This was and is big band music at its best. And, the Glenn Miller Orchestra was and is the best. The modern version of the Glenn Miller Orchestra played to a packed house of a thousand people at Lely High School, Jan.
17. People stood in awe and appreciation till the band played an encore. And what an encore!
Charlie Parker's Cherokee with dueling saxes in the Parker style and soaring trumpets. Then, add and be amazed that this band is young. None of them can be more than half the age of 72-year old leader Larry O'Brien and three of the four trumpeters have played with the band less than a week.
But, everyone carries lead solos with impressive technique and style, and they play in orchestra as one. Also, Larry O'Brien amazed the audience with breath control and floating mellow tones of his trombone solos. They packed the two-hour concert with music, 27 pieces, beginning and ending with the Glenn Miller theme Moonlight Serenade and filling the in between with new and old songs, Miller classics like A String of Pearls and Chattanooga Choo-Choo, the first recording ever to receive a gold record, and songs that Miller never dreamed, such as Billy Joel's Just the Way You Are.
Band leader O'Brien took time to thank band supporters and to talk about the importance of music and the arts in public education. He also expressed the band's hope that their performance at Lely High would encourage young music students to work harder and set their goals to play in a band like the Miller Orchestra. Lely Band Director John Stein echoed those hopes, noting that he'd been able to use the concert as an educational opportunity for his students.
The concert was also a fund raiser that will allow Director Stein to buy music and repair instruments as well as put some money away toward purchase of new band uniforms. One of the high school band members, Bernie Green, a percussionist, noted that he's already been inspired. He'd worked the Dorsey concert last year and was eager to work the Miller.
He said, "It was one of the best performances I've ever seen." He plans to major in music performance with a business back up. In grand Miller style the Glenn Miller Orchestra saluted veterans of every branch of service with Anchors Aweigh, asking the vets to stand.
Half the audience stood. They closed the concert with the audience singing America. John Stein has already contracted with the Miller Orchestra for a concert next year, Jan.
15. Tickets will go on sale in October. To get on a list to be contacted at that time, please e-mail John Stein at steinjo@collier.
k12.fl.us.
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