The stars, the stripes and Mr. Sousa

Free concert of ‘March King’ music will be held Jan. 19 at Eisenhower Hall West Point - Eisenhower Hall Theatre will play host Friday, Jan. 19, to “Stars, Stripes and Sousa,” an evening of light classics, virtuoso solos and Sousa marches with the United States Military Academy Concert Band led by conductor Keith Brion. The concert is free and open to the public; the performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Brion, who has taken his portrayal of John Philip Sousa to the far corners of the world, will lead the Academy Concert Band through a program of works made famous by the original Sousa band. In addition to works by Charles Ives, Percy Grainger and Giusseppi Verdi, a number of Sousa’s own marches will be performed throughout the concert. Academy Band members Sergeant First Class MaryKay Messenger and Staff Sergeants Diana Powers and Philip Stehly will appear as soloists on the evening performance. Sergeant First Class Messenger will bring her popular stylings to Puccini’s “Vissi d’Arte” from Tosca as well as Jerome Kern’s “All the Things You Are.” Staff Sergeant Powers will perform “Fantasia on Popular Irish Airs” on piccolo and Staff Sergeant Stehly will perform “The Patriot” as trombone soloist. Allow extra travel time for vehicle and photo I.D. inspection at Stony Lonesome and Thayer gates. Call the Academy Band’s hotline at 845-938-2617, or check www.usma.edu/special before leaving for the concert.