As the Mount Prospect Community Band celebrates its 50th anniversary season this summer — with a special lineup of concerts — its members are sharing some of their unique background experiences that they bring to this award-winning ensemble.
Their first concert in this Summer Festival of Music takes place at 7:30 p.m. on June 22, at the RecPlex, located at 420 W. Dempster St. in Mount Prospect. Due to construction at their traditional home at the Veterans’ Memorial Bandshell at Lions Park, the band has relocated to RecPlex for this summer season. But their membership remains the same.
The group plays under the direction of Monty Adams, who has been leading it since 2015. He brings his background of having formerly played in the U.S. Air Force Band as principal flutist and soloist. After his enlistment in the Air Force, he performed numerous times as a substitute flutist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and also substituted as principal flute at Ravinia and Orchestra Hall concerts.
Band Director Monty Adams
“My Air Force Band experience prepared me well for the positions I now hold,” Adams says. “We performed many orchestral transcriptions as well as concert band repertoire. I love all the music we perform.”
Among his talented players is John Reschke. He plays French horn in the band and has been a steady member of its horn section for nearly all 50 years. However, he credits his high school band director at Notre Dame College Prep, with instilling in him a love of music. Fr. George Wiskirchen, CSV, was his band director, who suggested he switch to playing French horn. Fr. Wiskirchen also influenced another high school student while he was at Notre Dame College Prep, James Pankow, who played trombone and went on to form the band, Chicago.
John Reschke
In the woodwind section, Jim Johnson plays flute, saxophone or clarinet, depending on the song selection. He brings not only his major in saxophone performance, from Northern Illinois University, but his many years with an Elvis tribute band, where he played various woodwind instruments and the keyboard, and helped arrange music. He also enjoys playing alongside of his wife, Jean, who plays clarinet. The two met in fifth grade band, while growing up in Mount Prospect.
Jim and Jean Johnson
Another family performing in the band are the Keiperts. Paul plays trombone while his wife, Carol, plays flute and piccolo. Their daughter, Amy, is the resident soloist with the band, singing everything from Broadway hits to jazz and holiday selections.
“I joined the flute section as soon as I was old enough, and the first time I was a vocal soloist with the band was the summer of 2004,” says Amy Keipert, who also is the choir director at McCracken Middle School in Skokie and serves as Associate Conductor and Soprano Section Leader of the Chicago Chamber Choir.
Adams draws from these wide-ranging experiences of his musicians when selecting their concert selections. Not surprisingly, they have a developed a devoted audience over these last 50 years, who appreciate the quality of their musicianship and lively concerts.
Amy Keipert
“The members of the Mount Prospect Band are dedicated and flexible to all the musical suggestions I give,” Adams says. “It is a joy working with this talented community group.”
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