By Heidi Tanner
Special to The PREVIEW
At 2 p.m. on the afternoon of the Fourth of July, Pagosa Springs Community Band will give its annual patriotic concert on the back lawn of The Springs Resort.
No Fourth of July holiday is complete without a dose of John Philip Sousa, and the Pagosa Springs Community Band is here to assist. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and enjoy a variety of patriotic songs that will make your Fourth of July holiday a special one.
The Pagosa Springs Community Band is a nonprofit organization and though we present this concert free of charge, we are appreciative of any donations, all of which helps keep our band operating.
John Philip Sousa was a premier American composer and conductor. At age 26, he became conductor of the United States Marine Corps Band and remained leader of the band for five presidential administrations. Over his career, his band toured tirelessly and, in its first seven years, gave 3,500 concerts in 400 different cities.
This year, the Pagosa Springs Community Band will be playing several of John Philip Sousa’s marches including a rendition of Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” which is the official march of the United States of America. You will be delighted when you hear flutist Angela Ochoa piping out the famous piccolo melody that caps off this most famous of marches.
Please join us for this fun, festive and patriotic concert in celebration of our nation’s birthday. Don’t forget your lawn chair and we will see you at 2 p.m.
