Hastings City Band and Choral Society

Present ‘A Tribute to America Spectacular.’

The Lakewood Area Choral Society, under the direction of Robert C. Oster, will join the Hastings City Band, Spencer White, conductor, for a patriotic music spectacular on Wednesday, July 4, at 8:00 p.m. at Thornapple Plaza in Hastings.  Both the band and the choir will be featured individually, as well as performing several combined selections in this musical tribute to America.

The concert will open with a new arrangement of the National Anthem by Jamey Ray, performed by the Lakewood Area Acapella Choir, a smaller, auditioned ensemble from within the larger choral society.  Selections to be performed by the full choir include This Land I Love, by John Carter, Song For the Unsung Hero, by Joseph Martin, David Brunner’s For Spacious Skies, featuring baritone soloist Brian Grawburg, American Pride by Jill Gallina with soloists Val Reisen and Paul Kuhlman, and One World by Mark Hayes.

Also featured will be the Lakewood Area Choral Society Three Sopranos and Three Tenors.  The Three Sopranos, Kristen Kennedy, Cindy Olson, and Deborah Robbe will perform God Bless the USA, accompanied by the city band.  The Three Tenors, Neal Johnson, Jon Cleveland, and John Myers will sing I Love a Sousa March, also accompanied by the band.

As part of the grand finale, the Three Sopranos and Tenors will join the city band and the choral society in arrangements of God Bless America and America the Beautiful.  The closing finale will be Sousa’s The Stars and Stripes Forever with the combined band and choir.