Music Under the Stars

Friday, April 26, 7-9 p.m.
Tempe Diablo Stadium
2200 W Alameda Dr
Tempe, AZ 85282

Music Under the Stars is a unique celebration of music by high school , college, and professional musicians. The FREE event at Tempe Diablo Stadium provides the opportunity for Tempe musicians to play for the public in the open air. Music Under the Stars offers an inclusive community atmosphere in which everyone can enjoy live music free of charge.

Concessions will be open with food and drinks available. Personal coolers will also be permitted into the stadium for this event.

Participating Ensembles

Arizona Wind Symphony

The Arizona Wind Symphony is a dynamic and talented 95-member ensemble based in Tempe. A founding partner of Tempe Center for the Arts, this adult organization reflects a broad cross-section of our community: educators, business owners/leaders, medical professionals, engineers, homemakers and retirees. The group has been under the leadership of founding conductor and well-recognized music educator Bill Richardson for 19 years. AWS prides itself in performing a wide variety of music that appeals to many tastes, such as Broadway, Celtic, marches, jazz and ambient as well as newly commissioned works and classic cornerstones of the wind band repertoire. AWS excels in engaging their audience by performing music infrequently heard (and at least one march!) with each concert. Music is a worthy and energizing lifelong pursuit; AWS promotes that goal through members from the ages of 18 to beyond 95. Come listen and enjoy!

Corona del Sol Band & Steel Drum Band 

The Corona del Sol Steel Drum Band is under the direction of Scott Werner. It is the largest steel band in the state Arizona. The band has won many awards including The Martin Luther King Diversity in Education Award from the city of Tempe. The Corona del Sol High Music program received The A+ Exemplary Programs Award from the Arizona Educational Foundation. The band has performed with international pan artists Andy Narell and Liam Teague. They were also a featured act for events at the 2015 Super Bowl. Corona del Sol High School is a grade “A” school and is accepting new students for next year. The band would like to thank the Corona del Sol Band Boosters and our Corona del Sol administration.

Desert Vista High School Band & Steel Drum Band

The Desert Vista High School band program consists of music education programs touching many different areas of performance, including traditional concert performing ensembles, percussion ensembles, jazz bands, steel drum bands, jazz bands and marching band. They are the recipients of numerous awards for musical excellence in all areas of performance and are the 8-time and reigning Arizona-Div 1 State Marching Band Champions. The band program also participates in several outreach activities to give back to the community, including United Sound, which provides musical performance experiences through peer mentorship for students with special needs, and Ahwatukee Youth Band, which encourages young musicians from local middle schools by pairing them with older mentors.

Marcos de Niza High School Band

The Marcos de Niza Band Program has a long history of musical excellence. This past year, The Padre Pride Marching Band received an Excellent rating at the ABODA State Marching Band Festival and finished in 2nd place at the Division 4 ABODA State Marching Band Championships in November. Marcos de Niza Wind Ensemble received a Superior rating at the State Concert Band Festival last April. The Marcos de Niza Bands had 6 students accepted in the AMEA West Regional Honor Band along with 5 students selected as alternates. The Marcos de Niza band would like to thank their administration, district leadership, band boosters, band parents, and sponsors for their support of our band program.

The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps

In 2001, The Academy Brass & Percussion Ensemble was formed to give some of Arizona’s finest young musicians an introduction to the incredibly unique activity of drum and bugle corps. Over the course of three summers, the young group of 52-60 performed for several local events and had taken the opportunity to perform in exhibition at its home show, the Southwest Corps Connection. In 2004, the group added the final element of the color guard, was accepted as a DCI sanctioned unit, made the name change to The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps and began competing for the first time. In 2006, the corps had grown to 128 members and competed for the first time in Drum Corps International World Championships in Madison, Wisconsin where they earned the title of Division II World Champion. 2007 marked their first year competing in Division I, now called World Class, where they continue to compete today. In 2009, The Academy was named the official drum and bugle corps of the City of Tempe. 2016 marked an historic season for the corps with its first appearance in World Class Finals competition, placing 11th overall. The corps is well on its way to providing another amazing season to 150+ young adults in 2019.

Contact:
Julie Akerly
Arts Engagement Specialist
julie_akerly@tempe.gov
(480) 350-5175