America 250! Annual Family Concert

Allentown Symphony Orchestra Family Concert

• Saturday, February 28, 2026 @ 2:00 pm · get tickets

Brent Chancellor, Conductor
Christopher Black, Benjamin Franklin Narrator
Dennis James, Glass Armonica

Get ready for a musical adventure through America’s early days, featuring amazing musicians performing powerful songs, beautiful classical music, and even some Broadway hits! You’ll hear the story of our country’s beginning, the incredible people who shaped it, and the ongoing journey for freedom—all told through music that will inspire and amaze you. Plus, don’t miss a super cool surprise: the magical, one-of-a-kind sound of Ben Franklin’s own musical invention, the glass armonica! It’s a fun event packed with history, music, and tons of energy—you won’t want to miss it!

Orchestra Lab – Families attending the concert are also invited to join us in the Third Floor Rodale Room from 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM. The Orchestra Lab provides a hands-on introduction to a variety of musical instruments with professional musicians present to assist patrons with the instruments.  Benjamin Franklin will present for this event as well!

Support Material

You may access our Educational Activities Packet at any time. Also available is the Conducting 101 video below.

If you have questions, please email education@allentownsymphony.org

The Allentown Symphony Orchestra will be joined by guest vocalists from regional high schools for this performance.

UPDATE!   We are reopening auditions for a male vocalist to perform “Mamma, Look Sharp” from the musical 1776.

Important Dates and Times:

DEADLINE for Submissions:

Wednesday, November 26

School Shows:

Wednesday February 25, 9:30am and 11:30am

Thursday February 26, 9:30am and 11:30am

Public Performance:

Saturday, February 28 at 2:00pm

Eligible applicants must be a current high school student.  Before applying, students must verify that they are available the week of February 23-28 for all rehearsals and concerts. We encourage students to listen to and view various renditions of this piece, to learn about the story behind the song and showcase their acting ability in the audition video, because our selected soloist will be in costume and expected to tell the story to our audience through both their voice and their expressions.

All submissions will be reviewed by the Allentown Symphony Conductor and Music Director, Diane Wittry, our Guest Conductor, Brent Chancellor, and the Allentown Symphony Chorus Master Director, Eduardo Azatti. Selected vocalists will be announced as soon as possible.

Specifications for applicants:

• Please submit a video of yourself performing “Mamma, Look Sharp.”
  • Begin your video by saying your name, grade, age, and school.
  • Video must be horizontal, have good sound quality (please double check that the audio does not overwhelm your device and cause static before submitting), be unedited (taken in just one shot), and must showcase your vocal and acting abilities. Your full body must be visible in the frame so we can assess your stage presence.
  • Accepted video formats: Google Drive or iCloud File/Link. Please do not submit a YouTube video or audio/MP3 file. Note that all videos will be downloaded before being reviewed by the judges.
  • Submit your video: education@allentownsymphony.org

Click here for the music for the audition.

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ARTIST BIOS

BRENT CHANCELLOR
Brent Chancellor is an American-born conductor acclaimed for his dynamic artistry, innovative programming, and passionate commitment to education. As Curator of New Music at Artpark, he has garnered recognition for bold and imaginative programming, while his leadership of the LUX Initiative has redefined the educational concert experience for modern audiences. He currently serves as Assistant Conductor and Executive Director of the Reading Symphony Orchestra.

Chancellor is a frequent guest and cover conductor with leading orchestras including the New Jersey Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Fort Wayne Philharmonic. He has held staff conducting positions with the Charleston Symphony, New Jersey Festival Orchestra, and International Vocal Arts Institute, and performed on leading stages including Carnegie Hall, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Symphony Space, DiMenna Center, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Kleinhans Music Hall.

Equally dedicated to mentorship and community engagement, Chancellor has served as Music Director of the Rutgers University Sinfonia, Montclair State University Opera, Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra, and Rockland Symphony Orchestra. His work with student and regional ensembles, including the New Jersey All State Orchestra, reflects a deep commitment to cultivating the next generation of musicians and audiences.

A strong advocate for contemporary music, Chancellor is an alumnus of the Cabrillo Festival for Contemporary Music, the Blackburn Academy at Festival Napa Valley, and a frequent guest at the Edward T. Cone Composition Institute. He holds degrees in composition, piano, and conducting.

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CHRISTOPHER BLACK
Christopher Black is an Easton-based writer, historian, and historical interpreter known for his compelling portrayals of Benjamin Franklin. As Artistic Director of the Bachmann Players, he brings 18th-century history to life through vivid first-person performances grounded in original documents and thoughtful scholarship. For over a decade, Christopher has engaged audiences of all ages with Franklin’s wit, wisdom, and revolutionary spirit—appearing at schools, museums, and public events across Pennsylvania and beyond.

He holds a degree in The Performing Arts from Bennington College and is a graduate of the National Shakespeare Conservatory. He was an actor in the critically acclaimed Jean Cocteau Repertory theater in New York City from 1992- 2005, participating in over 1200 live performances in over 35 productions. He has acted, taught, and directed internationally, living and working England, Greece and Brazil at different points in his career.

Christopher lives in Easton Pennsylvania with his wife Patricia, and their cat, Samuel Bellamy Esq.

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DENNIS JAMES
Dennis James is a performing and recording multi-instrumentalist with international touring careers as a performing collector of rare historical music instruments plus a concert and silent film score organist. He maintains a diverse repertoire focusing on specialties that utilize his unusual musical instrument collection to deepen the listener’s connection to historical soundscapes through his critically acclaimed historically-informed and emotionally-resonant playing. James blends intensive historical research with modern-day practical determinations in support of his performances of Early Music through Contemporary Classical repertoire including a wide variety popular music styles for implementation in silent film scorings. Dennis James holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Organ Performance from Indiana University and served as Lecturer for Glass Music Studies (2011-2015) at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University introducing formal study of glass music instruments and specialty repertoire at the graduate level. Throughout his now 67 year career he has held numerous house-musician appointments and formal positions for a wide variety of U.S. and Canadian theatrical and cultural organizations.

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