St. Joseph Municipal BandThe City of St. Joseph offers video concerts released each concert day, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Normally the concert would take place at the John E. N. Howard Band Shell.
Featured Performers for the September 6 video
Gary Cooper, Trombone Solo; Jim Kraus, accompanist
Gary Cooper- Trombone, attended Lake Michigan College, Indiana University at South Bend, and the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. He has studied Trombone with Arnold Jacobs, EdwardKlienhammer, Jay Friedman, and Charles Vernon and has studied Voice with Margret Hillis and Thomas Hardy. Cooper has sung with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and has performed solo roles in Mahler's Eighth Symphony, Boris Godunov by Mussorsky, and Moses und Aaron by Arnold Schoenberg. He has worked under the direction of Sir George Solti, James Levine, Claudio Abbado and Margaret Hillis. He has performed as a soloist with the Southwestern Michigan Symphony, Elkhart Symphony as well as many ensembles throughout England and Europe. He has played on stage with the New York traveling ensemble of “Chicago” and with “Celtic Women” in their recent shows in South Bend, Indiana. He recently was the featured soloist with the Andrews University Symphonic Winds European tour. Gary Cooper is Artist in Residence in the St. Joseph Schools and teaches for Southwestern Michigan College. He also teaches at Citadel Arts Center in Benton Harbor and teaches privately. He continues to perform as a Vocalist and Principal Trombonist with the St. Joseph Municipal Band and plays Principal Trombone in the Southwest Michigan Symphony and the Whiting Park Festival Orchestra. Gary also performs with several brass quintets; SMSO Brass Quintet, Quintessence Brass, and with North American Brass Company in the Southwest Michigan and Indiana areas. He is active as a clinician and soloist in the Midwest area.
James Kraus, accompanist for Gary Cooper holds a Bachelors degree in Piano Performance from Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky where he also studied organ, voice and conducting. He continued higher education at the University of Maryland where he focused on piano and vocal studies. At the University he was a soloist with the University Chorus and Collegium Musicum. He was also a chorister at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. and All Saints Episcopal Church in Chevy Chase, Maryland. He completed a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance with an emphasis in Early Music at the University of South Florida where he continued keyboard studies as well. He received a second Masters with an emphasis in Church Music at Asbury Theological Seminary. Mr. Kraus became the Minister of Music at the St. Joseph First United Methodist Church in 1993. At the church, Mr. Kraus directs several choirs and ensembles, plays the organ and piano and serves as a minister in other leadership areas of the church. Mr. Kraus is an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church.
He is a regular accompanist for area students at music festivals, competitions and recitals. Mr. Kraus has also composed various sacred cantatas for soloists, choir and orchestra, and choral, solo vocal and instrumental works as well. Mr. Kraus teaches piano and organ at Lake Michigan College where he has taught various music classes for over twenty years. Mr. Kraus is one of the artistic directors of the Southwest Michigan
Symphony Chorus and is associate conductor of the chorus. He and David Carew have co-directed two international choir tours leading the Southwest Michigan Chorale in Ireland and Central Europe. They are planning another choir tour to Italy.
19th Century Brass Ensemble
Dr. Jonathan Korzun, Coordinator
"Dr. Jonathan Korzun, received his education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Korzun’s doctoral dissertation is on John Philip Sousa. Dr. Korzun studied conducting with Paul Vermel, James Keene, Thomas J. Wizniewski, Daniel Kohut, John Whitwell, William Berz and Scott Whitener. He studied trombone under Robert Gray and Hal Janks. A music educator with over 30 years of experience, Dr. Korzun's previous positions include Associate Director of Bands at Rutgers University, and instructor of conducting and student teacher supervisor at the University of Illinois. Dr. Korzun frequently serves as a clinician and guest conductor with area school music programs. He also has extensive experience as music director and conductor of musical theater productions with over 50 shows to his credit including two collaborations with award winning composer William Finn. This is Dr. Korzun’s 28th season with the St. Joseph Municipal Band. He resides in Stevensville with his wife, Donna."
Eb Cornet Bb Cornet Alto Horn Tenor Horn Baritone Horn
Jay Crouch Mary Davidson DeLain Bomer Gary Cooper Richard Heemer
Charles Steck Lon Vogie Kristie Detgen Dr. Steve Myers
Cheryl Schadler
Tuba Percussion
Gary Kurtis Marc Churchill
Michael Shannon Alan Mitchell
Stacie Detgen French Horn Solo
Kathleen Warinner, Accompanist
Stacie Detgen, is in her 32nd year as a band instructor. She has taught in the Ubley Community Schools and Charlotte Public Schools. She has been a member of the St. Joseph municipal Band for 35 years.
Kathleen Warriner, accompanist for Stacie, has a Master’s Degree (Western Michigan University) and Bachelor’s Degree (Central Michigan University) in Music Education/Performance. Her main instruments include clarinet, saxophone, flute and piano. She is active in musical theatre as Music Director/Pit Musician in multiple venues throughout Michigan.
