For the first time in history, two nationally-recognized venerable musical organizations based in the Lehigh Valley, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, America\u2019s oldest Bach Choir (founded in 1898), and the Allentown Band, America\u2019s oldest civilian concert band (founded in 1828), will present a combined performance in the Band\u2019s annual \u201cAmericans We: Tribute to Veterans Holiday Concert,\u201d 3 p.m. Nov. 16, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always look forward to the opportunity to honor those who have served our nation in this annual tribute to veterans,\u201d says Ronald Demkee, Allentown Band Conductor.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we are thrilled that for the first time in history, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and the Allentown Band will join for a combined performance,\u201d Demkee says.<\/p>\n
\u201cMembers of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and I are certainly very pleased to be partnering with the Allentown Band for this Veterans Day concert,\u201d says Dr. Christopher Jackson, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.<\/p>\n
The annual free concert honors all veterans, including honorees representing World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, selected by the Lehigh Valley Veterans History Project.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe centerpiece of this year\u2019s concert is Randall Thompson\u2019s \u201cA Testament of Freedom.\u201d The program will also include many other patriotic and holiday favorites,\u201d says Demkee.<\/p>\n
After welcoming remarks by Allentown Mayor Matthew Tuerk and Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong, the concert will open with \u201cLet Freedom Ring,\u201d a stirring fantasy on \u201cMy Country \u2018Tis of Thee\u201d composed by Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Nowlin, director of \u201cThe President\u2019s Own\u201d United States Marine Band.<\/p>\n
Says Nowlin, \u201cI was inspired by the lyrics \u2018Land where my fathers died.\u2019 I had three grandfathers who served in the Second World War. They were lucky enough to return.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never taken that for granted and could not be more proud of their service. The simplistic treatment of the music\u2019s theme is to portray a deep reverence.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bach Choir accompanies the Allentown Band for Randall Thompson\u2019s \u201cTestament of Freedom\u201d (1943) composed during World War II to celebrate the bicentennial of Thomas Jefferson\u2019s birth.<\/p>\n
The texts of the four movements are taken from a collection of Jefferson\u2019s writings and were seen as an opportunity to project an uplifting message about the United States in wartime.<\/p>\n
Next during the concert, special honors and recognition of individual veterans will be presented by Mike Sewards, President, Lehigh Valley Veterans\u2019 History Project, and Major General Gerald Still, USAF-Ret, President of Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council, Historian and Military Advisor.<\/p>\n
World War II honorees are: Lt.j.g. William Balabanov, Merchant Marines; Pfc. Harry Bean, Army; Pfc. Rubino Degengart, Army; Tech. Sgt. James Detterman, Army; Pfc. Walter LaSota, Marines; Petty Officer First Class Robert Pearce, Navy and Dorothy Tate, Rosie the Riveter, Punch Press Operator.<\/p>\n
A performance of Claude T. Smith\u2019s \u201cEternal Father, Strong to Save\u201d follows the presentations.<\/p>\n
After intermission, the concert continues with Alfred Reed\u2019s \u201cA Christmas Intrada\u201d and Smith\u2019s \u201cA Rhapsody on Christmas Carols.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final concert selections for voice and instruments are John Williams\u2019 solemn \u201cHymn to the Fallen\u201d from \u201cSaving Private Ryan,\u201d the Richard Hayman, Steve Reisteter arrangement of \u201cSalute to the Armed Forces\u201d and John Philip Sousa\u2019s 1898 arrangement of \u201cThe Stars and Stripes Forever,\u201d including lyrics.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmericans We: Tribute to Veterans Holiday Concert,\u201d Allentown Band, Bach Choir of Bethlehem, 3 p.m. Nov. 16, Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Ticket information: Free, but tickets required, box office, 610-432-6715; https:\/\/www.millersymphonyhall.org<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery semester we try to provide students the opportunity to play music specifically for the trombone,\u201d says Daniel Neuenschwander, Kutztown University Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music and Applied Trombone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis semester we are fortunate to have 19 individuals in our trombone choir, including bass and tenor trombones,\u201d adds Neuenschwander.<\/p>\n
The Kutztown University \u201cTrombone Choir Concert\u201d is at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16, Schaeffer Auditorium, Kutztown University.<\/p>\n
The most difficult, challenging and yet most rewarding work on the program is composer David Wilborn\u2019s \u201cFantasy on an Anglican Hymn,\u201d based on the famous slow, lyrical melody heard in Gustav Holst\u2019s \u201cJupiter, the Bringer of Jollity\u201d from the suite \u201cThe Planets.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gordon Bowie\u2019s \u201cFestival Prelude,\u201d originally commissioned for the North Central College Low Brass Festival, includes movements prelude, fanfare, chorale and variations and recessional with emphasis on alto, tenor, bass, contrabass trombones and tuba.<\/p>\n
Additional selections include \u201cBoneWeek Fanfare\u201d (Edwards), \u201cCanzona Septimi Toni No. 2\u201d (Gabrieli), \u201cFour Renaissance Movements\u201d (di Palestrina), \u201cAve Maria\u201d (Biebl) and \u201cBruckner Etude for Six Low Brass\u201d (Crespo).<\/p>\n
\u201cTrombone Choir Concert,\u201d 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16, Schaeffer Auditorium, Kutztown University, 15200 Kutztown Road, Kutztown. Free and open to the public. Information: 610-683-4550, https:\/\/kutztown.edu\/music<\/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 PHOTOThe Bach Choir of Bethlehem joins the Allentown Band in \u201cVeterans Holiday Concert,\u201d Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.<\/p>\n
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOAllentown Band in annual \u201cAmericans We: Tribute to Veterans Holiday Concert,\u201d 3 p.m. Nov. 16.<\/p>\n
Dr. Christopher Jackson<\/p>\n
Ronald Demkee<\/p>\n
Daniel Neuenschwander<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For the first time in history, two nationally-recognized venerable musical organizations based in the Lehigh Valley, the Bach…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":33953,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":["post-33952","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\/33952","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=33952"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33952\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}