The Culture of Waltham - part two Music

If you want Music - you've come to the right place.  Waltham, MA rocks, rolls, sings, and swings!
I'm starting with musical performance groups in Waltham and will move to listening to music in Waltham:

I begin with the benchmark of PLAYING music in Waltham - the Dot Hill American Legion Band. 
The Waltham Legion Band was begun in 1948 under Dot Slamin Hill and brought international luster when they were the 1st American band to march in Red Square.  This patriotic veterans band has performed everywhere from Dublin to Honolulu!  You can see them year round in both concerts and parades.  In May they'll play in Newton, Somerville, Waltham, & Watertown.  After 63 years, they're fundraising for new uniforms - check out their website & contribute.   www.walthamlegionband.org

Next up is the Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra - they just performed in Boston and will be back in Waltham for an Italian Night at the Opera on May 19th at the Westin Hotel.  Now in their 25th year - they have an annual student competition and a local student joins the orchestra for a concert as a soloist.  Talk about giving back to the community!  Visit http://wphil.org/ for more info (and to buy tickets).

Then there are local acts: Waltham, The McMurphys (playing May 21 at John Brewers, Waltham 9pm), The Moody Street Swing Band, Soft Touch Band, Steve Taddeo and the Swing Senders, musicians Gerry Beaudoin, Gail Rundlett, Julian Rundlett, & Michael Williams....

And our local music schools & private instructors - MJ's Music School on Main Street (www.mjsmusicschool.com) , Lexington Music on Moody Street, LearnQuest Academy of Indian Classical Music -[Hindustani and Carnatic] (www.learnquest.org), & the Fine Arts Dept. of Brandeis, and the Waltham Public Schools (each Elementary/Middle/High School has a choir, concert band & orchestra, plus there are Jazz Band, Pep Band, Show Choir/Band, Orchestra and private lessons and small ensembles) - if you want to learn to play an instrument look no further than down the street!

Then - if you just want to LISTEN to great music in Waltham:
* Gore Place Music Series - the historic mansion has a GREAT (ticketed) summer music series from May 15 through June 22nd.  And a museum to tour, and historic gardens, and a farm....... (www.goreplace.org)
* Waltham Farmers Market - June 11 - Nov 5 - there is a concert almost every week at 11am - and you can buy GREAT local, fresh food and products as a bonus!  (This Saturday May 7th is the Spring Preview Market from 930a-230p at the corner of Moody & Main in the Sovereign lot.  Be there! http://www.waltham-community.org/FarmersMarket.html  (Free)
* Waltham Arts Council Summer Concerts on the Common series - every Tuesday night from July 5 - August 23, 2011 (www.walthamarts.org) features John Penny Band, Waltham Philharmonic, Steve Taddeo and the Swing Senders, Continentals, Legion Band, Soft Touch, Reynolds Band, and the Reminisants.  (Free) This is their 31st year -and the July 5th concert is a fundraiser for their Bill Walsh Scholarship - to be given to a Waltham High student, so on opening night - bring your lawn chair and some $$ for a good cause!
* Waltham Riverfest is an annual arts performance extravaganza that takes Waltham by storm and in 2011 is June 10 and 11, 2011 - and focuses on local talented artists.  Watch out for more info - http://www.walthamriverfest.com/performers.html
* Oct - May Brandeis Concert Series (http://www.brandeis.edu/arts/concerts/index.html) Some concerts are ticketed and some free - world music, new music, and everything in between!
* You can eat and listen to live music at John Brewers (www.johnbrewerstavern.com/waltham), The Skellig (www.theskellig.com), and Shoppers Cafe (www.shopperspub.com).

***  A big REMINDER - please purchase tickets to the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovations fundraiser festival THIS weekend May 7 & 8 $20 for both days adult/$10 both days child.  It is a HUGE fundraiser to restore and repair the museum that was ruined during last years' flooding.  I'll be there!  http://internationalsteampunkcitywaltham.org/