Municipal Band

The City of St. Joseph offers municipal band concerts every Sunday throughout the summer months. Conveniently located downtown at Port Street and Lake Boulevard, the municipal band concerts take place at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell. Its namesake, John Howard, was conductor of the municipal band beginning in 1948 through 1987; also, he was the St. Joseph High School band director until he retired in 1963.

The St. Joseph Municipal Band will be greeting you on Sunday, June 28, 2020 with our new look.

Join us as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the John E N Howard Band Shell.

Our thanks to: the City Manager, John Hodgson, Head of Public Works, Greg Grothous, Mayor, Michael Garey, City Commissioners and Taxpayers. We couldn’t perform without their fine support.

2020 Municipal Band Concert Schedule

• June 28, Sun - Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• July 4, Sat - Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• July 5, Sun - Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• July 12, Sun - Jazz Band Concert  @ 7:30 p.m.
• July 19, Sun - Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• July 26, Sun -Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 2, Sun- Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 9, Sun - Jazz Band Concert @ 7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 16, Sun- Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 23, Sun - Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 30, Sun - Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• Sept. 6, Sun - Band Concerts @ 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• Sept. 7 Mon -  Labor Day Concerts @ 3:30 & 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Donald K. Moely Director St. Joseph Municipal Band

Dr. Moely is completing 32 years as Director of the St. Joseph Municipal Band this summer. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, followed by his Masters and Doctoral Degrees in Music Education from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. Dr. Moely served as Director of Bands at Winona State University, in Winona, Minnesota. During his term there, he developed the Symphonic Band and organized several recruitment band tours throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. He later moved to take the position of Chairman of the Music Department, and Director of Bands at Lake Michigan College, where he directed the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Show Choir, taught brass lessons and piano classes in the electronic keyboard lab. While teaching at the college, Dr. Moely received several outstanding commendation awards for his leadership in the college’s music program. During his work there Donald and Eloise Moely received the Bernard Radde Award given annually by the College Board of Trustees to outstanding contributors to the development of Lake Michigan College. He directed a European music tour featuring the college’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Show Choir. Dr. Moely continued his post Doctorate studies in trumpet and music education administration at North Texas State University and received a Sabbatical leave from the college to study trumpet and orchestral conducting at the Mozarteum in Salzburg Austria. He is presently the choral director at John Adams High School in the South Bend Public Schools. Donald and Eloise Moely are the parents of a daughter Donelle and a son Michael living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

"It is a great honor to be the conductor of this fine group of musicians. Their dedication to serving the St. Joseph audiences with concerts each Sunday and holidays during the summer at the John E. N. Howard band shell is phenomenal. I strive to keep the successful variety of programming and the high professional musical standards that were set for this community’s tax based band by my predecessor, John E. N. Howard (for which the band shell is named). Our band receives numerous positive compliments from visitors across the entire country and from around the world, who tell us this quality band, the programs and the performance setting at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell overlooking the beautiful shoreline of Lake Michigan is an outstanding phenomenon. It is a beautiful combination and it is truly thrilling for the musicians, the audiences and myself. I am glad to program all the fine talent and serve our community by performing to fine audiences each summer and continue the great tradition of this St Joseph Municipal Band."