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The Stanly County Concert Band will present a spring concert at 7 p.m. April 22 at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center. There is no cost for admission.

The band has been meeting regularly as the band class at Pfeiffer University following all University COVID guidelines. The Agri-Civic Center requires that all attendees wear masks and remember to socially distance.

The band is performing several pieces.

“We Gather Together” is a traditional Dutch folk melody from 1597 with hymn harmony added by Eduard Kresmer in 1877. Known as the “Hymn of Thanksgiving,” it is sung at special occasions and celebrations. This arrangement is dedicated to the frontline responders and essential workers and is offered as a “welcome back” piece.

“Moving at the Speed of Sound” is a fanfare by Mark Lortz that features brass motives, woodwind flourishes and active percussion.

“My Bonny Boy” is an intermezzo from Ralph Vaughan Williams. The suite was originally written for military band and premiered in 1923.

The vistas of the Great Lakes region serve as the inspiration for “Vanishing Point” by
Randall Standridge.

“An American Spectacular” is a salute to America that provides a musical history of
the United States. Featuring many well-known tunes, the medley’s timeline begins
when the country was a colony of the British Empire and continues through the
Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the westward expansion, the Civil War and World War I.

The grand finale features a rendition of “America, the Beautiful.”

Other selections include “With Every Sunrise” by Robert Sheldon and “Emperata Overture” by Claude T. Smith.

The mission of the Stanly County Concert Band is to provide lifelong participation in music and to enhance the cultural life of Stanly County and the region through free or low-cost performances.