As the Beckwith Park Summer Concert Series prepares to launch its 2014 season, the Dowagiac Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is pleased to announce Huntington Bank for the seventh consecutive year has agreed to underwrite the popular $5,000 fine arts program that opens this Thursday, June 5.

Debbie Knapp, marketing specialist in Grand Rapids for Huntington Bank, and Cindy Rolback, branch manager of the Dowagiac office, joined Vickie Phillipson, DDA program director, in making the joint announcement.

Similar to a British-style ensemble, the 25-member Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) Brass Band opens the series June 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Beckwith Park, located at the corner of Front and Beeson streets in the downtown.

A member of the North American Brass Band Association, SMC’s brass band was founded in January of 1992 by its current director, Dr. Jonathan Korzun, who also serves as the director of bands at Southwestern Michigan College.

Having coordinated the 10-week summer arts program, Phillipson extended her appreciation to Huntington Bank and said she is also pleased to welcome the return of SMC’s brass band to this year’s line-up of entertainers.  The Thursday evening concerts, featuring lawn-chair seating, begin at 7:30 p.m.

“One of three bands at Southwestern Michigan College, the brass band is composed of community members, who are both amateur and professional musicians; SMC students; and talented area high school students,” Korzun said.   “The band is a British-style ensemble, which was modeled after the brass bands that are so popular throughout Europe.”

The Southwestern Michigan College Brass Band gives regular performances both on and off-campus, including concerts at the John E.N. Howard Band Shell in St. Joseph and the Niles Riverfront Amphitheater.  Due to the size of the brass band, instrumentalists will be situated on Beeson Street, rather than beneath the Haggin-Wimberley Memorial Bandstand.  Phillipson said arrangements have been made to close Beeson Street to motorists Thursday afternoon in preparation for that evening’s concert.

The Beckwith Park Summer Concert Series is presented Thursday evenings in the downtown through Aug. 14.   Entertainment this season, which ranges from the Big Band sound to Bluegrass, Folk and pop music of the 70s and 80s, also features: Out of Favor Boys, June 12; Tony Fields & Doug Decker, June 19; A Touch of Country, June 26; 5 O’clock Somewhere, July 10; Lake Effect Jazz Big Band, July 17; Kalamazoo Avenue, July 24 in celebration of Huntington Night; Fonn Mor, July 31; Schlitz Creek, Aug. 7; and Otsego Jazz Ensemble, Aug. 14.  Should any of the concerts be rained out, Aug. 21 is a scheduled raindate.

Phillipson said Huntington’s willingness to underwrite the $5,000 concert series is a wonderful blessing for our community, especially in these uncertain times, when funding for the arts is limited.