Castlebar Concert Band is to host a gala concert in the main hall of the Mayo GMIT Campus on Thursday, October 25 next.
Under musical director Mary Curran, both an afternoon and evening performance will be staged at GMIT by the 30-strong band.
The 2pm matinee show is especially for local transition year students, while the main presentation gets underway from 8pm.
The event, which is a fundraiser towards the band's planned trip to New York in 2019, will also act as an opportunity for Castlebar Concert band to unveil a range of new musical arrangements it has been working on with Ms Curran, who has a long association with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
They include the finest work by two of the world's greatest contemporary composers, Henry Mancini - remembered for his famous Pink Panther score - and John Williams, renowned for composing some of the most popular film scores in cinematic history, including Star Wars.
These arrangements epitomise the new style Ms Curran has brought to the band since her appointment two years ago.
Other pieces she has also introduced include the Jackson 5 hit, ABC, which was number one in the US soul charts for four weeks in 1970, and the 1982 classic by Survivor - Eye of the Tiger - which featured in the Rocky III movie, and was covered so successfully by Tina Turner.
The band will also be featuring some of their old favourites, most notably Neil Diamond's 'Sweet Caroline', 'Largo, The New World Symphony', the Slaidburn quick-march by William Rimmer, and probably the favourite tune of band members themselves, 'The Bluebell March'.
The main organiser of the concert, Tommy O'Malley, has also lined up a number of acts to add variety to the show.
They include popular local vocalists, the Garvey Brothers, and Uilleann piper Diarmuid Moynihan.
O'Malley promises that a number of additional surprises are also in store for those in attendance, with a prospect of the aforemetioned Mary Curran displaying her considerable skills on the French horn.
Extending thanks to all local businesses and others for supporting the concern through their patronage, O'Malley commented:
“We have learned over the past number of weeks that the level of goodwill and generosity to the Castlebar Concert Band is remarkable. For that, we are so grateful."
Tickets (€10 ) will be on sale at the door from 7.30pm on the night. All are welcome.
