Municipal Band relocates to Central High this season

The Cape Girardeau Municipal Band will open its season Wednesday but in a new venue for 2021.

Due to uncompleted renovation work at the Dan Cotner Amphitheatre in Capaha Park, this season's summer concerts will move to Kinder Performance Hall at Cape Girardeau Central High School, 1000 S. Silver Springs Road.

"We just found out Monday we can't use the Cotner bandshell and so we're grateful to CHS principal Nancy Scheller for making the hall available to us," said Neil Casey, who has been a member of the community band since 1983 and its director since 2018.

The municipal band, which has been under city sponsorship since the 1920s, will play at Kinder each Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. for nine consecutive weeks, from June 2 through July 28.

The band will also play, as per tradition, on the Fourth of July at Arena Park.

The approximately 60-piece contingent will forgo its usual Memorial Day concert kickoff at the Osage Center due to ongoing pandemic concerns.

"We've been told the decision is due to the continued need for social distancing and the vulnerable population which normally attends," said Casey.