The Karl L. King Municipal Band of Fort Dodge, IA opened their 2013 indoor concert season on Sunday, February 17, with a concert in the Decker Auditorium at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge.  Jerrold P. Jimmerson is the conductor of the King Band, with Dr. David Klee the assistant conductor.

     This February Concert always recognizes the music of the band’s namesake, Karl L. King, in celebration of his birth on February 21, 1891.  The music performed reflected a wide variety of King’s musical styles and tastes, and was heavily influenced by his career as a circus musician.  When Karl King arrived in Fort Dodge in the fall of 1920 with his wife Ruth and young son Karl, jr., he was already a well-established performer, conductor, composer and publisher of band music. He continued to write music along with directing the local Municipal Band for 50 years, and eventually opened his own music store and publishing business here.

      Conductor Jimmerson drew music for this concert from a variety of Mr. King’s works.  Several of the compositions on the program were published 100 years ago in 1913, when Karl King was a 22-year old young man at the peak of his playing career as a Euphonium player with the Barnum and Bailey Circus Band, the top job of that era.  These selections included the march “The Mystic Call”, a ragtime selection, “Ragged Rozey”, and a lively galop, “Sunshine”.  Closing this special concert was Mr. King’s most famous and recognizable composition, “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite” March, also published in 1913.

     Additional King compositions on the program included his circus overture, “The Golden Dragon”; and an unpublished song, “Ariel Waltz Medley”, arranged by former conductor W.B. Green.  Special tribute was made to several members of the Band who have passed away in the last year, with the playing of Karl King’s dirge, “Remembrance”.

     Featured soloist was Paul Hockmuth, from Knierim.  Mr. Hockmuth graduated from Mason City High School, the University of Northern Iowa, and Red Wing Technical College.  Paul has worked in the instrument repair department of Rieman Music in Fort Dodge since 1991.  He has performed with the King Band since 2001 and the Fort Dodge Area Symphony since 2004.  Mr. Hockmuth played the beautiful Sigmund Romberg song, “Serenade” (from The Student Prince) on the Euphonium.

     Other selections heard included the marches, “All The King’s Men” by former King Band solo cornetist John Erickson, Henry Fillmore’s march tribute, “King Karl King”, and a classical selection, “Festive Dance from Faust”, by the French composer Charles Gounod, as arranged by Andrew Glover.

     This concert concluded with the playing of our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”.