Whitehouse Wind Symphony Presents Free Outdoor Concerts in July
The Whitehouse Wind Symphony, a community band under the direction of Branchburg resident James P. Sheeley, Jr., will present two free, outdoor concerts this July! These concerts are the first public performances that the band has given since December 2019, just before the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. (ABOVE: The Whitehouse Wind Symphony performs under the pavilion at White Oak Park in Branchburg, NJ. CREDIT: Lynn Scolarice)
The first concert will take place on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at 7pm at White Oak Park (235 Baird Street, Branchburg, NJ). This concert is being presented in collaboration with the Branchburg Department of Recreation. The return of this annual event will surely be considered a symbol of a return to normalcy by many local residents!
The second concert will take place on Saturday, July 10, 2021, at 12pm on the north field at the Jacobus Vanderveer House (3055 River Road, Bedminster, NJ 07921). This concert is just one of many events taking place that day to commemorate the reopening of the Jacobus Vanderveer House and Museum. A fitting backdrop to the concert, over 200 American flags will be on display as part of the sixth annual Field of HonorⓇ.
The program for both concerts will feature patriotic selections to commemorate Independence Day, such as “America the Beautiful” and marches by John Philip Sousa. Also on the program will be medleys of rock songs from the 1980s and big band jazz hits by Frank Sinatra, and selections from Broadway musicals such as The Music Man.
The concerts are free and open to the general public, although donations will be accepted to benefit the band, a non-profit group comprised entirely of volunteer musicians.
Audience members of all ages are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and chairs. In the event of inclement weather or public health emergency, the announcement to postpone or cancel either of these concerts will be made on the band’s website (whitehousewindsymphony.org), Facebook page (facebook.com/whitehousewind), and Instagram feed (instagram.com/whitehousewind). Attendees must adhere to all safety guidelines as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and mandated by the local and state government. Attendance is at one’s own risk; discretion is advised, especially for those at high-risk for infection for COVID-19.
The Whitehouse Wind Symphony was founded by conductor emeritus Casey Bork on April 15, 1996. It is dedicated to presenting the best in all varieties of wind band literature. Since its founding, the band has grown rapidly, attracting experienced musicians as regular members from all over New Jersey, as well as New York City and eastern Pennsylvania. It is now comprised of approximately 50 amateur and professional musicians who perform together regularly to enthusiastic audiences throughout central and northern New Jersey. The band was recently named the winner of the 2021 Hunterdon Happening List in the category of favorite band/musician!
The Whitehouse Wind Symphony is committed to making music accessible to all. For information about venue accessibility, please send an email to whitehousewindsymphony@gmail.com, or call the band’s ADA coordinator, Margaret Smith, at 908-534-6662.
Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, through funds administered by the Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
