Foundation keeps music playing

Here's an opportunity to listen to live music and support a good cause.

The Waukegan Band Foundation will kick off its first free summer concert season at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 15. The season will run through the end of July, with performances taking place at the Stiner Memorial Pavilion, 201 Sea Horse Drive, in Waukegan.

Formerly known as the Waukegan Municipal Band, the Waukegan Band had to regroup as an independent foundation after losing its funding last summer due to budget cuts in the city of Waukegan. Buoyed by the generous donations of corporate sponsors – such as AT&T, Midwest Generation, and NorStates Bank – as well as personal donations from audience members, the foundation spent the winter months incorporating the organization and applying for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

Now, under the direction of Tom Gillette, the Waukegan Band is ready for its first independent summer concert season.

“I’m extremely grateful that this group has come together once again, after a very difficult year of changes,” Gillette said in a release. “The Waukegan Municipal Band had been playing since 1936. It would be a shame for our community to lose such a valuable asset.”

The concerts run every Tuesday through July 27, with themes ranging from “Music of America,” to “Waukegan Chamber Music,” and “What’s on the Director’s iPod?” Every performance is free, and the foundation invites attendees to bring their lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets to enjoy the show.

About the Waukegan Band Foundation
The Waukegan Band Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to providing musical experiences to the community by supplying an environment for community musicians to further their musical education.

Additional information about the foundation can be found at www.waukeganband.org.