The Lansing Concert Band is a community band with a rich history, now celebrating more than 75 years in the mid-Michigan area. Today, the all-volunteer, adult concert band is a first-class performing ensemble, appearing in many concerts, festivals and civic functions throughout the year.
Year-round activities include: traditional, pops, and holiday concerts; children's concerts at MSU's Wharton Center and Charlotte Performing Arts Center, attended by over 2,500 elementary students from Lansing and surrounding communities; performances for college graduations; outdoor park concerts; and other community events. For more than 20 years, the band has been featured in concert at the City of Lansing's Independence Day celebration at Riverfront Park.
The LCB is a member of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, the Association of Concert Bands, and the Arts Council of Greater Lansing. The band receives funding through grants from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, and well as donations from members and the public. The band receives transportation assistance from the Marshall Music Company.
We are the official band of the City of Lansing.
The band averages 80 members.
We range in age from teens to 90+!
Our concerts are presented free or with discounted admission for students.
We reach hundreds of elementary students each year through our annual “Introduction to the Band” educational concerts.
Since 2010, we have awarded scholarships to talented high school soloists through our annual Young Artist Competition.
The LCB is a 501c3 organization, and is also a member of the Capital Region Community Foundation. We rely on a combination of individual donations, support from businesses and foundations, grants, concert sponsorships, and other earned revenue to cover the balance of our budget.
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Dr. Samuel McIlhagga
LCB Conductor and Artistic Director
Dr. Samuel McIlhagga was granted emeritus status as professor of music at Albion College in 2021. During his seventeen years at Albion he has served as chair of the department of music as well as director of bands, directing the symphonic wind ensemble, jazz collective, and the “British Eighth” marching band. As a strong advocate for contemporary classical and popular music, McIlhagga taught courses in 20th century composers and composition, rock and roll in society, and music performance as a creative process. While at Albion, he also founded the Albion Chamber Players, a professional ensemble devoted to performing a wide variety of chamber wind music. Prior to his appointment at Albion College, McIlhagga served for six years as the band director at Sparta High School, and as director of bands at Sinclair Community College and Grand Valley State University.
McIlhagga earned a PhD from the University of Minnesota, an MM in wind conducting from Northwestern University, and his BME from Grand Valley State University. He has studied conducting with professors Craig Kirchhoff and John Paynter. Continuing to be active as a guest conductor and clinician, McIlhagga has worked with high school and middle school bands and honor bands across the Midwest. He has presented nationally and internationally at music conferences on topics including the musical and poetic collaboration of William Walton and Edith Sitwell, the music and compositional style of Andrew Boysen, and the importance of general music in secondary schools. Dr. McIlhagga and wife Kristin reside in East Lansing, and together the Drs. McIlhagga have two beautiful children, Ollie and Annie, and one big great dane, Coraline.
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Mallory Voris
LCB Assistant Conductor
Mallory Voris has been a music educator in public schools for 14 years. She received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from Miami University and began her career teaching middle school band in the Rio Grande Valley. While there, her concert band received the Sweepstakes Award, the highest mark, at the UIL Contest. In 2011, she became the K-12 band and choir director at Morrice Area Schools where she stayed for eight years. In her time there, the concert band performed at the state level and was featured on WKAR’s Forte series. In 2013, Mallory graduated with her Master of Music in Music Education degree from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. Last summer she received her Level I Certification in Orff-Schulwerk and now serves as the Vice President of the Mid-Michigan Orff Schulwerk Association. She has presented at the Michigan Music Conference multiple times and has had the privilege of guest conducting the Lansing Concert Band in 2015 and 2018. Mallory has played Bb and Eb clarinet, as well as percussion, in the Lansing Concert Band for 11 years. She currently teaches elementary general music and assists with the marching band for Haslett Public Schools. She lives in Okemos with her husband, Dylan, and two children, Aurelia and Augie. They keep busy with music lessons and soccer, and enjoy traveling to new places in their summers off.
President: Joy Rimpau
Vice President: Steve Beck
Secretary: Dave McLeod
Treasurer: Mary Lander
Steve Beck
John Endahl
Mary Lander
Dave McLeod
Joy Rimpau
Kelly Sandula-Gruner
Deb Spalding
Artistic Director: Sam McIlhagga
Assistant Conductor: Mallory Voris
Business Manager: Elaine Endahl
Accountant: OPEN
Librarian: Deb Spalding
Percussion Manager: OPEN
Equipment Manager: Steve Beck
Children's Concert Coordinator: Barb Myckowiak
Bloomquist Prize Chair: Carolyn Sherrill
Graphic Design, Website and Social Media: Kelly Sandula-Gruner (Gruner Graphics)
Recording Engineer: Steve Simonson (All Around Audio)
Small ensembles: In addition to the concert band, the LCB also offers several small ensembles that perform at various functions, as well as a jazz big band. If your organization is looking for live music at an upcoming event and the space cannot accommodate the entire concert band, you might consider one of these ensembles. Please contact us for more information.