35 years of making music
The Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band is offering two concerts in honor of its anniversary milestone.
The Kingdom of the Sun Concert rehearses at Howard Middle School on Feb. 10. [Photo by Janet Voyles]
It would be impossible to count the notes of music that have emanated from the instruments played by the all-volunteer members of the Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band over the past 35 years. But what the members will be able to count will be the donations received during two upcoming anniversary concerts, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar.
The band, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary with concerts at 2 p.m. on Feb. 22 and 3 p.m. on Feb. 23, has a matching gift sponsorship from the Adam Hanson Better Communities Fund.
“All of the monies collected in our donation buckets during the concerts will be matched dollar-for-dollar. This will greatly aid in our tradition of providing admission-free concerts, while we depend on our donors to help with our operational fees of venue rental, music, storage, insurance and safety officers,” said band member Janet Voyles.
Voyles said the anniversary concerts will “feature music from our past and present with a nod toward the future, featuring our Conductor Emeritus Les Muncaster, his wife and vocalist Marcia Muncaster and our current Conductor/Music Director, J. Craig Lilly. There will be plenty of nostalgia and surprises as we celebrate this milestone.”
The band’s website states it was founded in March of 1990. The repertoire offers a variety of music including marches, big band medleys, classical, popular music, show tunes and patriotic tributes. The band performs throughout the year at venues in the greater Ocala/Marion County area and all performances are free and open to the public.
Craig Lilly conducts the Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band during a rehearsal at Howard Middle School on Sept. 12, 2022. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman]
“Having worked with students in elementary, middle and junior high, high school and university, gives me the experience to collaborate with 15- to 97-year-olds into a cohesive unit. All musicians, young and old, share their experiences and grow both musically and intellectually, bringing decades of experiences together as one,” Lilly offered.
“The KOS band has helped the bands in Marion County by making the students outstanding players as they take this knowledge back to their respective schools, it improves teamwork and collaboration, fosters friendships, and makes them better people in the community. The KOS band also gives scholarships to deserving seniors every year” he added.
Les and Marcia Muncaster pose before a KOS Concert Band rehearsal on Feb. 21, 2022. He served as director and conductor for 24 and she has been a vocalist with the band. [File photo by Bruce Ackerman]
“I’ve seen the band grow from the original 30 members to the current 80+ musicians. It has been an incredible experience watching talented young musicians perform next to seasoned and, in many cases, professional performers, both drawing upon their own experiences to share and learn from each other, bringing quality, free entertainment to Marion County and the surrounding area, all through a shared love of music and performing,” Muncaster said.
“As a member of the U.S. Air Force Band for more than 27 years, I can count my years with Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band as one of the highlights of my musical career. A personal plus for me, though, was the opportunity to perform with my wife and vocalist, Marcia, also a former member of the USAF Band, and, as they say, ‘the rest is history,’” he added.
Voyles noted that the band recently received a proclamation from Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano designating Feb. 22, 2025, as “Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band Day.”
“This is quite an honor for us, further highlighting the importance of this 35th anniversary celebratory concert,” she said.
Uniqulele, which Voyles describes as a dynamic and entertaining five-piece acoustic ensemble, will provide music before each concert, with the doors opening one hour ahead of the scheduled KOS performance.
“Music is the gift of a lifetime as it transcends age, gender, religion, orientation, environment and socio-economic status. It is an honor and a pleasure to share our music with Marion County and the surrounding communities,” Lilly stated.
To learn more, go to kingdomofthesunband.org
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