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, the National Museum of Industrial History is dedicated to preserving America’s rich industrial heritage at the Bethlehem Steel facility providing exciting exhibits, engaging programs, and amazing history.  The Bethlehem Steel Company Legacy Band performance will occur at one of those engaging programs, Steel Weekend, 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 2:00 pm on Sunday, October 12, 2025 at the National Museum of Industrial History (602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, PA 18105).  The legacy band will only rehearse prior to the performance on Saturday, October 11, 2025 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm with a half hour setup prior at the museum.  Band performance call time will be 12:30 pm on Sunday, October 12, 2025.  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, black pants, black shoes, and black socks for the concert, plenty of water, and your smile!

The performance will feature standard wind band literature from the “Golden Age of Bands” (1880 – 1930) that was performed by the original Bethlehem Steel Company Band.  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 Steel Weekend!  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!