Holiday Magic With a Long-Standing Tradition: Elkton Town Band Delivers a Season-Opening Celebration at Rescheduled Concert

ELKTON, MD — The Elkton Town Band brought the spirit of the season to life Sunday night, filling the Elkton High School auditorium with a festive blend of holiday favorites, concert classics and crowd-pleasing tradition during its rescheduled Holiday Concert on Dec. 21.

Under the direction of conductors Paul Humphrey and Eric Perkins, the long-standing community ensemble delivered a program that moved easily from stately and ceremonial to bright and playful, reminding the audience why the band remains one of Elkton’s most cherished holiday traditions.

A Program Packed With Holiday Cheer and Musical Variety

The evening’s set list showcased the band’s range, mixing familiar seasonal tunes with timeless concert selections. The program included:

• Crown Imperial (William Walton, arr. Jay Bocook)
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Johnny Marks, arr. John Tatgenhorst)
• The Penny-Whistle Song (Leroy Anderson)
• Hebraic Rhapsody (Robert Jager)
• A Christmas Festival (Leroy Anderson)
• Somewhere (from West Side Story, Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, arr. Jay Bocook)
• In the Bleak Midwinter (Gustav Holst, arr. Robert W. Smith)
• Christmas Day: Fantasy on Old Carols (Gustav Holst, arr. Larry Daehn)
• Still, Still, Still (Austrian Melody, arr. Gerald Sebesky)
• Greensleeves (Traditional, arr. Alfred Reed)
• Stars and Stripes for Christmas (including “Jingle Bells,” “Hallelujah Chorus,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and more) by John Philip Sousa and Robert E. Foster

From the opening notes to the closing patriotic holiday flourish, the concert delivered the kind of warm, community-centered night that draws generations back year after year.

A Community Treasure With Deep Roots

The Elkton Town Band’s story stretches back to the 1880s, when it began as the Elkton Cornet Band, formed by local blacksmith brothers John, Rube and Jess Dunbar. Linked early with the Singerly Fire Company, the band became a familiar presence in parades and community gatherings and played an important role in Elkton civic life for decades.

After a hiatus beginning in 1966, the ensemble was revived in the late 1990s by local musicians and community leaders, returning under the name Elkton Town Band with a renewed mission — creating a welcoming place where adult and student musicians can perform together in a true community atmosphere.

Today, the band continues to perform throughout Cecil County, with a repertoire that spans marches, show tunes, orchestral transcriptions and holiday favorites.

A Free Night of Music, Powered by Community Support

Admission to the concert was free, and donations were accepted to support the band’s continuing mission of musical enrichment and community engagement.

For more information about the Elkton Town Band and future performances, visit elktontownband.org.