Washington, D.C. -- The members of the Air Force Strings are looking forward to their upcoming fall tour. The tour will take place between November 13 and 16, and include performances in Evansville, IN, as well as the greater Louisville, KY area. In addition to traditional concerts, this special tour will feature events at local schools through the U. S. Air Force Band’s AIM (Advancing Innovation through Music) education outreach program.
The Air Force Band’s AIM program reaches over 25,000 students and teachers across the nation each year. These unique, free, educational events showcase the finest professional musicianship and mentorship to elementary, middle, high school, and collegiate/pre-professional musicians.
Last spring, the Air Force Strings took the AIM outreach program to schools in the greater Philadelphia area with a tour combining concerts, clinics, in-school presentations and side-by-side performances with student musicians. This time, the Strings will deepen the collaborative dimension by including student soloists. At many of the tour engagements, four accomplished young musicians will solo with the Air Force String Orchestra in a performance of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins in B minor. Several of the student collaborations will be with students learning stringed instruments in the Suzuki method, a popular approach to music education. Suzuki method students participate in both individual and group lessons, and many Air Force Strings musicians have received training in this method.
On Monday, November 13, the Strings will begin the tour in Evansville, IN, where they will present the AIM program at Central and North High Schools. During these presentations, the Strings will perform selections from their current repertoire and give students an idea of what it’s like to be a musician in the United States Air Force. The day will conclude with a clinic and side-by-side rehearsal with University of Evansville orchestra students.
The following day the Strings will visit additional Evansville schools with AIM presentations at F. J. Reitz High School and Harrison High School. In the evening, the Strings will return to the University to participate in a Suzuki group class at Neu Chapel. This group class is part of a program directed by renowned Suzuki pedagogue Carol Dallinger.
Over the last several decades, Dallinger has trained countless Suzuki students and teachers, to include our very own Air Force Strings principal violist, Senior Master Sergeant Bryce Bunner. Bunner got his start with Dallinger at age 12 and continued studies with her through high school. During the group class, Suzuki students and Air Force musicians will rehearse selected pieces from the Suzuki core repertoire as well as Strolling Strings repertoire. After a short break, the evening will conclude with a free concert by the Air Force String Orchestra and Strolling Strings at the Neu Chapel beginning at 7:30 p.m.
On November 15 the Air Force Strings bid farewell to Evansville and travel to nearby New Albany, IN, where they will spend the day with orchestra students at Floyd Central High School and Highland Hills Middle School. An evening concert featuring the Air Force String Orchestra and Strolling Strings will take place at Floyd Central High School beginning at 7:30 p.m. This concert will also feature a performance of the Vivaldi Concerto with Floyd student soloists.
On November 16 the final day begins at the West Louisville Talent Education Center. This Suzuki method program, led by Keith Cook, serves the greater Louisville, KY area. Several years ago, Cook and his young musicians visited the Air Force Strings on a trip to Washington, DC. The Air Force Strings look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate this visit with a collaboration in Louisville. At the West Louisville Talent Education Center, the Strings will present its AIM program and rehearse both Suzuki and Air Force Strolling Strings repertoire in preparation for a free public concert that evening. We invite the public to attend this evening concert/collaboration, which begins at 7 p.m. at the West End School. This will be the final event of the Air Force Strings Fall tour.
This tour is a wonderful opportunity to share the Air Force Story through music. We hope you can join us for one or more of our public events. A complete list of events is below. All performances are free and open to the public.
Tuesday, November 14 @ 7:30 p.m.
University of Evansville Neu Chapel
S. Rotherwood Ave, Evansville, IN 47714
Wednesday, November 15 @ 7:30 p.m.
Floyd Central High School
6575 Old Vincennes Rd, Floyds Knobs, IN 47119
Thursday, November 16 @ 7 p.m.
West End School
3628 Virginia Ave, Louisville, KY 40211