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Concert Band releases newest album "American Voices"

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Brooke
The United States Air Force Band is proud to announce the release of our latest album: "American Voices." Although entirely instrumental, these programmatic works by American composers give "voice" to many attributes that are part of American life and culture: iron-willed resilience, deep-rooted faith, poignant poetry, boundless beauty, thrilling excitement, selfless service and even raucous humor.

Included on "American Voices" are a number of innovative new works. "Burst of Blue" is an exciting march penned by Senior Master Sgt. (ret.) Robert Thurston as an homage to the brave men and women serving in the U.S. Air Force. Wayne Oquin's "Tower Ascending" depicts the gradual assimilation of a modern skyscraper. And Ryan George's "An Ge Fhiain" (The Wild Goose) features the chaos of a goose chase, as well as the Celtic religious traditions that celebrated the same bird as a symbol of the free and unpredictable nature of human faith.

The album also features some well-known standards of the American music library. Samuel Barber's beloved "School for Scandal" overture is brought to life in a transcription for band penned decades ago by retired Air Force Maj. Al Bader. Another transcription for band, the second movement from Leonard Bernstein's "Jeremiah" Symphony, entitled "Profanation," depicts the chaos and destruction of a corrupted people.

"The Band was really excited to record this album," said Senior Master Sgt. Brian McCurdy, a clarinetist in the Concert Band. "The literature was challenging and fun, and it is always great to work with so many living American composers as we produce the recordings of their pieces. We really take pride in this product."

We sincerely hope you enjoy this collection of virtuosic selections. As always, the excellence demonstrated by these Airmen musicians is a reflection of the excellence displayed by all U.S. Air Force members stationed around the globe.

Please go to http://www.usafband.af.mil/recordings/catalog/index.asp to stream this new recording, and feel free to share it with your fellow music lovers!