Washington Park band shell (photo by Adam Carr0

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra will perform two free, outdoor concerts as the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s centennial Gifts to the Community continue into the summer months. While representing the Foundation’s June gift, the festive performances will occur in early July and help bring MSO music to the broader community.

The signature event will be an Independence Day community concert on Saturday, July 4, at the Washington Park band shell in Milwaukee.

In addition, military veterans and their families are invited to attend a special performance earlier in the week at the Lake Wheeler Pavilion near Hines Boulevard on the Milwaukee Veterans Administration grounds on Thursday, July 2.

Both performances are scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. and will feature more than an hour of patriotic favorites. There is no advance registration, reserved seating or ticketing.

“With Mother Nature playing hostess, we are excited to bring this fantastic cultural experience to people in our community,” said Ellen M. Gilligan, president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. “The tradition of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra park performances is worth preserving and representative of the inclusive opportunities the Greater Milwaukee Foundation is presenting during our 100th year of service.”

Founded in 1959, MSO is ranked among the top orchestras in the country. It is also highly regarded by Greater Milwaukee Foundation donors. Since 1983, the Foundation, through its discretionary grants program, and its donors, through their individual funds, have provided MSO with nearly $6.7 million in funding.

“The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra has a rich history of serving its community with free outdoor concerts, and this gift to the people of Milwaukee by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation is a fantastic affirmation of the importance of communities to gather and share the experience of great live performance in their neighborhoods,” said Mark Niehaus, MSO president and executive director. “Our orchestra is proud to be one of the reasons Milwaukee is such a great place to live, work, and play, and we are thrilled to partner with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation to celebrate their birthday and give the gift of music.”

For questions about the concerts or rain date information, call the MSO Ticket Office at 414-291-7605 or visit mso.org.  New gifts are being revealed each month on FOX 6 Milwaukee.

Nearly 200,000 people have participated in the Foundation’s Gifts to the Community so far this year.