The Palmerton Area School District Music Department will host a free, outdoor concert at 7 p.m. Friday in the Palmerton Borough Park to thank the community for its support.

"We wish to say 'thank you' to the community for the outpouring of support for music in the schools over the past few years, and can think of no better way to do so than to present a free concert," said Tom Heinick, a music teacher and band director for the Palmerton Area School District.The concert will begin with the high school's chorus, under the direction of Natalie Madeira, followed by a performance by the concert band led by Heinick.The chorus will perform a variety of styles including traditional choral repertoire, songs in French and Swahili, and more contemporary music.Among their selections are "Dirait-on" with text by Rainer Rilke and music by Morten Johannes Lauridsen, "Sisi Kushangilia (We Will Be Glad)" by Victor C. Johnson; "Seasons of Love," and "Over the Rainbow" as performed by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole.With an equally varied program, the concert band will perform music written specifically for bands including Richard Saucedo's "Fanfare for the Third Planet," traditional band music such as John Philip Sousa's "The Thunderer," and a transcription of Pavel Tschesnokoff's powerful choral work "Salvation Is Created."They will also play some classic Disney songs, a medley of Beatles songs, and some contemporary medleys of movie music from "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."The music department recommends bringing some chairs or blankets for seating in the park. If it rains, then the concert will be moved to the high school auditorium.