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The Karl L. King Municipal Band
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View concert photos from previous seasons
in our Concert Archive
KING BAND TO OPEN SUMMER SEASON:
The
Karl L. King Municipal Band of Fort Dodge, Iowa will open their 2026 indoor
season on Sunday, February 15th , with a concert beginning at 3:30 pm in
the Fort Dodge Middle School Auditorium, located at 800 North 32nd Street
in Fort Dodge. Conductor of the Band is Dan Cassady, with Paul
Bloomquist as the announcer. There is no admission charge,
with these concerts being provided by the City of Fort Dodge.
This February concert is the
Band’s annual tribute to former Conductor Karl L. King in honor of his
birthday. King was born on February 21, 1891 in the small village
of Paintersville, Ohio. After his childhood growing up in Canton
OH, he left at the age of 19 to travel for 9 years with several different
circuses. He first played Euphonium with different bands for
4 years, and then became conductor of two of them, reaching the pinnacle
of success conducting the world-famous Barnum and Bailey Circus Band
during the 1917 and 1918 seasons. He returned to Canton after
his trouping days in November of 1918 to settle down with his wife, Ruth,
and direct the local Grand Army of the Republic Band there.
In addition, the King’s only son, Karl Jr., was born in November of 1919.
In the fall of 1920, King and his family moved to Fort Dodge when he was
hired to conduct the Municipal Band there, a career that lasted more than
50 years until his death on March 31, 1971.
This
concert will open with Karl King’s march tribute to one of Fort Dodge’s
most famous hoaxes, The Cardiff Giant, published in 1925.
Other selections to be performed include King’s Spanish march titled Pan-American,
a circus staple from 1942, along with his 1925 march, Step On It!
dedicated to long-time Fort Dodge player and band manager Walter Engelbart,
otherwise known as ‘Speed King’.
King published more than just
marches among his nearly 300 compositions. Also included on
this concert will be King’s popular 1924 overture, Fountain of Youth,
an Oriental intermezzo from 1919 titled Ung-Kung-Foy-Ya, and his
beautiful 1925 serenade, Lover’s Lane, dedicated to his wife.
Bringing an international flavor
to this concert is the thrilling march by Vasilij Agapkin, titled A
Slavic Farewell, one of the gems to come out of post-Cold War Russia.
Other familiar selections on this one-hour concert include Hoagy Carmichael’s
1927 standard, Stardust, along with a musical Tribute to Sinatra.
This medley of popular songs was recorded by ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ himself, and
includes Theme from New York, New York, It Was A Very Good Year,
The
Lady is a Tramp, and closes with Sinatra’s signature song, My Way.
This concert will conclude with
Karl King’s most famous and well-known 1913 composition, Barnum and
Bailey’s Favorite March, one of the most played and recorded marches
ever written, followed by our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
In case of inclement weather, this concert may be cancelled.
Any announcements will be made on the band’s Facebook page (see a link
to that site above).
The
March 22nd concert is the Band’s annual Irish Concert to celebrate St.
Patrick’s Day. This concert dates back to the early days of
the Band under Karl King’s direction. Conductor Cassady has
planned a wide variety of Irish music, and will include an audience sing-along
of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling and My Wild Irish Rose, led
by Roger Netz, along with everyone’s favorite Irish tune, MacNamara’s
Band, all arranged by one of the band’s previous conductors,
Reginald R. Schive.
The
April 26th concert will be the Band’s annual Scholarship Concert, where
talented high school seniors and college freshmen can audition for three
scholarships that the Band annually awards. Watch for more
details regarding this concert in future issues of Twist and Shout.
View some photos from the 2025
Scholarship
Concert.
View photos from the last concert
of conductor Jerrold Jimmerson
View the programs from the 2023
Concert Season
The Karl L. King Municipal Band of Fort Dodge is
seen during a practice session
before taking the stage.
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