On the 34th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens the Port Angeles High School Wind Ensemble and the Sequim City Band will present “A Royal Celebration” concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 18, at the Port Angeles High School Performing Arts Center.

Both ensembles will feature music that honors royalty of various sorts. The concert is free to the public.

This is the first time that the Sequim City Band — an all-volunteer concert band in its 23rd season of performing public concerts — will perform in the Port Angeles Performing Arts Center. It is also the first time the band will perform with the P.A. high school Wind Ensemble. The city band’s music director is Tyler Benedict, a native of Port Angeles, who is in his second season of conducting this concert band.

George Rodes, the unit director of the Boys & Girls Club – Port Angeles, will serve as the announcer and provide program notes throughout the concert.

The P.A. High School Wind Ensemble opens the concert under the leadership of  Doug Gailey. They will perform the “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” by John Williams, the “Finale” from Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance” and the favorite “Washington Post March” by John Philip Sousa.

The Sequim musicians then delight audiences with “España Cañi” and “First Suite in E-flat for Military Band” by Holst. Highlights from “The King and I” by Rogers and Hammerstein allude to the afternoon’s royal theme as well as “Elegy for a Young American” by Ronald Lo Presti — a piece composed after the death of John F. Kennedy. The “King Karl King March” by Henry Fillmore completes the fanfare.

The two bands then combine forces and play selections from “The Wizard of Oz” by Arlen and Barnes.

The band concert is free of charge.

In June, the Sequim City Band will resume its usual summer schedule of outdoor concerts in the James Center For the Performing Arts, near Carrie Blake Park, Sequim.

The band plays on

The Sequim City Band promotes music performance by adults and younger players. The group provides an opportunity for high school players to perform with an ensemble during the summer months. Currently the band is composed of musicians from high school age to those in their ninth decade.

Over the years, more than 30 high school and university-age students have performed with the band. The band also has provided several scholarships to local students who are pursuing further education in music at the college level.

The Sequim City Band will be performing throughout 2014 playing marches, orchestral transcriptions, patriotic selections, musicals and soundtracks, as well as contemporary concert selections for concert band. The band provides families with free access to quality performance music on the peninsula.

New members always are welcome, whether you play a wind instrument or percussion. Performers throughout the North Olympic Peninsula gather to rehearse at 7 p.m. every Monday at Swisher Hall, part of The James Center for the Performing Arts, 563 N. Rhodefer Road, Sequim.

For information about the band at www.sequimcityband.org.