First Concert of the Lakeshore Wind Ensemble was in 1984

Prof. Michael Arendt was the founder and first conductor of the Lakeshore Wind Ensemble.

Lakeshore Wind Ensemble photo

On Friday, January 27, 1984, the Herald-Times-Reporter announced that a campus/community band to be called the Lakeshore Wind Ensemble was in the process of being organized by Michael Arendt, associate professor of music at the University of Wisconsin Center-Manitowoc County.

Prof. Arendt extended an invitation to musicians in the area with the desire to play, but had no outlet to do so, or wanted an additional performing opportunity. Openings in every section of the band were available.

Interested persons could join at no charge, or receive one UW credit by formally enrolling in the ensemble as a UW class.

Rehearsals were held on Tuesday evenings 7-9 p.m. from January 31-May 15 in the band room at UWC-MC, 705 Viebahn Street.

Advertisements for members of the new Lakeshore Wind Ensemble appeared in the HTR.

The first concert of the LWE was held at 8:15 p.m., Thursday, March 22, 1984, in the Fine Arts Room at the UWC-MC campus. Admission was free.

The program began with Nicholas Rimpsky-Korsakov’s Procession of the Nobels, a grand march with a brass fanfare from the opera-ballet Mlada. This was followed by Pageant by Vincent Persichetti, and Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, narrated by David Semmes, associate professor of communication arts at the Manitowoc campus.

After a short intermission, the ensemble played Felix Mendelssohn’s fiery Romantic masterpiece Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor (first movement) with a piano solo by Wesley Teply, lecturer in applied piano at the campus. Martin Mailman’s Liturgical Music for Band (four movements: Introit, Kyrie, Gloria. Alleluia) concluded the performance.

The audience was invited to attend a reception for the musicians immediately following the concert in the campus lounge.

The second concert by the Lakeshore Wind Ensemble was held on Tuesday, May 15, 1984, also in the Fine Arts Room at campus. Selections included The Silver Quill concert march by Dale Harpham and Sammy Nestico, Ludvig van Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Franz Joseph Haydn’s Concerto for Trumpet, with a trumpet solo by Brian H. Hanes, Roncalli High School’s band director.

Following the summer break, LWE rehearsals for the 1984-85 season were again advertised and new members were invited to join. Fall semester rehearsals resumed on September 11 until December 13 from 6-8 p.m. in the band room at UWC-MC.

The first concert of the new season was held on Thursday, November 1, 1984. The performance

featured John Philip Sousa’s The Fairest of the Fair March, Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E Flat and C. M. von Weber’s Concertino Op. 26 with clarinet soloist Jill Hanes, principal clarinetist with LWE and the Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra. A Christmas concert on Sunday, December 9 featured A Carol Festival with an audience sing along.

In November 1984, the LWE announced plans for a two week European tour of concerts and sightseeing in June 1985. During its first concert tour, the band visited Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) and Switzerland.

In later years, Professor Arendt led six other tours abroad with concerts in France, Italy, Scandinavia, Slovakia, Russia, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Japan, Ireland and Great Britain.

Arendt conducted the LWE for 30 years until 2014. Other conductors have included Dr. Daniel Ackley (2014-2015) and Dr. Marc Sackman (2016-2020). The current conductor and music director is Jeremiah Eis.

The LWE became fully private and independent of the University system in June 2020.

Congratulations to LWE on sharing the joy of music for the past 42 years. Bravo!