“It’s always a pleasure to present our annual Memorial Weekend concert,” says Ronald Demkee, Allentown Band Conductor.

The Allentown Band presents, “Celebrating America,” 7:30 p.m. May 26, Springhouse Middle School, Allentown.

“We pay tribute in song to America’s military personnel who died while serving our country and this year we give a special nod to those from Pennsylvania,” Demkee says.

The program begins with composer Morton Gould’s 1945 joyful setting of the popular tune “Yankee Doodle.” The lyrics can be traced to the French and Indian War (1754-63) when British soldiers fought alongside Colonial soldiers.

Although intended as an insult, by the time of the American Revolution and the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the song had become the unofficial anthem of what became the American Continental Army.

The concert continues with “Celebration,” composed by Whitehall Township native Gregory Fritze, followed by Jay Bocook’s “Selections from 1776.”

Jonathan Elkus arranged “Old Home Days Suite” in 1971 comprising five of Charles Ives’ little-known early works of the 1880s and 1890s, including “Waltz,” “The Opera House and Old Home Days,” “The Collection,” “Slow March” and “London Bridge is Fallen Down.”

World-renowned composer Johan de Meij graced the Allentown Band on its 190th anniversary with his “Pennsylvania Faux Songs,” a set of five works: “On the Banks of the Susquehanna River,” “The Girl from Allegheny,” “The Gettysburg March,” “Punxsutawney Ground Hog Waltz” and “Allentown Jig.”

Robert Russell Bennet’s Selections from “Porgy and Bess” completes the major works portion of the concert followed by “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America.”

Interspersed throughout the program are marches such as “Americans We,” “Second Connecticut” and “Joyce’s 71st Regiment.”

The concert concludes with the patriotic Dick Hayman arrangement “Armed Forces Salute” with the addition of the “Space Force March” arranged by Allentown Band Principal Clarinet and composer Steve Reisteter, followed by the band’s traditional closing march, John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

Allentown Band, “Celebrating America”, 7:30 p.m. May 26, Springhouse Middle School, 1200 Springhouse Road, Allentown. Free. Tickets not required. https://allentownband.com

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