North Coast Symphonic Band free concert: "Americans We"

The North Coast Symphonic Band concludes its 45th season with a free concert titled ?Americans We? at the Liberty Theatre Thursday, July 3. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by a generous donation from the Astoria Clowns. Conductor Terry Dahlgren said, ?The concert will feature a celebration of American music that?s sure to have something for everyone.? In addition to the patriotic standards ?America the Beautiful? and ?The Stars and Stripes Forever,? the program will feature songs of yesteryear with the piece, ?Songs from the Great War: The Music of World War I,? arranged by Andrew Glover, and Pierre La Plante?s ?Legends and Heroes,? which features tunes from the days of the California Gold Rush and the great railroad expansion west. ?There?s plenty of lighthearted fare as well,? said Dahlgren, ?including Stephen Roberts? arrangement of the TV series theme ?The Wild Wild West.?? Special guest vocalist Deac Guidi will be featured with the band on the Gershwin classic, ?They Can?t Take That Away from Me.? Guidi will also be on deck for a rousing version of U.S. military themes, ?Salute To America?s Finest.? The North Coast Symphonic Band (NCSB) is a nonprofit community performing arts group composed of local musicians of all ages who enjoy networking, learning from each other, and maintaining their skill levels in a positive and supportive environment. The NCSB performs four concerts per year at the historic Liberty Theatre in Astoria. Rehearsals for the band?s 46th season will start in the fall at the Charlene Larsen Center for the Performing Arts (PAC) in Astoria. Musicians interested in joining should email Personnel Director Lee Stromquist at encore1@charter.net or call (503) 861-1328. Potential new members should read music, own their own instruments, and have advanced high school level performance skills or higher. For more information on the band, visit www.northcoastsymphonicband.org, e-mail cablebri@charter.net, or call (503) 298-1087.