Niagara Reporter
American Legion Band of the Tonawandas To Appear at the Cardinal O’Hara High School Performing Arts Center
Date: Sunday, December 11, 2022
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Cardinal O’Hara High School Performing Arts Center, 39 O’Hara Road, Tonawanda, NY
Ticket Information: Tickets $15.00 at the door. $13 in advance and available at the following three outlets:
Walker Bros. & Monroe Jewelers – 84 Webster St. – N. Tonawanda, NY – 693-0527
Mid-City Opticians – 968 Payne Ave – N. Tonawanda, NY – 692-5480
Tonawanda Senior Center – 35 Main St. – Tonawanda, NY – 692-7029
Cardinal O’Hara High School Performing Arts Center (tickets available night of performance)
Program Information: THE MUSIC – Hear the 80 member American Legion National Championship Band perform a special Christmas holiday concert program. On the program are famous holiday works including: Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town by Fred Coots, Midnight Sleighride (from Lieutenant Kije) by Sergei Prokofiev, Christmas on Broadway arr. John Higgins , Sleigh Ride & A Christmas Festival by Leroy Anderson, A Most Wonderful Christmas by Robert Sheldon , La Belle Helene by Jacques Offenbach , Believe (from The Polar Express) by Alan Silverstri, White Christmas by Irving Berlin, and other Holiday Favorites
CARDINAL O’HARA CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Sunday, December 11th, 2022 7:30 PM
Midnight Sleighride (from Lieutenant Kije)— E. Sauter & W. Finegan – Sergei Prokofiev
arr. Tom Wallace
White Christmas————————————————————– Irving Berlin
arr. Naohiro Iwai
Christmas on Broadway————————————————- arr. John Higgins
vocalists: Mary Kofahl & Henry Pendleton
Mary’s Boy Child———————————————————— Philip Sparke
Ancient and Honorable Artillery March——————————– John Philip Sousa
Santa Baby———————————- Joan Javits, Philip Springer & Tony Springer
vocalist: Mary Kofahl arr. Michael Story
A Most Wonderful Christmas——————————————— Robert Sheldon
INTERMISSION
La Belle Helene——————————————————– Jacques Offenbach
arr. Lawerence Odom
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town———————————————— Fred Coots
arr. Kunio Sasaki
Believe (from The Polar Express)— Words and Music by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri
vocalist: Henry Pendleton arr. Michael Shaw
It’s Christmas———————————————————– arr. Warren Barker
vocalists: Mary Kofahl & Henry Pendleton
Sleigh Ride————————————————————— Leroy Anderson
A Christmas Festival—————————————————— Leroy Anderson
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American Legion Band Biography
The award-winning AMERICAN LEGION BAND OF THE TONAWANDAS was formed in 1929 by World War I veterans and Post 264 members. The band (currently 80 members at full strength) draws its membership from a broad cross-section of Western New Yorkers. The members have diverse occupations and backgrounds including management, engineering, business, medicine, government, sales, and industry. A large number are instrumental music educators, or graduates or students of university music programs. Membership is open to all musicians based upon placement evaluation and section vacancies. None of the musicians are compensated.
The Band rehearses and performs year-round. Formal concerts are performed between the months of September and June in area schools and theaters. The Band has performed on numerous occasions on the stages of Artpark, the Chautauqua Institution, the Riviera Theatre and the Palace Theatre. During the remaining months of the year, the Band performs a number of concerts and parades throughout Western New York and Ontario. They have been New York State American Legion Senior Band champion almost continuously since 1947, American Legion Senior Band National Champion in 1972-73, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010 , 2011 , 2012, 2015, 2018 & 2019 and the Canadian National Exhibition International Band Champion on six occasions. At the CNE, the President’s Trophy was permanently awarded to the Band after winning it for three consecutive years, a feat never before accomplished in the history of the CNE band contest. The Band has been videotaped by P.B.S. for a nationally televised special portraying the band of John Philip Sousa. In addition to competitive performances, the Band has been invited to perform at conventions for the New York State School Music Association, the New York State Band Directors Association, and the Association of Concert Bands national convention. The Band received a Gold Medal for its performance in the Sydney (Australia) Opera House as the United States representative to the International Music Festival in 1992. The Band additionally performed in the Showcase Concert of the 2004 New York Wind Band Festival held in Carnegie Hall.
For the trained wind or percussion instrumentalist of Western New York or Ontario, the Band provides an excellent opportunity to utilize the talent, training and experience gained in years of studying a musical instrument and to contribute to the cultural life of the community. The Band can be heard on their full-length stereo recordings Strike Up the Band! conducted by the late Herbert Ludwig and In Competition, Vol. II & Vol. III , It’s Showtime!, The Spirit of Liberty , Let’s Dance and March Masterpieces conducted by William Weikert, and Sounds of Christmas conducted by Michael Shaw . The Band has and always will stand ready to aid in any worthwhile community function and to uphold the great tradition of the American Legion.
