08/16/2026
The Racine Concert Band moves its summer season to the historic grounds of the DeKoven Center for its 1,545th free public performance on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 6:00 PM. This afternoon's program is deeply intertwined with the regional creative community, serving as a showcase for local arts education and honoring a major milestone for the band's leadership.
The center-piece of the concert is the world premiere of “Fantastic Dreams: The Melody Jugglers and Nature Girl”, an original piece composed by the band's own Music Director, Mark Eichner. The work was written from scratch in collaboration with student musicians at Case High School. This cross-generational initiative was made possible through a generous grant from the Racine Arts Council’s ArtSeed project, an initiative designed to fund innovative new artistic ventures and grassroots programming throughout the Racine area.
The evening will also serve as a public celebration for Eichner, who has recently been named the Racine Arts Council's **2026 Heart of the Arts** recipient. The prestigious award recognizes individuals with a long-standing artistic commitment and a profound, positive impact on the thriving local arts scene. Eichner is being honored for his dedicated leadership of the Racine Concert Band since 2002, as well as his deep commitment to educational outreach within Racine Unified School District (RUSD) high schools.
