Shaker Heights Community Band to Host Outdoor Concert

Blankets, lawn chairs and musicians on the corner of Lee Road and Van Aken Boulevard eastbound indicate one thing — the arrival of the Shaker Heights Community Band's summer concert.

The event begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Organizers hope the evening's sunny forecast holds true, but if inclement weather occurs, the event will be moved to the .

Community Life Program Coordinator Kevin Crowe said the show will be dedicated to the memory of Particia S. Mearns, the former Shaker Heights mayor who passed on Sunday.

The program will premier an original song composed by graduate Gabriel Rothman. Entitled, “Dedicatory Letter,” the piece was written with the city's centennial anniversary in mind.

Attendees can expect to see the 50-member band perform pieces by John Philip Sousa and patriotic marches to tunes like "God Bless America" by Irving Berlin.

"It's just a nice mixture of slightly contemporary (music) and patriotic marches that are just wonderful," Crowe said.

The band has been around for about 15 years, Crowe said. The concert will be directed by director Luiz F. Coelho, who instructed many of the band members at and elsewhere.

"(The concert) has truly become a part of the fabric of the community," Crowe said. "It's really become a wonderful summer tradition."

People are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs for seating. The event is free and open to the public.

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