You have probably heard the one about a New York City visitor who asks:

“How do I get to Carnegie Hall?”

And the New Yorker answers:

“Practice, practice, practice.”

You don’t have to ask Ezra Wenner, Ronald Demkee or members of the Allentown Band how to get to Carnegie Hall.

They’ve been there, done that and got the T-Shirt.

The Allentown Band returns for the fourth time to Carnegie Hall, New York City, for a concert, 8 p.m. March 7.

The Allentown Band will perform the Showcase Concert for the New York Wind Band Festival presented by World Projects Corp.

The Allentown Band last performed on the Ronald O. Perelman Stage, Isaac Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, April 17, 2019, on the concluding night of the 2019 New York International Music Festival.

Ezra Wenner, 95, trombone player, who performed in the 2019 Carnegie Hall concert, isn’t expected to be playing with the Allentown Band for the Carnegie Hall concert in March.

Wenner retired from the Allentown Band after a record-setting 80 years.

Wenner was honored Jan. 25, which was declared “Ezra Wenner Day” in Allentown. A Retirement Celebration was held at Luther Crest, Allentown, where Wenner resides.

Says Allentown Band Director Ronald Demkee, “After an incredible 80-year tenure as a member of the Allentown Band, Ezra Wenner decided to retire effective Dec. 31, 2022.

“Over the years, Ezra has served the band at various times as Trombone Section Leader, Soloist, Board Member, Librarian and Secretary-Treasurer. He even drove the equipment truck on occasion. It is highly unlikely that anyone will ever match, let alone surpass, Ezra’s tenure, dedication and service to the band.”

At the reception attended by approximately 50 Allentown Band members and friends, presented were proclamations from Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk and Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong, a Certificate of Outstanding Achievement from the Association of Concert Bands, and a Life Member Certificate from the Allentown Band.

Al Jacobson, Executive Director of the Allentown Symphony Association, and Diane Wittry, Music Director-Conductor of the Allentown Symphony, attended and offered congratulations to Wenner, who was a 49-year member of the Allentown Symphony .

Among the emails received in honor of Wenner:

From composer Johan de Meij: “Congratulations on your 80th-year membership with the Allentown Band! This is absolutely amazing. I think you deserve a place in the Guinness Book of Records! It was a pleasure to meet you several times over the years.”

From Donald Hunsberger, former Conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble: “Ezra and I go back to my junior year in Souderton High when I played second trombone, to him in the Lehigh Symphony under Herbert Fiss for two years. Our back row included Bernard Beitel and Ray Huston. Great days! Then, of course, was the big celebration with everyone, my first time to see Ezra in so many years. On that occasion, I asked Ezra if he was still playing solos and his astute answer was ‘Not intentionally!’ Same old Ezra!”

From Owen Fisher, host of “Music That’s Band” on 2MBS Fine Music radio, Sydney, Australia, who frequently includes the Allentown Band in his programs: “What an honour from the city to change the name of the day to Wennersday! Coincidentally, last night, I programmed the sextet from ‘Lucia di Lammermore,’ with Ezra amongst the six soloists! This will be broadcast in ‘Music That’s Band’ No. 666 on 17th June.”

At the March 7 concert in Carnegie Hall, Demkee will conduct the band in John Williams’ “Liberty Fanfare,” Percy Grainger’s “Lincolnshire Posy,” and the Finale to Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4.”

Guest Soloist Omri Barak, Principal Trumpet with the Allentown Symphony, will perform James Curnow’s “Concertpiece.”

Internationally-acclaimed Dutch composer Johan de Meij will conduct the premier performance of his new arrangement of “James Bond 007 for Wind Orchestra.”

The concert is part of a three-day adjudicated event for high school, college and adult bands from across the United States and Europe, culminating with the Showcase Concert by the Allentown Band.

The band has performed the prestigious Showcase Concert at Carnegie Hall for the festival on three previous occasions: 2009, 2016 and 2019. The band has also performed the Showcase Concert for the Washington, D.C., International Music Festival at the Kennedy Center in 2010.

Concert and Allentown Band information: 610.434.7026; https://www.allentownband.com/