“Each year, the Allentown Band presents an annual Sousa concert and while it includes music by ‘The March King’ John Philip Sousa, we also feature selections by other composers presented in a style of a typical Sousa-led concert,” says Ronald Demkee, Allentown Band conductor.

The Allentown Band’s “Annual Sousa Concert” is at 7:30 p.m. June 27, West Park, Allentown.

The concert opens with “Golden Jubilee,” composed by Sousa to commemorate his 50 years as a conductor. As Sousa described it:

“I’ve always been inspired by an occasion and as I thought of the golden jubilee and of all it meant to me — 50 years of band leading — I seemed to see the world passing in review. There they were, peoples of every land — on parade, at great music festivals, going to war, at expositions, attending the opera, in the home — listening to a march. So the music took form and then ‘The Golden Jubilee March’ was ready for placing on paper.”

In the concert, Lucien Cailliet’s arrangement of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco Overture” follows.

Although known primarily for his marches, Sousa introduced classical music to many towns, including works by composers of opera such as Richard Wagner, Gioachino Rossini and Giuseppe Verdi.

Composer Joseph DeLuca performed as euphonium soloist with the Sousa Band between 1921-1927.

Recent Kutztown University music graduate Roger Pompsello is euphonium soloist in DeLuca’s most popular work “The Beautiful Colorado,” arranged by Charles J. Roberts.

Originally known as “Clog Dance,” Australian composer Percy Grainger renamed the piece “Handel in the Strand” as the dedicatee, William Gair Rathbone, thought the “music seemed to reflect both Handel and English musical comedy.” The Strand is a street in London, which was home to London’s musical comedy scene.

Sousa’s early career involved conducting theater orchestras, including productions by William S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. Australian conductor Charles Mackerras composed “Pineapple Poll,” incorporating snippets from Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

Popular Sousa marches for the evening include “The Washington Post March” (1888), “The Rifle Regiment March” (1886), “The Black Horse Troop March” (1924), “Semper Fidelis March” (1888) and “The Stars and Stripes Forever March” (1896).

The encore is expected to be Stephen Foster’s “Gentle Annie,” arranged by Loris Schissel.