Williamsport’s own internationally acclaimed and historic Repasz Band, will once again take the stage at the Community Arts Center, 220 West Fourth Street, on Tuesday, December 5th, at 7:30 p.m. for yet another splendid musical offering to celebrate the spirit of the holidays!

This year’s concert will open with an electric and dynamic work by Tomohiro Tatebe entitled “Dance Celebration For Wind Ensemble”. The composition is marked “allegro con brio”, which means at a fast tempo and with spirit, literally “with brilliance”.

Another set of jewels in this concert’s crown are the three movements of a setting of the Ralph Vaughn Williams Suite by Robert W. Smith. These include “Wassail”, “Greensleeves: A Fantasia For Band”, and “Declaration and Flourish”.

The concert will include a veritable avalanche of Christmas standards fitted and refitted with a huge array of styles and genres. These include Leroy Anderson’s immortal “Sleigh Ride”, Serge Prokofiev’s “Midnight Sleighride” adapted from “Troika” from the Lieutenant Kijé Suite by Tom Wallace, “Jingle Bells Forever”, “Sparkling Lights: Fanfare on O Christmas Tree”, “Minor Alterations: Christmas Through The Looking Glass”, and the six Christmas carol and song medley “Joyous Christmas Spirit”.

The Repasz Band nearly always includes something of American heritage and the world catalog of marches. Featured in this vein are “Commando March” by Samuel Barber and Thomas Knox’s “American Pageant”. Knox was the chief composer and arranger for The President’s Own Marine Band for 16 years. “In this timeless and sparkling arrangement, songs near and dear to our US roots are presented. The songs woven together include ‘America’, ‘Yankee Doodle’, ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’, ‘America the Beautiful’, ‘Dixie’, and ‘Columbia the Gem of the Ocean.’” And, of course, the Repasz Band always closes with its signature march.

The band is wonderfully and skillfully led by senior Director Albert J. Nacinovich, Associate Director Jeff Dent, and Assistant Directors Jessica Lewis and Theo Lentz.

As always, admission to Repasz Band concerts is free of charge. Also as something of a yuletide Repasz Band tradition, audience members for the holiday concert may bring a can of food to share if they desire. All such gratefully received items will be donated to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

More comprehensive information about the Repasz Band is available at http://www.repaszband.org/.