The Troy Arts Council will present The Southeast Alabama Community Band in concert at 7 p.m. Monday at the Claudia Crosby Theater on the campus of Troy University. The concert is free and open to the public. With this concert, the band will celebrate its 15th season.

The much anticipated spring concert features many of the top musicians in Southeast Alabama and Southwest Georgia. James Smith will direct the band.

The concert will feature James Smith’s brother, Ray Smith, on a big band jazz saxophone solo, T-N-T.

Other band favorites to be performed at “The Italian in Algiers,” “Lincolnshire Posy” and “The Sound of Music.”

Also this year, Michael O’Hara, trumpet soloist, will perform the Swedish march ‘Valdres.’”

Other familiar faces in the band will Ralph Black and “Doc” Kirby, local radio personalities; Teresa Sims, TES principal; Tim Sims business owner; and John McCall, Troy University, chief of police.

Sam Fredrick and Eric Ward are band percussionist, Dr. William Denison and Rae Denison are horn players. Local personalities, Dr. Peter Howard, Jenny Haws, Don Aplin and Henry Barwood, are also members of the band.

Dr. Mark Walker will direct “In Storm and Sunshine” and Dr. Larry Blocher will direct “Bombasto.”

And, of course, what would a band concert be without marches.

“Band marches are a traditional part of the Southeast Alabama Community Band concerts,” James Smith said. “Our national march, ‘The Stars and Stripes Forever,’

is always performed.”

Dr. Johnny Long, director of bands emeritus at Troy University, was the leader in the efforts to have “The Stars and Stripes Forever” declared the National March of the United States of America. By an act of Congress, Sousa’s famous march was declared the National March in 1987.

The Southeast Alabama Community Band was founded by Long in 2000.