Time for Music and Melons at Harriman Riverfront Park

The annual Music and Melons celebration, presented by Babahatchie Community Band and Harriman Lions Club, will start at 3 p.m. Aug. 26 at Harriman Riverfront Park.

Harriman Lions Club members will slice and distribute free slices of cold watermelon against a backdrop of Americana-defining music performed in Sunday afternoon concert style by the Babahatchie Community Band.

Concert admission and watermelon are free.

The Star Spangled Banner, followed by John Philip Sousa’s “Yorktown's Centennial March,” will kick off the festivities.

“This  march by Sousa is one of his lesser known marches and was composed in honor of the centennial celebration of George Washington's victory at Yorktown in 1781,” explained Babahatchie band member Alison Westrich.

Next up will be an arrangement of “Music From Apollo 13” by James Horner, an American composer, orchestrator and conductor of orchestral and film music.

“He has composed music for over 100 films,” Westrich said. “His most notable one is the score for ‘Titanic’ that earned him two Oscars, three Grammys and two Golden Globes. His score from Apollo 13 earned him several Academy Award nominations.”

Another Sousa competition, “Impressions at the Movies” will follow, with solos performed by John Dennis on saxophone and David Westrich on trumpet during the first movement, “The Serenaders.”

American composer Jay Chattaway wrote the next piece, “Salute to P.S. Gilmore, Father of the American Band.”

Chattaway, Westrich said, is an American composer noted for writing music for the “Star Trek” series of television shows, including, “Star Trek: Next Generation,” “Star Trek Voyager,” “Star Trek Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek Enterprise.”

“Those of you who like John Wayne movies will probably recognize it,” Westrich said of the next tune, an excerpt from “The Cowboys,” a 1972 flick. The music was composed by John Williams.

Following will be Paul Jennings’ “Crime Busters,” a medley of  themes from “Dragnet, “Mission Impossible,” “Secret Agent Man” and “Get Smart.”

“We will end with something that will get your toes tapping,” Westrich promised. “The title is ‘The King of Rock’n’Roll,’ arranged by Johnnie Vinson.”

She added, “If you guessed music by Elvis, you were correct. This piece has ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ ‘Love Me Tender’ and ‘Hound Dog.’