Public performance part of Honor Band Festival at Valley High School

Valley High School in New Kensington will host the annual Westmoreland County Senior High Honor Band Festival on Friday.

The concert is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. It is open to the public. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 10.

This will be the first time the concert, which rotates among districts, has been held at the New Kensington-Arnold high school, according to Nick Smith, Valley High School band director.

Travis J. Weller of Messiah College will guest conduct about 130 students representing 15 Westmoreland County school districts.

The concert will last about an hour, Weller said.

According to Weller, all of the music on the program was composed by musicians from Western Pennsylvania — with three having ties to Westmoreland County.

“The River at First Light,” composed by Robert Traugh, depicts the imagery of the first moments before daybreak on the Kiski River; “Aurora Fanfare” was written by Jude Gore, an elementary music teacher at Connellsville Area School District; and Mark Surovchak, Belle Vernon band director, composed “Letting Go,” a testament for those who experience loss in their lives yet grow through the process to emerge stronger.

All three will attend Friday to speak to the band about their piece and share insight into the composing process, Weller said.

The program also includes a waltz and a work by Weller that is a patriotic tribute to his father, David Weller, who served in the Army, and those who have served in the armed forces.