Mason City looking for trombones to honor Meredith Willson

As the famed musical “The Music Man” re-opens on Broadway, officials in northern Iowa are building a museum to honor Mason City composer Meredith Willson. The Mason City Foundation is looking for 76 trombones to line the two blocks of “Music Man Square” Center. He says the trombones will hang on the 50 foot high ceiling to exemplify a “great canopy of music” that surrounds us all.Foundation spokesman Dr. Darrell Fisher says the streetscape will feature memorabilia from the set of Willson’s movie. He says the trombones they’re seeking can be in any condition and don’t have to be playable. The trombones will be marked with a plaque.Fisher says the trombones that’ve already been collected are wide-ranging in their condition and age — as well as the stories behind them.To donate a horn to the project, call (515) 421-7893. The museum is slated to open next month as part of the North Iowa Band Festival.