The Lehighton Area Middle School Music Department will present its 24th annual Spring Concert on Thursday in the high school auditorium. The instrumental groups will begin at 6:30 p.m. while the choral groups will begin at 7:45 p.m.

The Jazz Ensemble will begin the program. "Swing Time," written by Jerry Nowak, will kick off the program and features eighth-graders Kelsey Gaston on trumpet and Kenneth Zacharias on bass trombone. Next, the jazz ensemble will perform "Louie, Louie," which features Roger Pomposello on baritone horn.The fifth- and sixth-grade band, under the direction of Thomas Weidner, will perform the spirited "Starsplitter Fanfare," "Lullaby" by Australian composer Tim Fisher, "Tempest," which has become a staple of middle school band literature, and Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock."The seventh- and eighth-grade concert band, under the direction of Beth Hudlow, will conclude the first half of the festivities. Their first selection will be James Swearigen's "The Sounds of Liberty;" followed by "Black Sails" by local composer Aric Branchfield; "Gaelic Dances," inspired by Irish music and composed by John Moss; popular themes from the "Star Wars" franchise will be highlighted in an arrangement by Robert Longfield; and the final selection will be "Ten Marches in Two Minutes."The choral portion of the program will continue with the show choir, Music Express, under the direction of Laura Welkey. Music Express will pay tribute to the heyday of American popular music with Irving Berlin's "Puttin' on the Ritz" and "Blue Skies," which will feature the choir performing group skat singing; followed by "This Joint is Jumpin,' " written by Fats Waller.The Treble Chorale, consisting of fifth- and sixth-graders under the direction of Weidner, will perform "42nd Street"; "Sakura Matsuri"; "America, a Sight for All" which blends "America, the Beautiful" with an original partner melody; and "Popcorn" composed by Kirby Shaw.The Choraliers, the seventh- and eighth-grade chorus under the direction of Welkey, will begin their portion of the concert with the spiritual "Little Wheel A-Turnin' "; followed by "Shut Up and Dance"; "Ye Shall Have a Song"; "Deo Dicamus Gratias," sung in Latin; and "What is This Feeling," from the musical "Wicked."Music Express will conclude the concert with "Sing, America Sing!" featuring Abigail Buffington, Corbin Frisvold, Roger Pomposello, Isabella Miklus, Marlena Ahner, Shelby Heater and Aubrey Hunt. Ninth-grader Calvin Maholick will accompany the chorus on piano.The concert is open to the public, and all are welcome.