RACINE — The Racine Concert Band’s 102nd season of free concerts begins 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 30, at the Racine Zoo, 2131 N.
Main St. Ayesu Lartey is the guest vocalist at the Racine Concert Band's June 30 concert. This program marks the 1,520th free concert performed by the official band of the City of Racine.
The patriotic program salutes the contributions of President Abraham Lincoln in three selections: Racine Concert Band Music Director Mark Eichner, seen with the band in July 2023, at the Racine Zoo, will be back with the group at the zoo for weekly outdoor concerts starting June 30. Edwin Franko Goldman’s stirring “Abraham Lincoln March” completes the Lincoln tribute, said Music Director Mark Eichner. Vocalist Lartey is a music professor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
He is also the composer and writer of “Lulu and the Long Walk,” awarded the 2023 prize for Best New Musical for Young Audiences by Broadway World. A graduate of UW-Parkside and New York University, he will also sing music from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” and returns later in the program to sing Carmen Dragon’s setting of “America the Beautiful.” Sunday’s program also includes John Williams’ “Liberty Fanfare,” a band version of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” and “American Pageant” by Thomas Knox.
“Armed Forces Salute” and John Philip Sousa’s “Liberty Bell” march and “The Stars and Stripes Forever” will complete the program. Eichner, i.
