The 12th Annual Liberty Classic Band Festival is coming to Williamsport’s Community Arts Center with a free concert on Sunday, October 8, at 1:30 p.m.
At the helm of this year’s musical extravaganza will once again be the legendary Air Force band director and internationally acclaimed musician Col. Arnald D. Gabriel, masterfully assisted by conductor, musician, and educator Dr. Carl Christian Wilhjelm, along with Air Force veteran and widely experienced band master and performer, Jari Villanueva.
These three venerable maestros combine more than 150 years of musical excellence, patriotism, and musical expertise.
Music to be featured includes Floyd Werle’s standard military arrangement of “The Star Spangled Banner,” the march “Liberty Prevails” by Tom Clark and arranged by Jari Villanueva, Hector Berlioz’s “Roman Carnival Overture,” “The Wishing Well” by Rosanno Galante, “Symphonic Dances” from Fiddler on the Roof by Jerry Bock, “Caderna Italian March” by D’Arcangelo, “Autumn Leaves” arranged by Alfred Reed, “The Wind and the Lion” by Jerry Goldsmith, and the ever-powerful, ever-popular arrangement of “America the Beautiful” by Carmen Dragon of Hollywood Bowl Symphony fame.
The Liberty Classic Community Band Festival is hosted by Williamsport’s historic Repasz Band, a community force here since 1831. The Festival’s purpose is to provide “outstanding musical experiences for dedicated musicians and to enrich the lives of those who share our love for performing the highest quality band literature. The Festival is designed to nurture and promote community appreciation for music, while providing quality music performances for and on behalf of the residents of the City of Williamsport and the surrounding communities.”
In past years it has drawn dozens of participants from such places as Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Florida, Texas, Missouri and Ontario, along with many Pennsylvania players, including veteran members of the Repasz Band.
The Festival is a three-day event from October 6-8 replete with rehearsals, social occasions, banquet and a grand public concert. Rehearsals and social occasions will take place at the Genetti Hotel & Suites throughout the event. The Oct. 8 performance is free and open to the public at the Community Arts Center, 220 West Fourth St.
Coordinating the event is area native and retired Williamsport Area School District music teacher, Mrs. Judith Shellenberger, who is coincidentally not only business manager of the Repasz Band itself, but is also the past President of the global Association of Concert Bands, “the international voice of community bands”. More information about the ACB is available on-line at acbands.org.
More information on the Repasz Band, including history and performance schedule, can be found at repaszband.org.
