 North Coast Symphonic Band
Star Spangled Spectacular
Bring your family and friends and join your neighbors in the community for a free concert of patriotic and pop music by the North Coast Symphonic Band at 7:30 P.M. on Wednesday, July 3, at the Liberty Theater in downtown Astoria.
The NCSB’s appearance at the Liberty on July 3 is made possible by an earmarked donation from Mike Green and Wendy Doran of Astoria.
Doors open at 6:45 P.M. and the pre-show featuring the NCSB Jazz Band begins at 7:00.
The North Coast Symphonic Band will be conducted by Steve Kuske of Sherwood, Oregon. Kuske is an Astoria High School graduate and an award-winning music instructor at Evergreen High School in Vancouver, Washington. This will be his second appearance as guest conductor of the North Coast Symphonic Band. Master of Ceremonies for the evening concert will be David Hall of Astoria. Hall is a popular classical music programmer on KMUN-FM.
Conductor Kuske selected pieces for the concert that invite audience participation - toe tapping, singing along, or smiles. He hopes that whole families will attend the free concert and have a great time. Kuske was eager to return to Astoria because he has great childhood memories of the area. He grew up in Astoria and “had the best times of his life in this place.” He likes to drive around before rehearsals start and imagine seeing Astoria for the first time again. Kuske says that North Coasters are friendly, kind, and wonderful. He feels that Astoria is an important cultural community because it supports the arts and that brings a sophistication to the area that is admirable.
In addition to inspiring concert band selections that will induce pride on America’s national holiday, Kuske has selected familiar marches, selections from the musical “Wicked,” and traditional sing-a-longs. Featured soloists for the evening include horn player Allan Stromquist, also a former Astoria High School graduate, who has gone on to make a career in music in the Portland metro area; Ken Chapman, a former Astoria High School drama teacher who will recite the Red Skelton version of the Pledge of Allegiance; and Bob Walters, recently retired music teacher from the Ocean Beach School District in Washington who will sing the Star Spangled Banner and lead the patriotic sing-a-longs. Following tradition, Clatsop Post Number 12 of the American Legion will present the colors as a tribute to American servicemen and the concert will end with John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes.”
Wednesday, July 3rd, 2013
Show Begins at 7:00 PM
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