Greenville Municipal Concert Band to pay tribute to Dwight Brown, Ken McCoy

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GREENVILLE – The Greenville Municipal Concert Band once again will take the stage this Sunday at the Marling Band Shell in the Greenville City Park. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

This week the Greenville Municipal Concert Band will present a tribute to two great Greenville musicians, Dwight Brown and Ken McCoy.

Brown held the baton for the Greenville Municipal Concert Band for more than 40 years. Celebrated as Greenville’s “Mr. Music,” Brown touched the lives of numerous musicians and non-musicians alike.

A graduate of Miami University, Brown led a very eclectic life. An avid aviator, he loved to fly and did so for both recreational purposes and in the service of the United States.

Brown was an educator in the Greenville School District, but he also is credited with starting band programs in the area. He served the community in government as well, presiding over the Park Board for many years and many other civic organizations. In many ways, Brown was as much “Mr. Greenville” as he was “Mr. Music.”

Very notably, Brown is credited with the building of the original Marling Band Shell located in the city park. Musically, he was a great admirer of all things John Philip Sousa.

The Greenville Municipal Concert Band will perform favorites of Brown including “Sousa Marches,” “Procession of the Nobles,” “The Sound of Music” and a compilation of music hits by George Gershwin, whom Dwight also enjoyed.

McCoy, a Greenville native, is a giant among national composers and arrangers. He graduated from the highly regarded North Texas State University in music. Upon graduation, McCoy became a public school music educator in Greenville and Versailles.

He left public school education to make a serious mark in the music world on a national level in 1977 when he became the chief staff arranger for the United States Army Field Band in Washington, D.C. and wrote many pieces of music for many years for that highly esteemed organization.

In 1995 McCoy began arranging music for The Ohio State University Marching Band. He has had his arrangements performed by groups throughout the United States and the world, and his arrangements and compositions have been recorded by The United States Army Field Band, Ohio State University and other national artists such as Les Elgart and Stan Kenton, whose music McCoy enjoyed greatly.

The Greenville Municipal Concert Band will perform works arranged by McCoy such as “Amazing Grace,” “Beautiful Ohio” and “With A Little Help from My Friends.”

Park bench seating is available, and guests can bring their own chair or blanket to sit on and enjoy the show.

Brown
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Dwight-Brown-WEB.jpgBrown

McCoy
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Ken-McCoy-WEB.jpgMcCoy

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