Medina Community Band will present a 9-11 Tribute Concert on Sunday, September 11th, 2022, at 6p, in St. Ambrose Church, 929 Pearl Road, Brunswick. Rain site will be St. Ambrose Hilkert Hall Gymnasium. The outdoor concert will take place in the parking lot behind St. Ambrose School.
Featured soloist will be Denise Daugherty, soprano voice soloist, performing George Gershwin’s Someone to Watch Over Me (from Oh Kay!) and John McCrae’s In Flanders Field. Special featured ensemble will be the St. Ambrose Church Adult Choir under the director of Travis Jürgens.
The community band will feature Randall Sandridge’s fanfare Fiat Lux (Let There Be Light), Clare Grundman’s American Folk Rhapsody No 1 and Frank Ticheli’s Simple Gifts from his Four Shaker Songs. Special march selections will feature Louis Panella’s American Red Cross March; Alan Silvestri’s Captain America March, Edwin Eugene Bagley’s National Emblem March; John Williams’ March of the Resistance from Star Wars the Force Awakes; and Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever March. A special armed forces salute to area veterans and their families will also be presented.
Medina Community Band is proudly sponsored and supported by the Medina Community Band Association, composed of members of Medina Community Band. The board of directors consists of Lu Ann Gresh, president; Amy Muhl, vice president; Lindsay Hastings, financial secretary; Rodney Hannah, treasurer; Sue McLaughlin, secretary; with directors John Connors, Jeff Danilovic, Thomas Kenat, and Kristin Thompson.
Membership in MCB is open and there are no dues or auditions; however, members are expected to maintain a regular attendance. For additional information on the 2022 concert season or Medina Community Band, contact Neiman at 330.725.8198 or MarcusNeiman@medinacommunityband.org, or visiting Medina Community Band website
For additional information on the 2022 concert season or Medina Community Band, contact Neiman at 330.725.8198 or MarcusNeiman@medinacommunityband.org, or visiting Medina Community Band website – https://medinacommunityband.org/.
Conducting Staff
Marcus Neiman, conductor
Marcus L. Neiman has been conductor of Medina Community Band since the Fall of 1972 and has served as conductor of the ensemble longer than any previous conductor in the ensemble’s history. He attended the Akron Public Schools, received his bachelor of science in music education degree from The University of Akron, master of music in music education degree from The University of Michigan, postgraduate hours at The Kent State University, and The University of Akron.
Neiman retired from posts held with the Medina County Schools Educational Service Center in 2010 (1980 through 2000 as fine arts consultant and 2000 through 2010 as director of fine arts tours and festivals). He was formerly director of bands at Medina High School (1972 through 1980). Neiman retired in July of 2016 from his position as assistant professor of music education at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music at Kent State University where he was an interim assistant director of bands conducting the Concert Band (May of 2010 through May of 2011) and music education courses, as well as supervising music education student teachers.
Prior to his arrival at Kent State University, Neiman was a part-time lecturer for the music department at Case Western Reserve University with major responsibilities of teaching their “Foundations of Music Education” course and supervising music education student teachers from April 2004 through May of 2010. He also supervised visual arts education student teachers for The University of Akron.
Neiman was a founding trustee and past president of both the Medina County Arts Council and Medina County Performing Arts Foundation and served as music director for productions by both Medina County Show Biz Company and Brunswick Entertainment Company. He served as a committee member on the City of Medina Uptown Park Committee and Arts Under the Stars committee. A past member of Medina Noon Kiwanis Club he was a member of the class of ’94 Leadership Medina County. He was awarded the Leadership Medina County “Excellence in Education Leadership” in June of 2014, the sixth recipient of the award in Leadership Medina County’s history and the only recipient not a superintendent of a school district.
Neiman has served Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) as a member of the adjudicated events flute solo and ensemble required list selection committee, communications, governmental relations, music in our schools, and public relations committees, district president, vice-president, state chair for Music In Our Schools and public relations, state editor of their professional journal TRIAD, and state chair for their council of supervisors. He was elected by OMEAs membership to serve as state president from July 1, 1998 through July 1, 2000 and is currently OMEAs state historian. He was awarded OMEAs highest honor, the “Distinguished Service Award” on January 29, 2010 at the Professional Development Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. Neiman has been published in Music Educators National Conference journal MEJ, The Instrumentalist, The School Musician, The Music Educator, OMEAs TRIAD, FANFARE magazine, and Bands of America Newsletter. His first book, edited for MENC, entitled Life in the Music Classroom, was published by MENC in April 1992. He is listed in Marquis “Who’s Who in America” (58 Edition).
