The Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra presents its final Summer 2024 “Valley Vivaldi” concert, 7 p.m. Aug. 18, Wesley Church, Bethlehem.

The concert has works by master composers of the Baroque Era: Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1751), Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713), Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759), Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) and Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

The concert opens with Albinoni’s “Concerto a 5 in A Major,” Op. 9, No. 4, featuring violin soloist Inna Eyzerovich. Comprising three movements (Allegro, Adagio, Allegro) this piece, published in 1722, is one of 12 concerti.

Arcangelo Corelli’s “Sonata for Violin and Continuo in D minor,” Op. 5 No. 12, subtitled “La Follia,” is the final sonata of a 12-work series published in 1700. Violinist Linda Kistler performs this lovely sonata consisting of a theme and 23 variations of the Portuguese tune “La Follia.”

Prior to intermission is Händel’s “Trio Sonata for Oboe, Violin and Continuo in C minor,” HWV 386a with soloists Nobuo Kitagawa, oboe, and Concertmaster Simon Maurer, violin. In the work, published in 1733, each of the four movements is very expressive: Largo (delicate), Allegro ma non troppo (whimsical), Andante (pensive) and Allegro (joyous).

The program’s second half commences with Vivaldi’s “Double Violin Concerto in A minor,” RV 522 with violin soloists Inna Eyzerovich and Stephanie Bell. Comprising three movements, the first and third movements, with tempo Allegro and composed in A minor, are lively and exciting while the second movement, a Larghetto e spiritoso written in D minor, is by contrast more melancholy. The combination is absolutely exquisite.

The concert concludes with Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major,” BWV 1047. Bach’s original solo instrumentation consisted of trumpet, violin, oboe, recorder, with strings and continuo. For this performance, in lieu of trumpet, the audience will enjoy an unusual not oft-seen instrument performed by Deborah Andrus, an E-flat clarinet (also known as a soprano clarinet).

Concertmaster Maurer explains, “The trumpet part is written extremely high and even in today’s world with improved instruments, the high trumpet part requires special skills, so there are players who specialize in ‘Brandenburg 2’ performances.

“And, as you can imagine, the trumpet and the recorder are a bit like David and Goliath. It is very hard to balance the sound of the two instruments, so replacing the trumpet with an E-flat clarinet is an attempt to improve both issues: balance and ease of playing.”

Additional Brandenburg soloists are Maurer, Kitagawa and Rainer Beckmann, recorder.

Adds Maurer, “There are six Brandenberg concerti. This summer, there are two on the program. Looking forward, I would like to complete a cycle of all six on upcoming ‘Valley Vivaldi’ concerts.”

“Valley Vivaldi,” Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, 7 p.m. Aug.18, Wesley Church, 2540 Center St., Bethlehem; Tickets: at the door, Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra office, 1524 W. Linden St., Allentown; 610-434-7811; https://www.pasinfonia.org/

The Pioneer Band of Allentown presents its “Annual Pops Concert,” 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18, West Park, 16th and Chew streets, Allentown.

“This concert is a fan favorite and covers music from the 1950s through today,” says Pioneer Band of Allentown Conductor Robert Billig, Jr.

The concert opens with “Pop and Rock Legends: Mamas and the Papas,” arranged by Ted Ricketts. Selections include instrumental versions of “Monday, Monday,” a No. 1 pop hit in 1966; “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” originally recorded in 1931 by Ozzie Nelson but had its most success when recorded by Cass Elliot in 1968, and “California Dreamin,’” recorded in 1965 and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.

“The Doors in Concert,” arranged by Paul Murtha, presents some of the Doors’ best classic hits of the 1960s rock era: “Light My Fire,” “Riders on the Storm,” “Love Her Madly,” “Hello, I Love You” and “Touch Me.”

“Michael Jackson, Through the Years,” arranged by Michael Brown, takes Jackson’s hits from age six onwards including “I’ll Be There,” “Rock With You,” “Thriller” and “Man in the Mirror.”

Arranger Ricketts takes hits of trend-setting artists who appeared on “Dick Clark’s American Bandstand” in “Rock, Roll, and Remember.” Selections include Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock,” Chubby Checker’s “The Twist,” the Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby” and The Village People’s “YMCA.”

Jay Dawson’s arrangement of “Tennessee Salute” pays homage to legendary country and western melodies such as “Your Cheatin’ Heart,’ “The Wabash Cannonball,” “The Tennessee Waltz” and “Rocky Top.”

Murtha’s arrangement of “The Best of Journey” includes “Don’t Stop Believin,’” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Open Arms” and “Any Way You Want It.”

The Beatle’s eighth album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” released in 1967, topped the Billboard Top LP chart for 15 weeks. This Michael Sweeney arrangement of tunes includes the title track and “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” “When I’m Sixty Four,” “She’s Leaving Home” and “With a Little Help From My Friends.”

Additional works include Rickett’s “Selections from Grease” and Murtha’s “The Queen of Soul,” featuring Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” and “Think.”

The concert closes with Andrew Balent’s arrangement of “John Denver” with his hits “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Rocky Mountain High.”

“Annual Pops Concert,” Pioneer Band of Allentown, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18, West Park, 16th and Chew streets, Allentown; inclement weather location: Lehigh Valley Active Life, 1633 Elm St, Allentown; Tickets not required. Free. Information: https://www.pioneerband.com/

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