BACK IN PERSON! Annual Side-by-Side Concert

 The Allentown Band was thrilled to welcome talented area high school students to the Miller Symphony Hall stage for our annual Side-by-Side concert. Postponed by the pandemic for two years, this is one of the highlights of our season. Recommended by their music teachers--many of whom actually are on the stage with them!--the students receive their parts and arrive at rehearsal ready to go.

Students welcomed to rehearsal by Deb Heiney,
Allentown Band Community Outreach Director

This year's program was entitled "The 20's Roar" and featured music from that era. The students' selections included "New York 1927", original music in that style by Warren Barker, and "Twentiana", a collection of songs arranged by Hawley Ades, directed by Dr. Demkee.

Dr. Demkee rehearsing band and students.

Our guest conductor for this concert was Loras Schissel, a senior musicologist a the Library of Congress and director of the Virginia Grand Military Band. There's more about Loras here, in the concert program. Loras led the band and students in Ferde Grofe's "Mardi Gras" from "Mississippi Suite" and "Foshay Tower - Washington Memorial March" by John Philip Sousa. Loras also concluded the concert by conducting our national march, The Stars and Stripes Forever.

Loras Schissel rehearsing band and students.

The Allentown Band fervently hopes that this experience demonstrates to the students that there is rich and rewarding musical life to be had following high school or college, indeed, an entire lifetime.

2022 Edition Allentown Band and Students - Side-by-Side

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