BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY LEGACY BAND

While promoting awareness of the “Golden Age of Bands” (1880 – 1930), when American instrumental bands were emerging in local towns, this performance will pay tribute to the Bethlehem Steel Company Band (1910 – 1925), an industrial band Charles M. Schwab, President of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation gave as a Christmas present to the town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  The Bethlehem Steel Company Band was seen performing locally at special events such as parades, parties, town ceremonies, school concerts, football club celebrations, and during the lunch hour for steel plant workers.  Fast forwarding to today, ArtsQuest has continued providing access to art, culture, and education programs at the main Bethlehem Steel Corporation site through events at SteelStacks and Levitt Pavilion.  Our performance will occur at one of those annual events, Musikfest, and is designed to pay homage to the Bethlehem Steel Company Band while providing high quality music making opportunities for performers and meaningful communication through music for the audience using historic period style music.

Any brass, woodwind, and percussion instrumentalists, regardless of age and ability, can participate in the legacy band.  Instrumentalists will rehearse together one day prior to the performance and will be provided music the month before the event.  It is fun to see familiar faces and make new musician friends from various other bands while of course entertaining audience members who are very welcome to enjoy the performance!

The Bethlehem Steel Company Legacy Band performance will take place at 5:30 pm on Saturday, August 10, 2024 at the Musikfest Café (101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, PA 18105).  The legacy band will only rehearse prior to the performance on Friday, August 9, 2024 from 2:30 pm to 6 pm with a half hour setup prior at Liberty High School (1115 Linden Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018).  Band performance call time will be 3:00 pm on Saturday, August 10, 2024 at the Musikfest Café.  The performance will be conducted by Dr. Joshua E. Long, PhD.

Instrumentalists must register below.  The nominal fee for your involvement in the performance will provide delivery of music, a shirt for the event, and participation at the venue.  For the event you will need your instrument (percussionists we will have some equipment but we will coordinate with you prior to the event), music stand, music that was delivered to you, plenty of water, and your smile!

The performance will feature standard wind band literature from the “Golden Age of Bands” (1880 – 1930).  Please message for a complete list of pieces to be performed.

We cannot say this statement enough; our main goal is to bring historic music into the community.  Therefore, we want and NEED you, come share your talent, dust off your brass, woodwind, or percussion instrument and be a part of LIVE music and Musikfest!  We will have fun making music together!!

If you are interested in sponsoring and promoting historic industry band appreciation through this event, please CONTACT US.  Thank you to the sponsors below who have been very helpful with our initiative!