Latest from The Allentown Band

  Jerry reviewing a take with Ron It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our long-time recording engineer and good friend of The Allentown Band, Jerry Tyson. Jerry was the recording engineer and editor for all thirty-two volumes of The Allentown Band's "Our Band Heritage" series, a project that started in 1984 with vinyl 33-1/3 rpm records, transitioned to cassette tapes, and finally to compact discs "CDs", which were produced with his AMP label. These recordings have reached listeners in all fifty states and twenty-three foreign countries. My relationship with Jerry actually began in 1968, when he recorded the very first annual Spring Concert by the Freedom High School Patriot Band in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. For decades, Jerry also recorded all of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association's District 10 Band, Orchestra and Chorus concerts, so our paths crossed many times during my thirty-two year tenure at FHS and at these PMEA Festivals. We ...

  For many years, your correspondent has been privileged to perform at The Allentown Band's annual Dinner Concert, usually held the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving, although suspended temporarily by the on-going pandemic.  While Dr. Demkee has chosen a variety of themes in recent years, a portion of the program usually is reserved to welcome the season. And for me, the Holiday Season truly arrives with the playing of Leroy Anderson's A Christmas Festival , the famous celebration of familiar carols by which other such works are judged. A Christmas Festival  was composed in 1950 when Anderson was the composer/arranger in residence with the Boston Pops Orchestra, under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. The orchestrations are full and lush, the transitions between songs natural and inspiring. It's as satisfying to play as it is joyful to hear. More information is available at leroyanderson.com