“This is a year of ASO anniversaries and what better way to celebrate than with another anniversary?” says Diane Wittry, Allentown Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Music Director.

The year 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the orchestra’s Biennial Schadt String Competition and the 125th anniversary of Miller Symphony Hall.

“The great bandleader Duke Ellington was born 125 years ago and since I love the music of the Swing and Big Band era, I thought the anniversaries tied up quite nicely,” notes Wittry.

“And when you consider Ellington’s music you automatically think of his years-long collaboration with Billy Strayhorn,” Wittry adds.

Allentown Symphony Orchestra Pops presents “Lush Life: The Music of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn,” 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington, D.C. At age 14, he composed his first ragtime piece and by age 17 was playing piano professionally and continued composing.

In 1923, he moved to Harlem, New York City, formed his own band and by 1927 secured an engagement at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club.

Having been raised in a middle-class family that emphasized good manners and spotless dress, his habits would later earn him the nickname “The Duke.”

In 1938, while performing in Pittsburgh, a young Billy Strayhorn approached Ellington with a composition. Ellington was so impressed, he offered Strayhorn a job and thus began the Ellington-Strayhorn collaboration.

The ASO concert opens with Ellington’s 1932 hit “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If You Ain’t Got That Swing),” a piece which highlights the significance of swing music and encourages folks to embrace a life full of energy and passion.

The program continues with a 1953 Ellington-Strayhorn collaboration, “Satin Doll.” The real Satin Doll was Rosita Sims, a friend of Ellington’s.

Renowned Canadian jazz vocalist Denzal Sinclaire joins the orchestra for the next several selections:

“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” (1940), originally an instrumental piece with lyrics later added by lyricist Sidney Keith “Bob” Russell;

“Lush Life” (1936), a Strayhorn song initially titled “Life Is Lonely,” but later changed as a result of audience requests for “that thing about lush life,” and

“In a Mellow Tone” (1939), a jazz standard based on the 1917 tune “Rose Room” by Art Hickman and Harry Williams which Ellington recorded in 1932.

Denzal Sinclaire is ranked as one of the finest jazz singers of his generation and whose accomplishments include: Juno Award (Canada’s Grammy Award) nominee; recipient of the 2004 National Jazz Award for “Best Album”; four-time consecutive recipient of Jazz Report Magazine Award for Male Jazz Vocalist, and 2007 Choc Jazzman Award (France).

Sinclaire is equally at home in the theater, film and television arenas and his 15-year collaboration with guitarist composer and arranger Bill Coon has resulted in performances ranging from duo to symphony orchestra and radio, TV and studio recordings.

He has performed with renowned artists, including Bob Minzer, The Count Basie Orchestra, Diana Krall, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.

The orchestra continues with “Light” from Ellington’s “Black, Brown and Beige Suite” (1943), which explores the African-American experience of life, pride, struggle and resilience through blues, jazz, spirituals and classical music.

Sinclaire returns for “Come Sunday,” a song which became a standard in Ellington’s sacred concerts.

The program’s first half closes with the popular “Caravan” (1936), a collaboration between Ellington and band trombonist Juan Tizol.

After intermission, the orchestra takes off with the Strayhorn tune “Take the A Train” (1939), Ellington’s signature piece and theme song, a reflection of New York City’s then-newest subway line connecting Harlem to eastern Brooklyn and northern Manhattan.

Next up are “Chelsea Bridge” (1941), “Multi-Colored Blue (1961) and “Mood Indigo,” the latter a 1930 collaborative piece between Ellington and his band’s solo clarinetist, tenor saxophonist Barney Bigard.

Vocalist Sinclaire returns to the stage for two selections:

The No. 1 hit song, “I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart” (1938), a work credited to Ellington, his long-time friend, lyricist and publisher Irving Mills, musician, songwriter Henry Nemo and songwriter John Redmond, and

“I Love You Madly,” a 1941 tune about unrequited love.

The concert closes with tunes from Ellington’s first album and full-length project devoted to the music of another composer, Tchaikovsky and his “Nutcracker Suite.” The 1960 project was Strayhorn’s idea and incorporates the Elllington-Strayhorn flair.

“Of course, to replicate the Swing, Big Band sound, all selections had to be arranged for orchestra,” says Wittry. “The Jeff Tyzik arrangements are fabulous and even include saxophones.”

Since graduating with bachelor and master degrees in music from the Eastman School of Music, Tyzik was lead trumpet with Chuck Mangione’s band and co-produced four of Mangione’s albums, collaborated with Doc Severinsen and received a Grammy Award for producing the 1986 album “The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen.” He has arranged music and produced records for Maynard Ferguson and the Woody Herman Orchestra.

Tyzik is Principal Pops Conductor of several orchestras and has received commissions from publisher G. Schirmer to arrange suites for orchestra including Ellington’s jazz suites.

“This will be a great concert and we invite our audience to walk through the past and come swing with us,” says Wittry.

“Lush Life: The Music of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn,” Allentown Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20, Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown. Tickets: box office; 610-432-6715; https:///www.millersymphonyhall.org

“Classical View” is a column about classical music, concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus Editor, pwillistein@tnon-line.com