Christmas Concert Sunday December 8, 2024

Join us for our annual Christmas concert which will be presented Sunday, December 8, 2024 at the Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College.

The program will include a variety of popular holiday pieces and a special selection for children in attendance. Doors open at 1:15 with a pre-show by The Ultimate Dance Center at 1:45 and the band concert starting at 2:30. The concerts and parking are free and no tickets are needed.

Christmas Concert Sunday December 8, 2024

Patriotic Concert Sunday November 10, 2024

The Lakeland Concert Band performed our first concert of the 2024-2025 season at the Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College. The Pre-Show was performed by Ultimate Entertainment. Doors opened at 1:15 with the Pre Show starting at 1:45. The Band Concert started at 2:30. The complete concert and Pre-Show may be viewed on our Selected Performances page.

The concert and parking was free and no tickets were needed. Donations are very much appreciated and may be given at the concert or online through our Support Us page.

Pictures from the Concert

The Star Spangled Banner with vocal by Ken Brady. Conducted by Vic Larsen
O Canada with vocal by Judy Comings conducted by Vic Larsen
Associate Conductor Kelly Goldberg
Associate Conductor Jim Jackson
Preshow by Ultimate Entertainment, combination of four local dance studios.

2024-2025 Concert Dates

Join us for our upcoming concert series starting November 10, 2024. The Lakeland Concert Band will be performing at the Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern University on selected Sunday afternoons from November 2024 though April 2025. In our 46th year, we look forward to providing another season of entertaining musical selections in our free of charge format. Musical selection for our concerts are typically themed for the season such as Veteran’s Day, Christmas & Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, and Saint Patrick’s Day .

  • November 10, 2024
  • December 8, 2024
  • February 2, 2025
  • March 2, 2025
  • April 13, 2025

We welcome musicians who are interested in joining the band. Our practices will begin in September 2024. For more information on joining the band, please contact us using our online contact form.

Flight to Honor 2024

The Lakeland Concert Band performed at the return of the April 30, 2024 Flight to Honor which is a program of the Polk County Veterans Council. The performance was in the evening to greet veterans as the flight returned from Washington DC. The performance was at the Lakeland Linder International Airport, passenger terminal.

The band played a program of patriotic and popular music familiar to veterans for the those awaiting the flight as well as during the arrival of the veterans. We joined by many who awaited the opportunity to honor our veterans. More information on the Flight to Honor program is available on their web page.

Spring Concert

Our final concert of the 2023-2024 season, our 45th, was April 21, 2024. The Concert was held at the Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College. Doors opened at 1:15, pre-show at 1:45, and the band concert began at 2:30. The concert and parking are free and no tickets are needed. 

Our 2024-2025 Season will begin in mid September with weekly band practices. Our first concert will be in the Fall of 2024, specific dates to be determined.

Preshow featuring Ken Brady, of The Casinos
Ken Brady, of The Casinos

St. Patrick’s Day Concert

Our St. Patrick’s Concert was presented Sunday, March 10, 2024 at the Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College. The full concert is available on YouTube with a link posted on our Selected Performances page. 

Meditation, by Jules Massenet, with featured Flute Soloists Christina Campbell and Mollie Tew
Londonderry Air, an old Irish melody, with Ken Brady vocalist
The Impossible Dream, by Mitch Leigh & Joe Darion, with John Monforto vocalist
Deir’ In De, traditional Irish lullaby, David Cree, Guest Conductor
The Genius of Ray Charles, arranged by Michael Brown, Don Conaway, Guest Conductor

February 2024 Valentine Concert

The band performed in concert on Sunday, February 11, 2024 at the Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College. Doors opened at 1:15, pre-show was at 1:45, and the band concert began at 2:30. The entire concert may be viewed on our Selected Performances page.

Our Music Ambassadors performed the Pre show. Three band members performed as guest conductors.

Steven E. Satone conducted his own arrangement of “The March of the Siamese Children” by Richard Rodgers.

Steve Satone conducts his own arrangement of The March of the Siamese Children

Patricia Conaway conducted the Beatles song “Something”, by George Harrison.

Patricia Conaway conducting “Something” (Beatles)

Pamela Archangeli conducted Scarborough Fair, an old English song recorded by Simon and Garfunkel.

Patricia Archangeli conducts Scarborough Fair

Our Valentine Special

Ken Brady sings Let Me Call You Sweetheart, leading the audience in song.

Winter 2024 Concert

Our Winter Concert will be presented Sunday, January 21, 2024 at the Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College. Doors open at 1:15, pre-show at 1:45, and the band concert begins at 2:30. The Pre Show will feature Ken Brady, of the Original Casinos. The concert and parking are free and no tickets are needed.

We hope you can join us!

The complete concert performance and Preshow is posted on the selected performance page, courtesy of Florida Southern College.

Lakeland Concert Band Supports NOAA Change of Command Ceremony 2023

On December 8, 2023, The Lakeland Concert Band supported the change of command ceremony for the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center at Lakeland Linder International Airport. The NOAA Aircraft Operations Center is the home base for the world-famous Hurricane Hunters, who protect the nation by conducting flight operations to gather data necessary for predicting hurricane strength and direction as well as conducting other critical weather research.

The ceremony marked the departure of Captain Chistopher Kerns and the assumption of command by Captain Nathan Kahn. Rear Admiral Chad Cary, Deputy Director of NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations and the NOAA Commissioned Corps presided over the change of command ceremony.

Selections played by the band during the ceremony included Ruffles and Flourishes, The Admirals March, Eternal Father, Into the Oceans and the Air (The official march of the NOAA commissioned officer corps), Stars and Stripes Forever, America the Beautiful, Americans We, White Christmas, and Sleigh Ride.

The Lakeland Concert Band was honored to be invited once more to support this event.

Vic Larsen, Conductor
Lakeland Concert Band. Break between morning rehearsal and change of command ceremony.
Change of Command. Rear Admiral Cary, Captain Kerns, & Captain Kahn
Rear Admiral Cary presents award to Captain Kerns
Rear Admiral Cary during his remarks
Ensign Brewer, NOAA liaison with the band in 2021
Ensign Benningfield, NOAA liaison with the band in 2023
NOAA Commander’s Coin presented to the Lakeland Concert Band in appreciation of support

“Kermit”, one of NOAA’s Lockheed WP-3D Orion “Hurricane Hunters”

Christmas Concert 2023

Our annual Christmas concert was presented Sunday, December 10, 2022 at the Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College. The program included a variety of popular holiday, Christmas, and Hanukkah pieces and a special selection for children in attendance. Doors opened at 1:15, pre-show at 1:45 was performed by the Ultimate Dance Center, and the band concert began at 2:30. The concerts and parking are free and no tickets are needed.

The Concert View the complete concert on our selected performance page

2023 Lakeland Concert Band
Children conducting the band during the musical selection Sleigh Ride
Children conducting the band during the musical selection Sleigh Ride
Introducing the children to the audience

The Pre Show

The Pre Show was performed by the Ultimate Dance Center, which offers a variety of styles of dance for all ages and levels of experience. Dancers from other local studios also were invited to perform.