Roseville Big Band leader Glen Newton is retiring this summer after leading the group for nearly 35 years.
Roseville Big Band leader Glen Newton was tapping out tunes on the piano before most youngsters could read.
Glen’s mother taught her precocious son to play at age 4.
“We had two pianos in the house. Mom and I played two-piano numbers together a lot,” he recalled.
That early exposure kindled a lifelong passion for music and performance with Glen learning to play more than two dozen instruments as well as compose and arrange music. For more than three decades, Glen has shared that talent and showmanship as part the Roseville Big Band.
Glen is retiring as the big band director this summer after leading the group for nearly 35 years.
“He has been the heart of the band for a long time,” said the band’s lead trombonist Keith Miner. “He is an amazing musician. Glen pulls out and plays all sorts of instruments just for the fun of it. He also brings a lot of fun and creativity to the group with his writing and arranging.”
The Roseville Big Band performed 400 times with 220 volunteer musicians during Glen’s tenure. Every year they entertain crowds at the city’s signature celebration, Rosefest. The Roseville Big Band is a program of the Roseville Parks and Recreation Department. The Big Band also plays Carlton College’s Midwinter Ball and 1940s themed hangar dances for the Commemorative Air Force at Fleming Field Airport in South St. Paul.
Their expansive repertoire includes over 700 songs ranging from the toe-tapping World War II-era swing anthem “Sing, Sing, Sing” to the playful 1960s pop hit “Monster Mash,” to the melancholy jazz standard “My Funny Valentine.”
Glen has also written 9 original compositions for the band, including the band’s theme song, “Dance to the Big Band Swing.” He also composes and arranges music for the band. He sings with the group when he’s not filling in missing musical parts on the trumpet, trombone, or vibraphone. He often directs, plays, and sings all at the same concert.
“He has just been leader extraordinaire,” said Karen Dunn, the Big Band’s lead female singer. “I have been singing with him for more than 25 years. He
arranges most of the songs for the Rosetones quartet, which performs with the band. He is quite the musical genius really and truly.”
Glen, a retired software engineer, said he is stepping down so he can pursue other hobbies. Glen was named director in 1989. He added more crowd-pleasing vocals including duets, trios, and the Rosetones quartet. Glen incorporated imaginative flourishes into their performances, including horn moves and playful props, such as a mad scientist costume for Monster Mash. He’s also helped the big band enter the social media age with more than 150,000 views of their performances on YouTube.
“Glen introduces new music regularly, so we are always playing new things. Everyone appreciates that he is trying to make it interesting for both the
band members and the audience,” Keith said.
“He just wants everyone to have an opportunity to play,” Karen said. “He is very kind and supportive in that way.”
The City of Roseville thanks Glen for his time, talent, and dedication to our community.