The American Bandmasters Association

Convention

74th Annual
American Bandmasters Association Convention
March 5-9, 2008 in Miami, Florida

Register for Convention

Convention Host: Gary Green, Director of Bands, University of Miami
Carl (Jeff) Bianchi, President of the American Bandmasters Association

Convention Hotel: Marriott Miami Dadeland
9090 South Dadeland Boulevard, Miami, Florida 33156
Tel: 305-670-1035 Fax: 305-670-7540, www.miamimarriottdadeland.com

Message from the President: ABA 2008 in Miami
Miami will provide a great setting for the 74th ABA Convention, it will provide a time and place for us to relax and reconnect under the sun.

About The City of Miami

From the Visit Florida Website: "Vibrant and charged with the energy of Caribbean rhythms, Miami means big-city sophistication and seductive beaches to those who plug into its unique brand of electric charge. With a colorful arts scene, world-class shopping, watersports splendor, professional sports and a load of family attractions, Miami makes one of the nation’s most well-rounded metropolitan destinations."

" The greatest influence upon the city’s modern-day personality came with the influx of Cuban refugees that began in the 1960s. They settled in an area dubbed Little Havana, where salsa music blares, men play dominoes in the park and breezes carry strong whiffs of café con leche. Miami’s overall cuisine and arts scene sway Cuban, blended with other local Caribbean influence. Floribbean cooking, a Miami invention, fuses Florida and island technique and products into one of the most popular styles to have hit in many decades."

Note: March weather in Miami: Average high 79, average low 66, average rain 2.2 inches.

About Our Hosts

Pat and I have been working with our gracious hosts Gary and Peggy Green plus Gary's wonderful Miami staff, Charles Damon, Shawn Vondran and Cathi Leibinger, to plan a wonderful event that will capture the true flavor of the Miami scene. Visits are planned to the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens www.vizcayamuseum.org, a European-inspired estate dubbed the "Hearst Castle of the East" located in the heart of Miami, to the Bayside Marketplace with a short cruise on Biscayne Bay, and to much much more. Be sure to check the Miami convention website at www.aba2008.org for up-to-the-minute details; it will be operational in August 2007.

About the Performances

We are proud to announce that all of our five spectacular bands will be performing in University of Miami's fabulous Maurice Gusman Concert Hall (named after a generous donor). Located on the Coral Gables campus, the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall houses a 600 seat concert hall, a professional recording studio, and the administrative offices of the Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music.

Wednesday, Welcome Concert, March 5, 2008
University of Miami, Gary Green, conductor
Florida A & M University, Dr. Julian E. White, conductor

Thursday, March 6, 2008
Tennessee Tech University, Joseph Hermann, conductor
University of Florida, Dr. David Waybright, conductor

Friday, March 7, 2008
U. S. Army Field Band, Colonel Thomas H. Palmatier, Commander and Conductor

We are all looking forward to great concerts, great food, great excursions and the time to relax and enjoy them all. Our thanks to our great hosts Gary and Peggy Green for working so hard to make the 74th Convention one to remember. Pat and I are looking forward to seeing you in Miami next March - so mark your calendars today and don't forget your golf clubs.

Best Regards,

Jeff

Carl J. Bianchi,
President, American Bandmasters Association

Message from the Host, Gary Green, Director of Bands, University of Miami Frost School of Music

Dear Colleagues of the American Bandmasters Association,

We hope that you will join us in beautiful and sunny Miami, Florida this March for the 74th Annual Conference of the American Bandmasters Association. Spring is a great time to be in Miami where you can enjoy the natural wonders and excitement of our city.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the members of the ABA for agreeing to come to Miami for the conference and to the 2008 Conference Program Committee, the Board of Directors, and our Miami ABA Host Committee. All have given immeasurable hours and full commitment in planning this very important event.

I hope that you will mark your calendar and register online for this year’s conference. I know that you will enjoy the conference and all that Miami has to offer! We look forward to seeing you in our newly remodeled Henry Fillmore Band Hall this spring.

Best wishes,

Gary

Gary Green
Host, 2008 ABA Convention

Next ABA Convention
College Station, Texas, March 4-7, 2009