History - 1997 to 2002

1997
Feb. - LHSGB is invited to provide ceremonial music at the Smithsonian Institute's announcement to open an industrial museum at Bethlehem Steel. The ceremony, with Governor Tom Ridge, Senator Rick Santorum, Congressman Paul McHale, & Bethlehem Steel CEO Hank Barnette as keynote speakers, receives extensive media coverage.
March - LHSGB celebrates Liberty High School's 75th Anniversary with special guests: former LHSGB Director Ron Sherry, Coldstream Guards Director of Music Major David Marshall, Coldstream Guards Band Sgt. Major Kevin Coates, Coldstream Guards Sgt. Gale Lawson (ret.), and Empire Brass composer/tubist Ken Amis (who composed "The Grenadiers of Liberty" for the occasion).
April - International exchange, LHS Orch. hosts Eastview Secondary School, Barrie, Ontario
May - International exchange, LHS Orchestra travels to Eastview Secondary School, Barrie, Ontario
Sept. - Ephrata Fair Parade, 1st place (out of 21 bands) (270 Band members)
- Celtic Classic Parade (This was the 1st Celtic Classic Festival)
October - King Frost Parade, Hamburg, 1st place (out of 14 bands)
- Moravian College Homecoming (field show display)
Nov. - United States Marine Band, Washington, DC, "The President's Own", performs at Liberty H.S.

1998
March - Spring Concert: premier of the LHSGB's newly purchased fanfare trumpets. Financed by our Band and Orchestra Parents Club, this set of eight trumpets (soprano, tenor, and bass) is identical to that of the Coldstream Guards Band, and custom ordered and imported from England. We believe high school ownership of these unique instruments is unprecedented.
April - With the passing of 14 years since its last visit, the LHSGB makes a nostalgic march down memory lane as it returns to the St. Pete "Festival of States". For a fifth time, the LHSGB wins the coveted "Governor's Cup" and is crowned Parade Champions.  (photo: Walt Disney World) The Band also breaks new ground with its first musical visit to Disney World. (Of the 3,000 high school bands that apply annually, Disney accepts less than 1,000; and of those, only Liberty was permitted to parade twice within the same visit in 1998.)
Sept. - Ephrata Parade (Honor Band)
Oct. - King Frost Parade (Rainout)
- Bagpipes and Drums open for River City Brass Band, State Theater, Easton
Dec - Bagpipes and Drums perform for Fantasy Flight at LVI Airport (where we never felt so good at 5:30 AM, thanks to some very special and amazing young children!)

1999
Jan. - Liberty H.S. hosts PMEA District 10 Orchestra (100 students from 52 high schools)
March - Liberty Bagpipes and Drums open for Rod Stewart at Stabler Arena before a sold out crowd -The LHSGB Spring Concert takes on even greater spectacle and pageantry. [Student Band President Tim Silfies'(Class of '99) "vision" of introducing theatrical lighting and curtains, rear projection screens, and professionally produced video to enhance the music set the standard for future band concerts.Thanks, Tim!] Our friends from the Coldstream Guards Band - Director of Music, Major David Marshall, and Band Sergeant Major Kevin Coates WO1 - also join us for the extravaganza.
April - Liberty High School Organ Restoration Concert [celebrating the completion of our school's pipe organ restoration and installation of electronic midi, made possible only through the generosity of LHS alumni ($100,000 raised!)]
- International exchange, LHS Orchestra hosts Eastview S.S., Barrie, Ontario
May - International exchange, LHS Orchestra travels to Eastview S.S., Barrie, Ontario
- BASD "Arts Jam" brings together over 1,000 BASD instrumentalists in BASD Stadium.  (photo: Christmas City Studios)
- LHSGB is awarded citation by Allentown Fraternal Order of Police for its support of Allentown Police
Sept. - Kennett Square Parade (1st Place out of 15 bands)
- With the onset of block scheduling, Liberty's instrumental performance curriculum grows: LHS now has a wind ensemble (officially, Liberty H.S. Grenadier Band 1st Company) scheduled on school time.
Oct. - New Holland Parade (Rainout) (275 Band members)
- Soldiers & Sailors Monument 100th Anniversary Parade (Allentown)
Nov. - Coldstream Guards Director of Music Major David Marshall's Farewell/Retirement Concert. LHS Directors Greg MacGill and Kevin Long are invited and travel to Windsor, England to surprise Major Marshall at the concert.
Dec. - Bagpipes and Drums, Fantasy Flight, LVI Airport

2000
March - LHSGB Spring Concert; newly appointed Coldstream Guards Director of Music Capt. Ian McElligott and Band Sgt. Major Kevin Coates join us. In anticipation and honor of our upcoming U.K. trip, Capt. McElligott composes "Fanfare for Liberty" for our fanfare trumpets.
April - United Kingdom Millennium Tour: The LHSGB remains the only high school band in the world to join ranks with the Regimental Band of Her Majesty's Coldstream Guards. Highlights of the tour were our two bands' joint concert in Guildford Civic Hall, Surrey; and watching our friends in the Coldstream Guards Band perform Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle. However, the LHSGB's parade through the border town of Coldstream, Scotland, was rained-out by some of the heaviest downpours on record. Edinburgh, the train ride via York, and London's West End Theatre District were unforgettable.  (photos: Christmas City Studios)
May - Inaugural Concert, Liberty High School Grenadier Band 1st Company, Kevin Long, Director
Oct. - New Holland Parade (Rainout.again)
- Catasauqua Four County Firemen's Assoc. Parade
Nov. - Liberty High School Concert Series Inaugural Concert: world-famous jazz trombonist Bill Watrous with the Rob Stoneback Big Band
Dec. - Pipes and Drums perform at Fantasy Flight, LVI Airport

2001
Feb. - LHS Orchestra travels to Puerto Rico
May - Liberty High School Concert Series: Main Street Brass
Sept. - New Holland Parade: 1st place Marching, 3rd place Overall (270 Band members)
- Northampton County 250th Anniversary Parade, Easton
- As our country comes to grip with Sept. 11, LHSGB Bagpipes are called upon to perform Amazing Grace at 10-15 memorial services throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Oct. - King Frost Parade, 1st place
- As a tribute to the victims of Sept. 11, the British send the Coldstream Guards Band and Scots Guards Pipes & Drums to New York City to perform, with literally two weeks notice. They appear on Good Morning America and The Today Show. The LHSGB charters a bus to NYC to hear their wonderful concert at Cathedral of St. John the Divine, where many of our students reunite with our mentors, and meet the Coldstream Guards new and personable Director of Music, Major Graham Jones.
Nov. - LHSGB dedicates its field show performance at the Liberty/Freedom game to "our fallen brothers and sisters, and to the unwavering resolve of our great nation." [The finale consisted of our pipers' poignant rendition of Amazing Grace, followed by a backdrop of three 15'x25' American flags simultaneously hoisted 40' into the air, along with the entire Colour Guard carrying an additional nine 3'x5' American flags fore-field, as the band played (and the crowd sang) God Bless America. The moving display of unity and patriotism, resulted in the band receiving many letters, emails, and calls of appreciation.]  (photos: Jack Lerch)