Highlights of the classical music calendar include the Allentown Band \u201cJuneteenth\u201d concert and an \u201cAmerica250\u201d performance by the Brandywine Colonials Fife and Drum Corps.<\/p>\n
The Allentown Band presents \u201cAn American Salute Commemorating Juneteenth,\u201d 7:30 p.m. June 19, Christ Lutheran Church, Allentown.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am eagerly looking forward to this year\u2019s Juneteenth concert,\u201d says Allentown Band Conductor Ronald Demkee.<\/p>\n
Morton Gould\u2019s \u201cAmerican Salute\u201d opens the concert. One of many works Gould created for radio broadcasts during World War II, it is a clever fantasy on the traditional Civil War tune \u201cWhen Johnny Comes Marching Home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christ Lutheran Church pianist Andrew Lutz-Long joins in Mark Camphouse\u2019s \u201cmoving and dramatic \u2018A Movement for Rosa,\u2019 a quintessential work for band commissioned in 1992 to honor Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks,\u201d says Demkee.<\/p>\n
Guest tenor soloist Eric Fennell presents the first song-set of Aaron Copland\u2019s \u201cOld American Songs: The Boatman\u2019s Dance, The Dodger, Long Time Ago, Simple Gifts, I Bought Me a Cat,\u201d followed by the band on William Grant Still\u2019s \u201cFolk Song Suite.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Easton-based Greater Shiloh Church Gospel Choir, directed by Worship and Production Leader Aaron Pearson, performs two selections.<\/p>\n
The second selection, \u201cTotal Praise\u201d by Richard Smallwood, \u201ctells the story about Juneteenth and our gratitude for God\u2019s faithfulness and freedom to celebrate this day,\u201d says Pearson.<\/p>\n
The choir is joined by Eric Fennell, narrator Emile Guida and the band in Ken Moyer\u2019s arrangement, \u201cFreedom (Patriotic Medley).\u201d<\/p>\n
Christ Lutheran Church Director of Music and Organist Michael Krentz joins in the closing piece, John Philip Sousa\u2019s \u201cThe Stars and Stripes Forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are fortunate to have long-time friend Eric Fennell as well as the highly-regarded Greater Shiloh Gospel Choir with us for this concert,\u201d says Demkee.<\/p>\n
Adds Pearson, \u201cWe are honored to celebrate this holiday and find an organization who finds it important as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Allentown Band is one of 10 finalists in the Community Band-Wind Ensemble Division of the 2026 American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts.<\/p>\n
The Allentown Band has received five American Prize awards.<\/p>\n
The concert will be live-streamed on the Christ Lutheran Church YouTube channel: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/live\/UjeDDgQ21Ls<\/p>\n
\u201cAn American Salute Commemorating Juneteenth,\u201d Allentown Band, 7:30 p.m. June 19, Christ Lutheran Church, 1245 Hamilton St., Allentown. Free. Information: https:\/\/allentownband.com\/event\/celebrating-june-teenth\/<\/p>\n
The Brandywine Colonials Fife and Drum Corps presents \u201cCelebrating America250,\u201d noon July 4, George Taylor House, Catasauqua.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an honor and privilege to carry on the fife and drum tradition, a distinct form of American musical heritage, especially as we celebrate the Semiquincentennial of American Independence this year in 2026,\u201d says Joshua Arthur Fink, Vice-President and Drum Major, Brandywine Colonials Fife and Drum Corps.<\/p>\n
As part of \u201cAmerica250,\u201d the annual George Taylor House Fourth of July celebration includes the traditional American fife and drum corps.<\/p>\n
Says Fink, \u201cThe Brandywine Colonials perform with instruments, both fifes and drums, rooted in 18th-century American military tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Music selections include \u201cBrandywine,\u201d \u201cWhite Cockade,\u201d \u201cChester\u201d and \u201cYankee Doodle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur fife and drum corps also proudly carries flags, historic banners of the American Revolution, to honor the spirit of 1776 and the soldiers, musicians, and citizens who stood beneath them. The \u2018colors\u2019 are protected by the color guard,\u201d says Fink.<\/p>\n
The Brandywine Colonials Fife and Drum Corps is a nonprofit based in Topton dedicated to preserving and promoting America\u2019s patriotic musical heritage through educational programs and performances. What began with two musicians now includes 50 who participate as fifers, drummers, flag bearers, color guardsman and camp followers.<\/p>\n
\u201cCelebrating America250,\u201d Brandywine Colonials Fife and Drum Corps, noon July 4, George Taylor House, 35 S. Front St., Catasauqua. Free. https:\/\/www.brandywinecolonials.org\/<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.georgetaylorhouse.com\/event-list<\/p>\n
\u201cClassical View\u201d is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com<\/p>\n
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOAaron Pearson, Worship and Production Leader, Greater Shiloh Church Gospel Choir.<\/p>\n
PHOTO BY LEANN SACKSJoshua Arthur Fink, Vice-President and Drum Major, leads the Brandywine Colonials Fife and Drum Corps.<\/p>\n
Eric Fennell<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Highlights of the classical music calendar include the Allentown Band \u201cJuneteenth\u201d concert and an \u201cAmerica250\u201d performance by the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":223030,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-223029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223029\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}