The classical music calendar highlights the Allentown Symphony Orchestra’s “Space: The Final Frontier” Pops concert and the Allentown Band’s “Carnegie Hall Preview Concert.”

“Several years ago, the Allentown Symphony Orchestra [ASO] performed a space-related concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and I thought we should do a similar themed concert for our Pops audience,” says Diane Wittry ASO Conductor and Music Director, adding, “And it’s great music for the whole family.”

ASO Pops presents “Space: The Final Frontier - ‘Star Wars,’ ‘The Planets’ and More,” 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 14, Miller Symphony Hall.

The program presents a menagerie of music from classics to television and film. Throw in a few Swing, Big Band and Broadway tunes and you have an entertaining concert.

The concert opens with an appropriate classical work, a tone poem by Richard Strauss composed in 1896. Heard in the film, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” the piece is the immortal “Also Sprach Zarathustra Fanfare.”

Many films have incorporated classical music such as composer Bill Conti’s arrangements for the film, “The Right Stuff,“ with segments of “Jupiter” and “Mars” by English composer Gustav Holst.

Composer Alexander Courage wrote the theme for the “Star Trek” television series, which started in 1966, and in 2013, Michael Giacchino wrote Star Trek’s “Into Darkness Suite.”

John Towner Williams has provided scores for television and films, including “Lost in Space;” “E.T the Extraterrestrial,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and nine “Star Wars” movies.

From the Big Band era, the ASO performs Artie Shaw’s arrangement of “Stardust,” renowned for its lush string orchestration.

Guest vocalist Jesse Posa, a Frank Sinatra impersonator who sings in New York and New Jersey, adds a special touch to the concert with the songs, “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Come Fly With Me,” Elton John’s “Rocket Man;” David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and “Semper Supra” (“Always Above”), the anthem of the United States Space Force. Posa is a graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute.

“In addition to great music, we have visuals to enhance the concert experience and audience sing-along opportunities,” Wittry says, adding, “It’s exciting, eclectic and a really great show.”

Allentown Symphony Orchestra Pops, “Space: The Final Frontier - “Star Wars,’ ‘The Planets’ and More,” 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. March 14, Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown; Free tickets for those age 21 and under. Tickets: box office: 610-432-6715; https://www.millersymphonyhall.org

“We are grateful for the opportunity to perform this preview concert showcasing music from some of America’s most iconic composers and pleased to share it with our local audience before presenting it at Carnegie Hall in New York on March 25th,” says Ronald Demkee, Allentown Band Conductor and Musical Director.

The Allentown Band presents “Carnegie Hall Preview Concert,” 3 p.m. March 15, Christ Lutheran Church, Allentown.

Recognized as the oldest civilian concert band in the United States, the Allentown Band has played a continuous role in the musical life and cultural fabric of the Lehigh Valley since its first performance July 4, 1828.

The band has performed for 10 U.S. presidents, conducted multiple tours in Europe and returns to Carnegie Hall. New York City, for its sixth performance March 25.

The Allentown concert opens with “Commando March” by Samuel Barber, followed by the second movement of Morton Gould’s “Symphony for Band (West Point)” and three movements of Leonard Bernstein’s “Divertimento for Band.”

From Aaron Copland’s popular work, “Rodeo,” the band performs “Hoe Down,” followed by Percy Granger’s “Irish Tune from County Derry.”

To commemorate its 190th anniversary in 2018, the band commissioned composer Johan de Meij for “Pennsylvania Faux Songs,” from which the band performs “Allentown Jig.” During the Carnegie Hall performance, the band performs the piece under the baton of guest conductor de Meij.

The Allentown concert continues with the “Finale” from the second movement of Charles Ives’ “Symphony No. 2,” followed by Morton Gould’s “Yankee Doodle” and concludes with John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”

Says Demkee, “Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to all our Lehigh Valley friends for their support and attendance at this special concert and concerts throughout the year as well.”

Dutch composer and conductor Johan de Meij studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music, The Hague. His “Symphony No. 1, The Lord of the Rings” was awarded the Sudler Composition Prize in 1989.

Before devoting his time to composing and conducting, de Meij was a trombone and euphonium player.

He is principal guest conductor with the Simón Bolivar Youth Wind Orchestra, New York Wind Symphony and Kyushu Wind Orchestra, Fukuoka, Japan.

Allentown Band, “Carnegie Hall Preview Concert,” 3 p.m. March 15, Christ Lutheran Church, 1245 Hamilton St., Allentown. Free. No ticket required. https://allentownband.com/

“Classical View” is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus Editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com