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The USAF Band tours Calif., Ariz.

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mandi Harper
  • The U.S. Air Force Band
JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, D.C. --  The U.S. Air Force Band's Concert Band and Singing Sergeants will tour the West coast Oct. 12 through 25.

From San Francisco, Calif., to Tempe, Ariz.., they will travel more than 1,200 miles performing in local high schools, colleges and performing arts centers. The tour includes a performance in front of Disneyland's Cinderella Castle in Anaheim!

Of special interest on this tour will be musical clinics at high schools and colleges along the tour route. These events will allow students to ask questions about music, instruments, the Air Force and what it's like to be an Airman Musician.

Also, a number of students will be afforded the opportunity to become "honorary Air Force bandsmen" by joining the band and singers on stage in performance.

On alternating nights, the USAF Band will present two different programs. The first program "Carnival!" is a musical celebration with titles from around the world. From Argentinian Tango, to Brazilian choro music, to a trip down New York's Broadway district, this sampling of thrilling international music will be sure to delight audiences.

The second program entitled "Airpower!" portrays the excitement and precision of powered flight with a thrilling array of selections. The world premiere of Master Sgt. Alan Baylock's "Equipoise" musically expresses the concepts of balance and stability - both very important aspects in flight and in the Air Force. "Time Travels" a new composition by Senior Master Sgt. Robert Thurston features exciting rhythmic changes and constant forward motion. "The Speed of Heat" was composed by Julie Giroux and is dedicated to our nation's brave military pilots.

The Singing Sergeants will present "A Broadway Salute" and "A Night at the Opera" at alternating performances. The Broadway night will include such favorites as "Old Man River" and "If I Only Had a Brain." On the opera night, the these Airman musicians will offer many recognizable classics, to include Italian opera favorites such as "La Donna e Mobile" and "Habanera."

Several members of the 80 plus member ensemble are from California, and there will be six new instrumentalists and vocalists touring for the very first time with the Concert Band and Singing Sergeants. Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Park, baritone, from San Diego and a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, will be a featured tour soloist. He will be featured on "Wheels of a Dream" from the Broadway musical "Ragtime." 

"I'm excited to have friends and family from home in the audience, Park said, eager to return to his California roots.

The trip has significant distinction as Commander and Conductor of The U.S. Air Force Band Col. Larry H. Lang's first community relations tour.

"I'm thrilled to present this remarkable ensemble to audiences in California and Arizona," said Lang. "These incredible Airmen musicians are emblematic of the excellence found in every career field across the Air Force, every day."

The USAF Band members are looking forward to bringing their music to younger audiences during clinics, performances at schools and the performance at Disneyland. In coordination with U.S. Air Force Recruiting, the USAF Band hopes to enhance music education in schools, and perhaps attract a few of the best and brightest to be future Air Force leaders along the way.

All tour performances are free and open to the public. For more information about the tour schedule and where to acquire free tickets, please view our at www.usafband.af.mil.