‘Second to None: Liberty High School Grenadier Band’ to Premiere at Bethlehem’s 275th Anniversary Community Celebration
Premiere to take place at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks on Saturday, June 25 at 11:30 a.m.
Bethlehem, Pa. — June 21, 2016 — Most high schools have a band, but few can compare to the Liberty High School Grenadiers. Three hundred members strong, this locally-revered, world-renowned musical institution wears red coats, brass buttons, and bearskins. They perform for Presidents and Queens. In their arms, they carry sousaphones and bagpipes. In their hearts, they carry tradition.
As part of Bethlehem’s 275th Anniversary Community Celebration, PBS39 will honor the band’s pageantry, tradition, and history when it premieres Second to None: Liberty High School Grenadier Band on Saturday, June 25 at 11:30 a.m. at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks.
Second to None traces the history of the Grenadier Band, from its beginnings in 1926 to the present day. This original production shares some of the band’s most memorable moments throughout history, including performing in President Truman’s inaugural parade, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Pasadena Rose Parade, and at anniversaries of the Pearl Harbor bombings. Viewers will also hear stories from alumni, students, and three of the four directors in the band’s history.
“PBS39 has worked tirelessly to bring the story of the Liberty High School Grenadier Band to life,” said Teri Haddad, EdD, SVP of Education and Production. “The community support we’ve received for this project is overwhelming, and we are especially grateful to those who helped make this production possible.”
Community supporters of Second to None include: Coca-Cola Bottling Company of the Lehigh Valley; Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem; Air Products; Fritch Fuels; the Frank Banko Family; Herron Funeral Homes and Crematory; Adams Outdoor; Bethlehem Education Association; Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission; Capital BlueCross; King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC; Pearson Funeral Home; Paxos Restaurants, Inc.; and Robert Klock (Thrivent Financial). In addition, PBS39 received financial and historical contributions to this project from band alumni, parents, and members.
For a full schedule of events taking place at Bethlehem’s 275th Anniversary Community Celebration, please visit bethlehemanniversary.com.
About PBS39
PBS39 is a community-owned public television station licensed to Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, Pa., serving eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey. PBS39 is owned and operated by the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation. The mission of PBS39 is to educate, inspire, inform, and entertain, while stimulating the exchange of ideas for community enrichment. For more information, please visit wlvt.org.
Information provided by: PBS39, 839 Sesame Street, Bethlehem,
