Follow the yellow brick road and get animated with The Gateway Concert Band

Published 12:45 pm Monday, February 23, 2026

Editor’s note: The following is a press release from the The Gateway Concert Band.

The Gateway Concert Band announces two free March concerts at White River High School Theater on Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m. at and Monday March 23 at 7:15 p.m.

Come help us celebrate 30 years of the band playing music together – what a milestone! We have members who have been with us from the beginning (can you imagine that!?) and ones that have joined this year. No matter how long the band members have played together, the music we will play at the March concerts will be really exciting and interesting.

The concert is entitled “Come Dance With Us” which describes the general theme of the music—many have some flavor of dance. Lively songs like “Jitterbug” and “Mambo” will have you tapping your toes or swaying in your seat. “Appalachian Spring” by Aaron Copeland was originally composed as a ballet and later as an orchestral and band piece. The music captures the pioneering American spirit, optimism, and hope. Set in the 19th-century Pennsylvania wilderness, it depicts a young couple’s wedding day, blending themes of joyful love, apprehensive maturity, and spiritual devotion.

“Festive Dance” from the opera “Faust” tells the story of the conflict between a man’s temptations and a carefree, happy life of a maiden. “Amparito Roca” is a Spanish march and is often associated with bullfights and characterized by its fast-paced, energetic, and joyous tone.

The concert is interspersed with humor and lightness. One such song is “Animation (Episode 1 WABBIT!)” . The music is a high-energy piece featuring colorful orchestration, quirky percussion, and fast-paced musical storytelling that mimics a cartoon where a hunter is chasing a rabbit (Wabbit) and being taunted by the rabbit combined with a coyote constantly being foiled by tactics of a bird he is chasing — wait do we hear birds? Do we hear an anvil dropping? (Come to the concert to see what this means). This is what you will experience when you listen to the piece designed as a high-energy work designed as a “lost score” to a classic cartoon.

‘Wizard of Oz’ features music we all remember from the original 1939 Judy Garland movie. Tunes include “Over the Rainbow,” “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” and more; experience great memories as you listen to this compilation of music

The performance is at the White River High School Theater. The theater is ADA accessible with reserved ADA seating and elevator access to the lower level. Ushers will be available to help with seating.

Gateway Concert Band is a non-profit charitable organization- donations are very welcome.