Neiman has appeared with junior high/middle and high school, college and university, community bands, and American Federation of Musicians union professional bands as a guest conductor and in his characterization of famed bandmaster John Philip Sousa in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, (state of) Washington, and Wisconsin. On October 15, 2004, Neiman conducted the Volga Concert Band in Saratov, Russia in a Sousa-style concert following a week’s residence in Moscow and Saratov. In addition to conducting the Medina Community Band (since 1972), he formed his own professional touring band — The Sounds of Sousa Band — (in 1992) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the formation of Sousa’s first non-military band. To this date, he has performed for over 200,000 people in the role of Sousa.
Neiman’s goal has always been to preserve the presence and character of the traditional “town-band.” In addition, Neiman has encouraged composers to write for the band. Over the years, the band has commissioned works by Douglas Court, Robert Feldbush, Stuart Ling, Edmund J. Siennicki, Tadd Russo, and David Shaffer. Neiman is a member of numerous professional organizations including the National Association for Music Education and Ohio Music Education Association, National Band Association, Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and Ohio Citizens for the Arts. Neiman is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi (University of Michigan Nu chapter, and honorary Beta Pi at Kent State University). He is also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa (national leadership society – The University of Akron – Theta Circle). He and his wife Mary Ann, who is a professional clarinetist reside in Medina with Ludwig – the cat.
John Connors, assistant conductor, is a Sergeant First Class in the Ohio Army National Guard, where he serves as the full-time Readiness Noncommissioned Officer of the 122nd Army Band in Columbus. In
John Connors
addition to these duties, he continues to perform as a trombone player and serve as drum major, where he has led the band in parades throughout the state of Ohio. 2022 will mark Connors’ fifteenth year serving in the Ohio National Guard. Outside of the Army, John remains active as a freelance musician throughout Ohio and currently plays lead trombone in the John Trapani Big Band of Canton. He has also served as trombone soloist with the Brass Band of the Western Reserve in Akron. Additionally, he performs on historical instruments with the Civil War period ensembles The 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment Band, The Camp Chase Fifes and Drums, and the 2nd Cavalry Brigade Band. He joined the Medina Community Band in 2002 to play trombone, and he has also played in the euphonium, horn, and percussion sections. Connors holds a Master of Music Degree in Music Education from the University of Akron (2019), Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh (2014), and Bachelor of Music degree in Trombone Performance, with a minor in Jazz Studies, from Ohio University in Athens (2012). He graduated from Highland High School in 2007. Connors has studied conducting with Richard Suk and Andrew Trachsel at Ohio University, Andrew Feyes and Galen Karriker at The University of Akron, and with Marcus Neiman.
Matthew Hastings, assistant conductor, has been employed with the Wadsworth City Schools since 2015. At Wadsworth, Hastings oversees the 5th and 6th grade band programs, assists with the marching band during band camp, and serves as theatre manager for Wadsworth’s OJ Work Auditorium. Prior to his appointment at Wadsworth, he completed his student teaching experience at Donnell Middle School in Findlay, Ohio teaching grades 6-8 band and grades 6-7 general music. Hastings joined the Medina Community Band in 2018 where he plays tuba and percussion, and he is also serving as an assistant conductor for the 2019 summer session.
Hastings graduated from Green High School in Green, Ohio in 2011, and earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Ohio Northern University in 2015. He resides in Medina with his wife, Lindsay and their dog, O’Malley.
Amy Muhl has been a member of Medina Community Band since 1998. Originally from Lyme, Connecticut, moved to Ohio to study music education at Oberlin Conservatory in 1991. She graduated in 1995
Amy Muhl
and taught orchestra for two years in the Willard City Schools. Amy received her masters of music education from Kent State University on a scholarship, in 1998. She then taught instrumental music at Buckeye High School, in Medina (OH) and in the fall of 1999, became the elementary band teacher for Buckeye Local Schools. In the fall of 2001, she began teaching elementary instrumental music at Central Intermediate School in the Wadsworth City Schools. After raising Eva and Simon for 5 years, Amy returned to Wadsworth Schools teaching general music at Valley View Elementary and is now back at Central Intermediate School teaching general music and choir. Amy also plays flute/piccolo and piano, in addition to being a member of Medina Community Band and Sounds of Sousa Band. She is also Vice President of the Medina Community Band Association. Amy resides in Wadsworth with her husband Frank, and three children, Kenneth, Eva and Simon.
