Cannon fire lit the air on Thursday, July 2 as the Naperville Municipal Band performed their annual Fourth of July concert at Central Park in downtown Naperville.
Joining the band was the Naperville Chorus, lending their voices during two songs that evening.
The performance was cut short due to the threat of severe weather.
Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” is a Naperville tradition
The annual performance of the “1812 Overture” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky featuring real cannons is a crowd favorite.
The explosive tradition of pairing cannons with Tchaikovsky’s iconic overture began in 1977, thanks to then-Mayor Chester Rybiki. A fan of the piece, Rybiki insisted on including cannons for its first performance—and that rousing tradition has continued ever since, echoing through
the generations.
While the overture may be what draws the crowds, the full concert program is a tribute to American patriotism.
- “Liberty Fanfare” – John Williams, arr. Curnow
- “Americans We” – Henry Fillmore
- “Chester” – William Billings (Setting by William Schuman)
- “Yankee Doodle” – Morton Gould
- “This Is My Country” – arr. Jerry Brubaker
- “1812 Overture” – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (arr. Lake)
- “Hail to the Spirit of Liberty” – John Philip Sousa
- “God Bless America” – Irving Berlin (arr. Ades)
- “Battle Hymn of the Republic” – J. Howe & W. Steffe (arr. Wilhousky)
More summer sounds to come from the Naperville Municipal Band
The band has plenty more performances for the summer. Bring a chair, pack a picnic, and join them for more music under the stars—all performances begin at 7:30 PM at Central Park in downtown Naperville. Here’s what’s ahead:
- July 9 – Dance Party in Central Park
- July 16 – Dianne Hutchison’s 50th Anniversary
- July 23 – Creature Features (DuPage Symphony Orchestra at 6:30, NMB at 7:30)
- July 30 – Celebration of the Big Band
- August 6 – The Sound of Movies
- August 13 – Until Next Time
If you have information about any upcoming Naperville-area events to share, send us a tip!