Windjammers, Unlimited to hold summer meet in Oskaloosa
Windjammers, Unlimited (www.circusmusic.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of traditional circus music, will hold its annual summer meet July 12-17, 2011 in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
This event is being held in conjunction with the 125th anniversary of the C. L. Barnhouse Co. (www.barnhouse.com), a music publishing firm of international prominence, whose catalog includes many standards of circus music repertoire. Barnhouse has been headquartered in Oskaloosa since 1891.
During the event, Windjammers bring their instruments and form a concert band, which rehearses and records the music. Over seventy-five works from forty different composers will be performed during the five day event. Well over one hundred musicians, and more than fifty non-playing members, are expected to participate. Windjammers travel from all over the country to attend, and thus far, some twenty-five states are represented.
The event culminates with a concert on Saturday afternoon, July 16 at 3 p.m., at the George Daily Community Auditorium. Fourteen conductors will share the podium in a program of circus music from the archives of the Barnhouse Company.
Another concert, on Friday evening, July 15 at 8 p.m., recreates the Iowa Brigade Band led by C. L. Barnhouse in 1899. This performance, on Oskaloosa’s historic bandstand in the city park, features a 33 piece band in almost identical instrumentation to the Barnhouse band, in a concert of music associated with Oskaloosa, Mr. Barnhouse, and the early days of his publishing company.
Both performances are free and open to the public.
Founded in 1971, Windjammers, Unlimited’s mission to preserve traditional circus music includes an annual January convention in Florida, annual summer meets, publication of the bimonthly “Circus Fanfare” magazine, and offers membership to any who enjoy traditional circus music. Famous members have included the late Merle Evans, bandmaster of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for fifty years.
