SUMMER BAND

Dear U of M Alumni, Students, Friends and Family,
 
Our next summer of music is approaching, and we invite you to join us for another season of the UMBAS (University of Minnesota Alumni Band Society) Summer Band. If you have not played with us before, we are a community concert band-style ensemble that performs several outdoor concerts in the Twin Cities area each summer. This is not an exclusive group by any means – the more the merrier! Feel free to forward this email to anyone you think will be interested. 
 
New for 2023
You will notice two new areas on the registration form:
First, as many of us know, as the size of our group has increased, this band wouldn't exist without the multiple volunteers who help set up and help tear down after each rehearsal. Included in the registration form is a place to notate if you would like to be on the set up & tear down teams. We will work out schedules after we get the groups in place. There also is a spot to let us know if you would be interested in introducing pieces of music at our performances as well as if you would like to help as a band librarian in getting music organized and distributed to the band.

Second, to help the Band Alumni Society continue providing not only this performance opportunity, but our other engagements and scholarships, the UMBAS board has approved an ask for a $5 donation to help cover some of our operating expenses of which Summer Band is one. This is a voluntary donation; no one will be denied joining us this summer if you can't donate. A donation link to the UMBAS PayPal account is in the registration form.

Registration Form: 2023 Summer Band Registration Form
 
2023 Summer Band Schedule
The band rehearses on Wednesday evenings, as laid out in our schedule below (performances are bolded). As of now, all rehearsals will be held either outside on the West Plaza or in the Marching Band Main Rehearsal Hall at Huntington Bank Stadium (HBS) on the campus of the University of Minnesota from 6-9pm. Parking is available right outside the stadium ($1 an hour), but other parking and transit options are always utilized by our members. You can enter through the marching band entrance, located inside the Pope County entrance on the North side of the stadium. We are flexible with scheduling conflicts, since summer is frequently a time of traveling and activities. I will ask that you try to be present at as many rehearsals as possible, since it is still our intent to be able to play great music at a high level. A specific request in this regard would be to make sure that if you need to miss a rehearsal that it not be a rehearsal immediately before a concert – unless you are also not available to attend that concert.

• Wednesday, May 24th: Rehearsal 6-9pm, HBS

• Wednesday, May 31st: Rehearsal 6-9pm, HBS

• Wednesday, June 7th: Rehearsal 6-9pm, HBS

• Wednesday, June 14th: Rehearsal 6-9pm, HBS

• Wednesday, June 21st: Rehearsal 6-9pm, HBS

• Wednesday, June 28th: St. Paul Cathedral, St. Paul, 7:00pm

• Wednesday, July 12th: Rehearsal 6-9pm, HBS

• Thursday, July 13th: Northrop Plaza, UMN Campus, 7:00pm

• Wednesday, July 26th: Centennial Lakes Bandshell, Edina, 7:00pm

• Wednesday, August 2rd: Rehearsal 6-9pm

• Thursday, August 10th: Northrop Plaza, UMN Campus, 7:00pm

Repertoire
Musically, a variety of repertoire is included in our concert sets, but it always includes some of the traditional U of M repertoire: Minnesota Rouser, Minnesota March, and Battle Hymn of the Republic, among others. In addition to the traditional music, we include standard concert band repertoire to fill out our concerts. Our overall instrumentation will affect the concert repertoire that will be chosen for this season. Music will be sent out via email prior to the first rehearsal.
 
Thank you again, and please try to fill out the registration form prior to May 15th. With everyone’s unique schedules, we rely on strength in numbers. As stated earlier, please feel free to extend this invitation to those who are not directly affiliated with the U of M. You might have friends or family that are interested in playing in a group like this and we would welcome them with open arms.
 
As always, please feel free to email summerband@skiumah.org if you have any questions or concerns. We are looking forward to working with you all starting May 24th!
 
Ski-U-Mah, and Go Gophers,
 
Adam Connolly
UMBAS President

Ross Wolf
2023 Summer Band Director