Strike Up the Band!

Fireworks may provide the oohs and ahs on Independence Day, but when it comes to making your heart swell with patriotic pride, there better be music – our National Anthem, say, or an ode to America's natural splendors and democratic ideals, or a rousing military march. If you want a Fourth of July fix of patriotic music, here's where to find it.

We've assembled a list of concerts where you can be assured of hearing a full complement of brass blasting out some John Phillip Sousa marches, a cannonade booming the 1812 Overture, and a full-throated chorus of our "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Austin Symphony Orchestra
www.austinsymphony.org
Sat., July 4, 8:30pm
Vic Mathias Shores (formerly Auditorium Shores)
Our professional symphony's traditional Fourth of July concert makes its 41st appearance. Of course, it wouldn't be an Independence Day concert without "The Star-Spangled Banner" (here as arranged by John Stafford Smith), and it's a given that ASO will trot out the cannons for Pytor Tchaikovsky's Overture 1812. Sousa is also well represented by "Keeping in Step With the Union," "On Parade," and, naturally, "The Stars and Stripes Forever." The rest of the 2017 program includes a military salute via Jeff Tyzik's Armed Forces Song Medley; a double dose of John Williams: his "Liberty Fanfare" and some music from Jurassic Park; Edwin Eugene Bagley's "National Emblem March"; George Gershwin's "Cuban Overture"; and Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady."

Austin Civic Wind Ensemble
www.acwe.org
Tue., July 4, 9am
Steiner Ranch Towne Square, 12550 Country Trails Lane
The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble's 70 musicians and conductor Robert Laguna are getting an early start on the Fourth, performing a concert at Steiner Ranch well before noon. Their program promises "The Star Spangled Banner," as arranged by John Williams; Eduard Strauss' "Clear Track Galop," as arranged by Robert E. Nelson; Franz von Suppé's Poet and Peasant Overture; the folk song "The Girl I Left Behind Me," as arranged by Leroy Anderson; Karl L. King's "Circus Days" and "Barnum and Bailey's Favorite March"; David Lovrien's "Monkey Business"; Frank Ticheli's "Shenandoah" for Concert Band; Carmen Dragon's arrangement of "America the Beautiful," and – can you guess? – Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever."

Austin Symphonic Band
www.austinsymphonicband.org
Bastrop Patriotic Festival
Sat., July 1, 8pm
Fisherman’s Park, Bastrop

July 4th Frontier Days Celebration
Tue., July 4, 8pm
Old Settlers’ Park, Round Rock
The ASB can be heard Saturday night in Bastrop and Tuesday night in Round Rock. The concert program leads the way with Sousa, naturally, who's represented by "Black Horse Troop," "U.S. Field Artillery March," "King Cotton," and – wait for it – "Stars & Stripes Forever." The program also includes Armed Forces Salute, Claude T. Smith's Spirit of Texas, Thomas Knox's American Pageant (a medley of "America," "Yankee Doodle," "Battle Hymn of the Republic," "Dixie," "America the Beautiful," and "Columbia the Gem of the Ocean"), Henry Fillmore's American Civil War Fantasy, a medley of music from Les Misérables, and George Gershwin's "Strike Up the Band."

Starlight Symphony Orchestra
www.starlightsymphony.org
Tue., July 4, 8:15pm,
Hays CISD Performing Arts Center, 979 Kohler’s Crossing, Kyle
The community orchestra affiliated with the Wimberley Players, led by Dr. David Oertel, will perform for the city of Kyle's Star-Spangled Celebration. The concert program will include such selections as "The Star-Spangled Banner," Armed Forces Salute, and, of course, "Stars and Stripes Forever."