Travis Jürgens, conductor. Travis Jürgens won 2nd Prize and the President of the Jury Award at the 2019 Bucharest Music Institute International Conducting Competition. He has conducted the Rochester Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic, and Denver Philharmonic, among others.
Jürgens has performed in the United States, Europe, and Japan. He has been praised as “a superior conductor” and “well on his way to becoming a major conductor in the world of symphony orchestras” (Opus Colorado). Musicians who have played under his baton have commented on his exceptional talent, dynamic musicianship, efficient rehearsals, and strong leadership.
The fully professional Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra appointed Jürgens as their next Music Director and Conductor in July 2018. Previously, he was the Music Director and Conductor of the Ohio Northern Symphony for five seasons, the Lima Area Youth Orchestra for three seasons, the Philharmonia of Kansas City for six seasons, the Associate Conductor of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, and a cover conductor for the Colorado Symphony. He also held the position of Associate Conductor of the Lamont Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre in Denver, where he received the Leon Guide Outstanding Conductor Award. Saint Ambrose Parish in Brunswick, Ohio appointed Jürgens as Director of Music Ministry in July 2020, where he currently serves with a grateful heart.
Jürgens earned his Bachelor’s in Piano Performance with High Distinction from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, his Master’s in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Illinois, and an Artist Diploma in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Denver Lamont School of Music. Additionally, he studied at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien and the Institut für Europäishe Studien in Vienna, Austria. He also made his Viennese debut as guest conductor of the IES Vienna Chamber Orchestra. He has served as Graduate Assistant Conductor at the University of Illinois, and Assistant Conductor for the University of Illinois Opera Theater. His primary conducting teachers include Donald Schleicher, Lawrence Golan, and David Effron. Additionally, he has received instruction from Michael Tilson Thomas, Marin Alsop, Gustav Meier, Larry Rachleff, Jorma Panula, Jin Wang, and many others. As an advocate of new music, Jürgens has performed many world premieres by emerging composers, and works to create innovative programs to engage communities.
Soloists & Featured Ensemble
Denise Daugherty, soprano soloist. My husband and I reside in Brunswick, Ohio. In our blended family we have 4 grown children and 4 grandchildren. I taught Math and Computer Classes at North Royalton for 35 years and at The University of Akron for 1.25 years. Now that I am retired, I enjoy exercise classes, snow skiing, gardening, water volleyball, golf, caring for my elderly mother, organizing Ladies First meetings, coordinating cantors, singing at St. Ambrose, volunteering for the FEST and Sing!AgainstCancer, and singing for liturgies, plays and events.
My Mom was the Music Director at St. Matthews Catholic Church in Akron, so I started cantoring at age 12. My parents had a Jazz Band and I learned how to play clarinet, alto sax and tenor sax at age 13. I sang in High School in select groups and played in several bands. At family reunions music was played by family bands different genres. Dad always said music was in our genes. Cantoring and choir participation at church are how I give back to God the gift he gave me. Singing with the Medina County Orchestra has been fulfilling. Musical theater involvement at Springfield High School in Akron and community theater productions in Parma Heights, Brunswick, Brecksville and Medina has been fun. As a board member for Sing!Against Cancer, I sing for fund raising concerts and Gathering Place Events. I am delighted to sing with the Medina Community Band.
Brunswick St. Ambrose Church Adult Choir
| Soprano | Alto | Tenor | Bass |
| Clarice Palcisko | Barb Wachs | Dave Ivory | Brian Becker |
| Cookie Clausing | Debbie A. Bonezzi | Karen Becker | Rich Wenmoth |
| Deniose Daugherty | Mary Louj Sull | Ted Warholic | Timothy Garrity |
| Donna Moran | Nancy Niemesch | ||
| Donna Szalay | Patty Lewis | ||
| Dyan Beder | Tammy Sobek | ||
| Esther Stanard | |||
| Linda Cebula | |||
| Norma Sutter | |||
| Patricia Nelson | |||
| Peggy Hibler |
