Palmetto Concert Band stirs patriotic soul

The Palmetto Concert Band will honor military heroes with a Sunday Memorial Day concert of patriotic songs.

“Honoring the Heroes: A Memorial Day Concert” is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday at the Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St.

The Palmetto Concert Band is a volunteer ensemble made up of professional and semi-professional musicians from throughout South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. Most of the musicians are alumni of the University of South Carolina School of Music.

The Memorial Day weekend concert is an annual event for the band. Members also perform public concerts at the USC Band Clinic every February and on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Sunday’s concert will include the national anthem, “Summon the Heroes” by John Williams, “The Blue and The Gray” by Clare Grundman, “Heroes Lost and Fallen” by David R. Gillingham, “Elegy for A Young American” by Ronald Lo Presti, “Armed Forces Salute,” arranged by Bob Lowden, and “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa.

“One of our audience favorites is the “Armed Forces Salute” – it’s a medley of songs and we ask all active military, veterans, and/or their family members to stand and be recognized when their song plays,” said Kim Wylie, a clarinetist and board member for the band. “It’s lighthearted, but certainly touching.”

The band also is asking fans to share photos and stories of their own personal heroes on its Facebook page (search for Palmetto Concert Band).

Honoring the Heroes is a free concert that is open to the public.

Bridget Winston, Special to The State