Eighty years of music from New Ulm’s Municipal Band | News, Sports, Jobs

The group began with a rehearsal at Brown and Meidl’s Music Store on March 4, 1946, with 40 musicians in attendance. They have been playing music for the town of New Ulm ever since. 

To commemorate 80 years of history, a book about the band’s history will be available late June or early July.

Don Jirak, director of the New Ulm Municipal Band, enjoys the community aspect of the concerts.

“We get to entertain the people of New Ulm. Hopefully the things we play are crowd pleasers,” Jirak said.

Jirak said the band is open to anyone “willing to commit time and effort.” New Ulm Municipal Band accepts anyone from seventh grade up. 

As director, Jirak is in charge of arranging concerts around town and selecting the music played at each event. 

Wednesday night’s concert opened with John Philip Sousa’s “The Thunderer” which Sousa said was his first distinctly American march. 

Following performances of pieces from “The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Music Man,”and originals created in Ulm, Germany, the concert concluded with “Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever.”

New Ulm Municipal Band has a range of events slated for the summer. They will play every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at German Park through the end of July. 

The band will also be playing at Oak Hills on June 24 and perform for Bavarian Blast on July 19. 

Rehearsals take place every Tuesday from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Cathedral High School band room.