U.S. Coast Guard Band Plays Monday Night, Feb 13 for Free at Darien High School

The U.S. Coast Guard Band is coming to the Darien High School Auditorium for a one-night-only free concert at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 13. 

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and ticket-holders are asked to be seated by 6:45 p.m. See below for where to get your free tickets. (It will be much easier to pick them up Wednesday, before it snows.)

 

Here’s where to get your free tickets:

• Barrett Bookstore, 314 Heights Road, Noroton Heights Shopping Center
• Crescendo Music Store, 351 Post Road
• Contact the Music Department at Darien High School at (203) 655-3981 ext. 2250 or emailing sklein@darienps.org.

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You can listen to recent concerts on the U.S. Coast Guard Band’s website. Follow the band on Facebook.

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Featured Soloists

Senior Chief Musician Brian Nichols

Senior Chief Musician Brian Nichols joined the U.S. Coast Guard Band in 2003 and was named Principal Horn in 2005. Over his career, MUCS Nichols has performed in nearly every state in the U.S., in addition to appearances in Canada, England, Taiwan, Puerto Rico, and Japan. Prior to joining the U.S. Coast Guard Band, Brian served in the U.S. Army Band at West Point from 1998 to 2002.

He is an alumnus of the Chautauqua Music Festival and Brevard Music Center. He is a past winner of concerto competitions at Brevard Music Center, the Florida West Coast Youth Symphony, and the Southeast Horn Workshop. MUCS Nichols has been a guest artist and clinician at universities all across the country and at numerous workshops including the Southeast Horn Workshop, the Northeast Women’s Brass Conference, The VCU Brass Fest, and the Northeast Horn Workshop.

As a soloist, Brian was featured in 2008 on the USCG Band’s tour of the southeast United States performing Camille Saint-Saëns’ Morceau de Concert. In 2009, he led the Horn section as featured soloists in Robert Schumann’s Konzerstucke. Notable engagements throughout his professional career include performances with the Boston Symphony, July 4th concerts with the New York Philharmonic, the Smothers Brothers, Arlo Guthrie, Kevin Eubanks, Anne Murray, Dudley Moore, Mitch Miller, and the Irish Tenors.

Brian holds a B.A. in Music from Florida State University where his instructor was Dr. William Capps. He has also recently studied horn with members of the Boston Symphony, the Metropolitan Opera, and Dale Clevenger of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Aside from playing Horn, MUCS Nichols is in charge of the USCG Band’s Finance and Supply office.

He is also a graduate of the Coast Guard’s Chief Petty Officer’s Academy Class CLI and the Senior Enlisted Leadership Course as well as an Indoctrinated Chief. He is married with three children and enjoys skiing, camping, and mountain biking.

Musician 1st Class Megan Weikleenget

Since joining the USCG Band in 2010, Musician 1st Class Megan Weikleenget, soprano, has performed for audiences across the United States. A versatile performer, MU1 Weikleenget has showcased musical styles ranging from Classical to Musical Theater to Jazz. She has performed at the International World Symphonic Band Conference in Chiayi City, Taiwan and the renowned National Theater and Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan.

She has also been a soloist with The Collegiate Chorale, The Dessoff Choir, and The Berkshire Bach Society with conductor James Bagwell. MU1 Weikleenget holds a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance and music education from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from New England Conservatory.

In 2010, she attended Bard College’s Vocal Arts Program (Red Hook, NY), under the direction of Dawn Upshaw and Kayo Iwama. In 2009, MU1 Weikleenget made her Carnegie Hall debut through the Composing Song Workshop conducted by Ms. Upshaw and Osvaldo Golijov. Her teachers include Dr. Deborah Massell and Patricia Misslin.