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Academy Band Begins East Texas Portion of Tour

  • Published
  • By MSgt Steven Przyzycki
  • The USAF Academy Band
Tyler, Texas --  A three hour bus ride from Houston found your United States Air Force Academy Band here ready to tell the Air Force story in the Eastern portion of the Lone Star State. The band performed to another standing ovation as they continued their tour honoring the men and women of our armed forces, spotlighting the great diversity of our American culture and exemplifying the excellence found throughout the United states Air Force
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"The tour has been fantastic," said producer Senior Master Sergeant Larry Hill. "The band has sounded great, and you can sense the patriotism that exists in this country from the reaction of the audience each night. They take great pride in the Air Force Academy and greatly appreciate the service of all our men and women in the armed forces."

Technical Sergeant Nancy Poffenbarger, Non Commissioned Officer in Charge of the band's Educational Outreach program had eager students ready to talk with her when she arrived at the performance hall. "They are so excited to get the opportunity to perform with the band," she said. "You can see the anticipation in their eyes." "I really enjoy making a difference in these students' lives ... from a personal perspective, it is very rewarding."

Students selected to perform John Philip Sousa's "Daughters of Texas" march with the Air Force Academy Band were Kinsey Wallace, Keaton Ainsworth and Elliott Levin from Robert E. Lee H.S. Band under the direction of Robert Castillo.

One of the highlights of the evening was Technical Sergeant Alex Vieira's superb reading of a tribute to veterans and our National Anthem that accompanied Texas native composer John Gibson's "American Anthem." Euphonium soloist Master Sergeant Karl Bradley treated the crowd to "All Those Endearing Young Charms" composed by Simone Mantia. Charm the audience, he did indeed!

The band was featured throughout the night. A true crowd favorite was the classic "Molly on the Shore" by Percy Grainger--a great display of technical prowess from the band's superb woodwind section.

Lieutenant Colonel Larry H. Lang led the band in a second half that showcased the talents of the Academy Band singers through a rousing production entitled "The Dames of Broadway." Famous songs and dance numbers from the most famous musicals to ever appear in the theater were presented to the crowd's delight. The concert concluded with a salute to our veterans and the fine young men and women serving throughout our military today. The band played "America the Beautiful" as a final encore. As the audience sang along, I was again comforted by the reality that in these challenging times, pride in our military and American way of life remains constant and unwavering. Tomorrow night the band will take its world class show to Richardson High School, the alma mater of trumpeter, Senior Master Sergeant Steven Kindermann.