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U.S. Air Force Band to tour New England

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Eric Sullivan
Washington, D.C. --  As fall approaches, so too does the annual Concert Band and Singing Sergeants fall tour. Starting Oct. 16, the Band will travel from Massachusetts through New York and on to Vermont, giving a full concert each day, and a few other performances along the way. The full details of our performances, including venues and ticketing (free, as always!) information can be found on The U.S. Air Force Band's website calendar page, which you can find by clicking here.

The public concerts on our fall tour are given in support of our three-fold mission: to honor those who have served, inspire American citizens to heightened patriotism and service, and positively impact the global community on behalf of the U.S. Air Force and the United States of America. Our community relations tours tend to focus on the first two tenets of this mission, and the repertoire that has been chosen for these upcoming concerts reflects our commitment to our mission, and to the great Americans for whom we play each night. For example, one of the Singing Sergeants' features is a medley of popular songs of the 1940s, hearkening back to the days of the "greatest generation" and the courage and sacrifices they made to ensure freedom for our country and for a war-torn world. Also, the Concert Band and Singers always close the show with a selection of patriotic music. From stirring ballads such as "There Are No Words" or "Freedom Song" to rousing favorites like the armed service songs or "The Stars and Stripes Forever," there is sure to be a tune to touch your heart and deepen your love for our exceptional country.

A U.S. Air Force Band tour isn't just about the nightly concerts, though; supporting various community events in the tour area is also on our docket. To that end, Technical Sgt. Daniel Anderson of the Singing Sergeants will be presenting the National Anthem at a Major League Soccer (MLS) game between the New England Revolution and the Montreal Impact on Oct.17 at Gillette Stadium. With an expected crowd of around 15,000 plus broadcast, we know that Anderson's professionalism, pride and expertise will have a resounding effect on the Foxborough community. Said Anderson, "A lot of these folks won't have any familiarity with what the Air Force does day-to-day, so I'm honored to represent the excellence of every Airman to them at this event."

The Band also continues, even on the road, to establish dialogues with students and teachers of music through our Advancing Innovation in Music, or "AIM" program. Designed to build positive relationships with local educational communities, the AIM program gives Band members the opportunity to work side by side with students and teachers, in small environments such as clinics and master classes, as well as in large scale assemblies. The Band also hosts field trips to Historic Hangar 2, our home on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, where students experience a little Air Force history and get a chance to sit in on rehearsals. In 2014 alone, the AIM program reached over 15,000 school students in over 70 events across seven states and the District of Columbia. On this tour, the Singing Sergeants have the honor of being the keynote performance at the annual CASDA Music Educators Symposium at the College of St. Rose in Albany, New York. As upstate New York's premier educational technical assistance center, CASDA engages educators and their schools to address challenges, embrace opportunities and create positive, lasting outcomes for students. The U.S. Air Force Band is thrilled to partner with CASDA, as their goals for music education and outreach so closely resemble ours.

If you live along our tour route, we hope that you will take some time this October and come spend an evening with your United States Air Force Band. It's an absolute guarantee that you'll hear great music from great players, and it's a pretty good bet that you'll hear something you love, whether an old favorite or a new discovery. Check the Band's schedule page for the latest updates, and we'll see you at the show!