By Al Benson
Roosevelt-Aurora American Legion Post 84 band will conclude its season with a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 30 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 85 S. Constitution Drive in Aurora. Admission and parking are free. Donations will be accepted.
The band pays tribute to America’s military by playing patriotic standards and selections steeped in Americana.
Closing each performance is “A Salute to the Services,” a medley of military service tunes transcribed by former band member, the late Mike LaGow. John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” will be a feature.
Conducting will be Patty Sampson, in her 29th year of teaching school and her 18th year at West Aurora High School.
A native of Joliet, Sampson earned her undergraduate degree in music from DePaul University and her master’s degree in music education from Northwestern University.
Aurora native Greg Hensel is the Band’s associate conductor and trumpet section member. In his 11th year of teaching high school band, Hensel received his undergraduate in music education at Illinois State University.
Formed in 1937, the all-volunteer Band honors current U.S. military and veterans. The Band primarily performs in the Summer months, appearing in both parades and performing concerts at Fox Valley-area venues.
Band president Greg Probst said, “Our final concert will be the only concert indoors this season. We have been incredibly lucky with the weather this year, but performing indoors is a nice treat for not only our members but our audience as well.”
Probst said the band is seeking experienced musicians to join for next year’s season.
For more information, call (630) 423-6116 or e-mail greg@probst.xyz.