One-time Tinley Park resident Bill Hojnacki (and husband of saxaphonist Lynn Hojnacki)
takes in the sounds of the Arts Alive! Jazz Band at Tinley's Fourth of July Celebration

JAZZ BAND CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY

TINLEY PARK, IL - Under the direction of Barbara Abarro, the Arts Alive! Jazz Band started the musical entertainment at the Tinley Park-Park District's annual Fourth of July event and fireworks.

Opening for local cover band “The Hat Guys,” the Arts Alive! Jazz Band performed a pop-heavy program to the delight of their supporters and attracting attention from a crowd not used to a big jazz band.

After 21 years, the Park District's band plays at the Park District's signature event.

The Arts Alive! Jazz Band wants to the thank the Tinley Park-Park District, fine arts coordinator Laurie Fanelli and the citizens of Tinley Park for finally inviting the band to the party.

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Barb leads the band in a number during a 2000 concert
at the Schützenhalle in Büdingen, Germany.

BAND SELECTS NEW DIRECTOR

TINLEY PARK, IL - Long-time band member and bass-clarinetist and baritone saxophone player Barbara Abarro, will be serving as director for the remainder of the Concert Band's schedule, including the band's scheduled appearances in Joliet on Thursday, June 19, and their annual summer outdoor appearance at the Tinley Park-Park District's Tony Bettenhausen Center on Sunday, June 22.

Barb replaces previous director Brendan Koch who resigned just short of his fourth anniversary with the organization, citing personal reasons.

Barb will also serve as director of the Jazz Band as they perform an extended Summer schedule this year, including a first-ever appearance at the Tinley Park-Park District's Independence Day celebration.

Barb's position as director makes her one of the few women in the nation, and the only one in Chicago's southern suburbs, to be the musical leader of a community band. The band looks forward to working with Barb.

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BAND ENTERTAINS HUGE CROWD IN JOLIET

JOLIET, IL - The Tinley Park “Arts Alive!” Community Band Board impressed the large crowd at Joliet's Bicentennial Park at their concert on a pleasant Thursday evening, June 19. The Band was the middle act between local vocalist Cheryl Foster and the family folk act, The Hatfields. One audience member told a band member that they thought the Tinley Park Band sounded as good as Joliet's legendary American Legion Band.

Always one of the band's favorite venues, Bicentennial Park hosts Joliet's “Concert on the Hill” series, every Thursday evening in June.

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DESPITE HIGH WINDS, BAND PLAYS ON

TINLEY PARK, IL - The Tinley Park “Arts Alive!” Community Band and Arts Alive! Jazz Band held a combined concert at the Tinley Park-Park District's Bettenhausen Recreation Center outdoor pavilion on Sunday, June 22.

During the last piece of the first half of the program, a strong wind threatened to blow the band off of the stage. With the help of the audience, the Concert Band and Jazz Bands were quickly moved indoors and the concert was finished, much to the delight of the audience.

The band thanks all the family, friends and supporters in Sunday's audience who helped show go on.

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POSSIBLE NEW FACILITY FOR THE BAND

TINLEY PARK, IL - The Tinley Park “Arts Alive!” Community Band Board was informed by Tinley Park-Park District Fine Arts Coordinator Laurie Fanelli that plans are being drawn up to turn the old administration building at McCarthy Park, next to the band's current rehearsal location into a 100-150 seat performing and rehearsal venue. It would include a back stage storage area. This venue will replace our performances at the former Kirby School. The Band has also requested that their file cabinets of music are moved from the Bettenhausen Recreation Center to McCarthy Park.

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BAND HOLDS SPRING CONCERT WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

TINLEY PARK, IL - The Concert Band is coming off another well-received performance given on Sunday afternoon May 4 at the Tinley Park-Park District Centre for the Performing Arts at Kirby School. The first half of the annual Spring concert featured music of W. Francis McBeth, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Claude Smith and Karl King. The second half was a tribute to Broadway, including the music of Cole Porter, George Gershwin and music from the musicals “Show Boat” and “Camelot” ending with traditional encore of Sousa's “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

A special appearance was made by the Arts Alive! Jazz Band, making a rare appearance on the same bill as the Concert Band. The band wishes to thank everyone for coming out and supporting both groups.

For future Concert Band and Jazz Band concerts, see the Schedule on the band's website: artsalive.org

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REGISTRATION WITH SPONSOR DUE

TINLEY PARK, IL - All current, active members of the band must register with our sponsor, the Tinley Park-Park District. Unregistered members will be prevented by our sponsor from participating in the program.

Our sponsor provides several avenues for registration:

• First, you can register by simply downloading, printing and filling in the registration form and bringing the form along with payment in ($15 in district, $23 out-of-district) in person or by mail to the:

  Tony Bettenhausen Recreation Center
  8125 West 171st Street
  Tinley Park, IL 60477

  Registration Hours:
  Monday-Friday: 7 AM - 9 PM
  Saturday: 8 AM - 4 PM
  Sunday: 8 AM - 3 PM

• Or, you can also fax the completed registration form along with your credit card information to (708) 342-4290.
  
  
• Finally, you can now register on-line at Tinley Park-Park District's website:

1. Get your user name and password by sending an E-mail to info@tinleyparkdistrict.org with “User Name” in the subject line, or call their office at (708) 342-4200 for assistance Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM.
   
   
2. After you get a letter with your user name and password information, go to the Park District's web site at www.tinleyparkdistrict.org

For more information about On-line Registration, visit the Tinley Park-Park District's Website.

PLEASE NOTE that the Tinley Park Arts Alive! Community Band is not responsible for problems with our sponsor's registration policies or procedures.

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BAND MEETING PLACE STILL STANDING

TINLEY PARK, IL - Teehan's Tap, the traditional post-rehearsal meeting place of the Tinley Park Arts Alive! Community Band since the band's founding in 1987, will be razed as part of a village-subsidized project to level existing buildings to create a “historic” downtown business and residential district.

Sluggish pre-sales have slowed down progress on the planned high-rise condominium and small retail development that will eventually level Teehan's and several other blocks of historic buildings in the village's downtown.

Although too late to change anything, the Good-bye Teehan's page on the band's website has attracted attention. The band received this E-mail from literally the other side of the world:

“We are one of the few families of Teehans in New Zealand and my parents visited this bar on a trip to the USA years ago. My father is 83 and still proudly told everyone about the bar. Sorry to see the end of an era.

Regards
Viv Morgan (nee Teehan)”

A search for a new post-rehearsal meeting place will take place immediately after Teehan's closes.

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