(Lehigh Valley) The Allentown Band returns to bucolic Waldheim Park on Tuesday, August 8 at 7pm for "A Musical Journey Through American History", marking 102 years of making musical magic at the historic park.
In the open-air tabernacle pavilion, amidst the summer woods and charming cottages of Waldheim Park, the Allentown Band will take listeners on an American journey through the stirring music that has inspired and entertained us as a nation, from Revolution to Rock.
Under Conductor Ronald Demkee, the band will celebrate our rich musical heritage with a program ranging from stirring military marches and Civil War songs, to jazzy Gershwin tunes, Barbara Streisand hits, a John Denver medley, and much more.
"A Musical Journey Through American History" also features some very special Guest Artists. The mezzo soprano Patricia Risley, an Allentown native and Parkland High School grad, returns as the featured vocalist for this special anniversary concert. Risley is a frequent guest at the Metropolitan Opera and has sung internationally with prestigious opera companies including Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Teatro Real, Bayerische Staatsoper, New York City Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, and The Glimmerglass Festival. She has also appeared with The New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and at Carnegie Hall.
Theatre artists George B. Miller and Kate Scuffle will bring a wealth of American voices and stories to the concert stage, complementing the musical selections with readings from wartime letters, journals, Jazz Age tales, and more. The couple produce in the US /Ireland as Selkie Theatre, and were the directors of the award-winning Theatre Outlet. Miller is well known for his solo performances; historical figures he has been commissioned to bring to life range from Da Vinci, Harry Truman, and Mark Twain, to regional characters including colonial miller Peter Grim, industrialist Asa Packer, and philanthropist General Harry C. Trexler. Both serve as teaching artists with the Allentown School District Foundation.
The renowned Allentown Band (www.allentownband.com) is the oldest civilian concert band in the country, and Waldheim Park is the longest running private performance venue for the band. The Band 's mission is to preserve and advance the heritage of concert band music by providing quality, inspiring performances and community education. Ronald Demkee has served as Conductor since 1978.
Before and after the concert, guests can linger and enjoy ice cream treats and delicious home-baked goods available at the Waldheim Park snack stand. There is no admission fee for the concert; but a free-will offering will be collected during the singalong at intermission.
"A Musical Journey Through American History" with the Allentown Band will be presented by the Waldheim Park Civic Association (waldheimpark.org) on Tuesday, August 8 at 7pm. Waldheim Park is located at Emmaus Avenue and S. Hall Street in Allentown. (Set your GPS for 2400 S. Hall St., Allentown, PA 18103) For more information: call Pamela Varkony at 610-730-1787.
Photo: Allentown Band Concert at Waldheim Park 2015
Photo credit: Ethan Brownbeck