Park band celebrates America with youth musicians June 17
On Wednesday, June 17, the Kokomo Park Band will present the next installment of its “America at 250” series with a spectacular musical program titled “From Sea to Shining Sea,” guest conducted by Dr. Eric Scott, Director of Bands at Indiana State University, and featuring celebrated trombonist John Huntoon. Sponsored by the Cone Palace, this free public concert will take audiences on a panoramic sonic tour of the American landscape, celebrating the nation’s rich regional diversity and history.
The evening’s activities begin at 6:45 p.m. in Highland Park with a special demonstration by the participants of the annual Youth Multicultural Rhythm Workshop, followed by the main concert at 7:30 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the entire evening will be moved to the Kokomo High School auditorium.
KPB concerts are hosted by the Kokomo Parks Department with the generous support of the Allen Whitehill Clowes Foundation, Center Township, the Community Foundation of Howard County, The Arts Federation, and the Indiana Arts Commission.
The concert’s theme, “From Sea to Shining Sea,” explores how diverse geographies and regional cultures have shaped the American identity over the last two and a half centuries. The musical journey begins on the West Coast with Rossano Galante’s cinematic work, The Redwoods, which uses soaring woodwinds to evoke the ancient grandeur of California’s forests as a symbol of enduring American resilience.
Traveling east, Robert Sheldon’s Sixty Six (The Mother Road) captures the restless, mid-century optimism of westward highway travel. To honor the nation’s expansive borders, the band will also perform Alfred Newman’s epic score for How the West Was Won alongside Robert W. Smith’s The Royal Hawaiian March, which beautifully blends traditional march structures with Pacific rhythms.
The program features lively historical snapshots of the American heartland, including Arthur Pryor’s Ragtime-infused A Kansas Two Step, before concluding with a beloved regional tradition, Back Home Again in Indiana, arranged by Jerry Nowak, bringing the musical voyage right back to the Hoosier state.
Guest conductor Dr. Eric Scott currently conducts the Wind Orchestra and oversees the university’s entire band program at Indiana State University. A finalist for the 2024 American Prize in Wind Conducting and a presenter at the 2026 Indiana Music Educators Association conference, Dr. Scott is a prominent advocate for contemporary music and spearheads vital regional student outreach initiatives, such as the All-Star Honor Band, following a decade of public-school education in the Nashville area.
He will share the spotlight with trombone soloist John Huntoon, who will perform My Old Kentucky Home - Air Varie by Clay Smith. Huntoon, who recently marked 35 years performing with the Kokomo Park Band, currently serves as Principal Trombonist with the Anderson Symphony Orchestra. A veteran low brass educator who served on the Anderson University faculty from 1998 to 2017, Huntoon is a mainstay of the regional music scene, frequently performing across central Indiana, including appearances at the Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre.
Another major highlight of the evening will be the annual Youth Multicultural Rhythm Workshop, which has been under the direction of active professional musician and percussion instructor Art Reiner since its inception more than 30 years ago. The intensive, three-day classes are held at the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, which graciously handles all promotion and scheduling for the program.
Following their pre-concert demonstration at 6:45 p.m., these talented youth participants will officially join the Kokomo Park Band on stage during the main performance to provide the vibrant, Caribbean-infused percussion backbone for Jerry Nowak’s Rhythm Workshop (The Calypso Song).
As a non-profit community staple, the majority of the Kokomo Park Band’s funding depends largely on donations from individuals. Contributions to keep these concerts free to the public can be sent to the Kokomo Park Band, P.O. Box 6039, Kokomo, IN 46904-6039. More information and schedule updates can be found on Facebook and on the band’s official website at www.kokomoparkband.org.