Published: July 06, 2009 12:10 am         

Fifth festivities: After rain passes, Wabash Valley celebrates

TERRE HAUTE — Clouds gave way Sunday evening as the Terre Haute Community Band rolled out their “American Salute.”

“The band’s playing better than they ever have,” said group percussionist and Honey Creek Middle School band director Steve Humphrey before the show.

Humphrey said this year’s summer concert series contains a lot of entertaining music selections that crowds get into.

The “American Salute” had initially been scheduled for Saturday evening but was moved, along with the Fourth of July fireworks show, due to heavy rain.

But as the band warmed up their horns and drums prior to the 8 p.m. kickoff, the sky shone blue and sunlight sparkled across the nearby Wabash River.

Fireworks crackled in the background as the band prepared and the seats of the amphitheater filled.

Principal conductor of the show was Yvonne Newlin, performing arts coordinator and instructor at Lincoln Trail College.

The Knight family assembled onto the concrete rows to watch the show, with Ian, 5, proudly wearing his red, white and blue paper hat that he made “in preschool” at St. Patrick’s.

“We watched some on TV last night,” his mother Emily said as father Ted and sister Isabella got settled in for a show they’d planned on watching the night before.

Ian held a plastic trumpet to play along with the band.

Selections for Sunday evening’s show were taken from an array of patriotic music, including “America the Beautiful,” an “American Civil War Fantasy,” the “Armed Forces Medley” and “Espirit de Corps.”

The band performs again Saturday, July 18, with its Battle of the Big Bands II, featuring a guest band and a number of big band hits from earlier in the 20th century.

Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.