(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Ron Keller, longtime director of the Naperville Municipal Band, died earlier this week. His successor, Emily Binder, described him as someone who loved connecting with people through music.
Binder took over as director after Keller's retirement during the summer of 2023. He led the band for nearly 60 years.
"'Legend' is the perfect way to describe Ron: a son of the town, someone that was so passionate about the city of Naperville, [who] grew in a musical family," said Binder.
His primary focus, she said, was to please the crowd, which Keller always did on the Fourth of July with performances of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture." Binder said those performances were the band's most memorable under Keller, without question.
"There's something really magical about the door opening for that concert and seeing a sea of humanity,"
It wasn't just Keller who loved conducting "1812 Overture"; Binder said they all loved watching him do it.
Binder visited with Keller last weekend. She said she leaned over and told him "the music is going to play on, and the marches are going to play on" — the latter were his favorite.
He gave a huge smile, Binder recalled.
"I thought that was just really gorgeous and beautiful for a last visit," she said.
Keller was 84.
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