MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Municipal Band will perform its annual Independence Day concert on July 4, 2018 with a special guest appearance from the U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra.
The performance will feature Master Gunnery Sgt. Pete Wilson, a violinist with “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra.
“As luck would have it, this also happens to be our son,” said Morgantown Municipal Band Conductor C.B. Wilson on WAJR’s Morgantown AM.
Sergeant Wilson has been a member of the the Marine band for 28 years.
“We’re happy to be able to have Pete with us,” C.B. Wilson said. “He will actually be playing the piece by John Williams. [It is] a piece that he played with the marine band several years ago under the baton of John Williams.”
The band is made up of professional musicians to assure for a quality performance playing music by John Williams, George Gerswhin, John Phillip Susa, Irving Berlin and others.
“I’ve been blessed with really competent players over the years and when you ask the question of how much time I have to rehearse with the band, we rehearse two hours the day before whether we need it or not,” he said.
The theme of the concert has not been announced, but it is said to relate to the 29th consecutive year of the Independence Day concert.
“People need to come to the concert to find out what the theme is,” C.B. Wilson said.
The performance begins at 11 a.m. under the front overhang of the WVU Creative Arts Center. Parking will be available in the lot adjacent to the CAC.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and prepare for hot, sunny weather.
Elsewhere, the City of Morgantown will host a bike parade on Spruce Street.
Main Street Morgantown will hold a full parade at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, with fireworks being lit off from near the Mountaineer Middle School. A morning running event is also scheduled. Additional fireworks will be held in Cheat Lake.
Story by Hannah Williams