Heidi Ferris is a seasoned vocalist and musician who has been working in the Michiana area for the last twenty years. Originally from Niles, Ms Ferris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Performance and copious experience in both performance and instruction. She has worked extensively as a professional Musical Director and actor. Heidi considers teaching voice to be one of her strengths and enjoys helping young singers learn to manage their instruments. Ms Ferris has sung with many area choral groups and is currently a part of Chorillenium, a Choral collective out of Dowagiac Michigan. Heidi has been a featured soloist with the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra, the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra and the North American Brass Company. Ms Ferris loves to work with local theatre groups to create fine musical expressions of art, and her most recent stage credits include the role of Marilla in Anne of Green Gables, and Tanya in Mamma Mia. For the last ten years, she has been the accompanist and Music Director for the First Presbyterian Church in Buchanan, MI. Heidi begins work this fall with Good Shepherd Montessori School in South Bend, IN as their Choir Specialist. She, her husband Tucker and their daughter Revel live in Edwardsburg and this year have enjoyed lots of time together. They are looking forward to theatres and breweries reopening and a return to live music events and travel.
Featured Performers for the September 7 video
‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ by John Philip Sousa
"Jake Roorda, St. Joseph, is an electrical engineer for GE Aviation where he
designs special purpose computers for aircraft. He is the Municipal Band’s
"Audio Visual Designer” for the special video productions. He has been running
live audio/visual setups for 10 years for church events and Youth Unlimited.
He also plays clarinet with the St. Joseph Municipal Band and as a community
member with the Calvin University Symphonic Band during the school year.
We especially thank him for his great work in putting together the band’s virtual
performance of “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa.”
Vocal Duet: Eliabeth Gray-Roll, Jeff Whitaker
Elizabeth Gray-Roll is in her tenth year as choir director for Upton Middle School and St Joseph High School. She has a bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University and a Master’s degree from Western Michigan University in Music Education. Beth is very involved with choirs in the community including the Southwest Michigan Symphony Chorus, the semi professional coral group Chorallenium, and her husband's church choir at Saron Lutheran Church. She also enjoys directing both middle and high school musicals for St Joseph Public Schools, most recently Beauty and the Beast and Annie Jr. In her spare time Beth enjoys spending time with her husband Marcus, daughter Piper, son Finnegan, and new twin boys Emmett and Thatcher.
Jeff Whitaker is a 1981 Graduate of Niles High School, and was a scholarship award winning vocal music major at Western Michigan University, where he was the first freshman honored with admission into their prestigious vocal Jazz ensemble Gold Company. He then went on to the professional theater and then did further studies at Indiana University at South Bend. Upon leaving the University, the launched out as a member of The Spuntlows, a contemporary Christian music group, traveling across the United States and Canada doing conventions and special events at such notable venues as The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit, the University of Notre Dame’s ACC, as well as a number of national television networks. As the proud son of a Vietnam Veteran, Jeff has had the honor of working alongside veteran’s groups via benefit concerts and outreaches at V.A. hospitals, festivals and national holidays. Internationally he has been a concert artist throughout China, Russia, Vietnam, Indonesia, n Scotland, with additional missions to over a dozen countries around the world. Paster Jeff currently resides in Niles, Michigan with his wife of over 33 years, Doreen. They are blessed with five children three grand children He is also the Senior Pastor of the Michiana Christian Embassy Church in Niles.
2020 St. Joseph Municipal Band
Corona Virus adjusted season
Website for each date below will be posted when video is released.
Pre-Season Concert Videos:
Regular Concert Season Videos:
St. Joseph Municipal Band
St. Joseph Municipal Jazz Band
Our thanks to: the City Manager, John Hodgson, Head of Public Works, Greg Grothous, Mayor, Michael Garey, City Commissioners and Taxpayers. Because of their support we produced weekly video concert productions for YouTube for the 2020 Covid season. We hope to return to our regular live concerts in 2021 and look forward to once again seeing fine familiar faces.
Until then if your haven’t already subscribed, please do so at our concert YouTube web site just in case we have a surprise greeting for you or if you want to see or share a concert again at: sjcity.com/band
John E. N. Howard, was conductor of the Municipal Band beginning in 1948 through 1987; he also was the St. Joseph High School Band Director until he retired in 1963. The band has been conducted by Dr. Donald Moely, since 1987.
Dr. Donald K. Moely Director St. Joseph Municipal Band
Dr. Moely has completed 33 years as Director of the St. joseph Municipal Band. 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 this was followed by 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. 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 recently retired as the choral director of John Adams High School in the South Bend Public Schools. Donald and Eloise Moely are the parents of a daughter Donelle, son Michael (Laura) and grandson Matthew living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
"Serving the St. Joseph audiences takes a different form this season with prepared concert videos each Sunday and holidays during this 2020 summer season. We encourage our fine audiences to tune into our videos during this adapted season. We look forward to seeing you again in person at the beautiful scenic setting of the City of St. Joseph John E. N. Howard Band Shell."
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Today, St. Joseph is nestled on the southern tip of what has been termed "The Riviera of the Midwest." This deepwater port town is a growing resort community - part of a "small town" chain stretching from the state line in a spectacular arc along Lake Michigan. Grain, wool, maple sugar, furs, and lumber, tools, hardware and furniture are shipped in and out of the river's mouth. The St. Joseph Lighthouse stands in the midst of activity as boaters, fishermen and water-skiers take advantage of Lake Michigan.
In 1860, wooden sidewalks were built. Since then, downtown St. Joseph, while still maintaining some of its older storefronts, has changed tenfold. Located just 90 miles from downtown Chicago, St. Joseph is a community of 8,800 people situated within the larger Benton Harbor/St. Joseph MSA of 162,000 people. The City of St. Joseph has continually operated at full economic capacity, with citywide unemployment rates typically hovering around 2%.
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