Source: Montgomery County Concert Band/Facebook.com
The Montgomery County Concert Band (MCCB) will open its 31st season with a rousing concert at Souderton Area High School on May 3 at 3 p.m.
The performance will feature a variety of spirited pieces, such as Gallante’s Red Rock Mountain, Metroplex by Robert Sheldon and Sesquicentennial March by John Philip Sousa. The audience will also delight in two other special pieces: Gabriel’s Oboe, featuring Michael Langston, oboist, and Ellie and the Red Wagon, composed by band member, Brian Leonard, said the band.
The concert is free. Donations will be gratefully accepted after the program. For more information about the band and to listen to recordings, visit https://montcoband.org. The band can also be found on Facebook (Montgomery County Concert Band), YouTube (@montcoband) and Instagram (@montcoband_pa), said the band.
The 80-member MCCB was formed in April of 1995 by Paul Ferla and Steve Frederick, who served as the first director. Currently, the band is under the direction of Charles Neidhardt and Assistant Director, Ryan Pongras. MCCB has received numerous honors, including the Sudler Silver Scroll award from the John Philip Sousa Foundation and Third Prize for Community Bands in the 2022 National Prize contest. In addition, the Band has performed several times at both the annual conference of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and the national conference of the Association of Concert Bands.
Featured soloist Michael Langston performs in ensembles across Europe and North America. He is an ensemble recording artist for the Albion label, which is dedicated to recording the complete works of Vaughan Williams and his contemporaries. Michael is also an adjudicator and teacher, maintaining a healthy oboe, bassoon and flute studio.Brian Leonard is a local music educator and composer who has been a member of the MCCB trumpet section since 2019. His young-band piece, Ellie and the Red Wagon, was published by C.L. Barnhouse in 2025, and the Band is proud to showcase his piece, said the band.
The MCCB will also be performing at the following outside venues, with a whole new repertoire of music this summer:
• Towamencin Day: Saturday May 30 at noon, at Fischer’s Park, Towamencin
• Whites Road Park, Lansdale: Tuesday June 16 at 7 p.m.
• Fischer’s Park, Towamencin: Thursday, June 25 at 7 p.m.
• Trinity Lutheran Church, Perkasie: Sunday, September 20 at 3 p.m.
• Souderton Area High School, Souderton (Fall Concert): Sunday, November 22 at 3 p.m.
