Academy Band Kicks Off Spring Tour in Lone Star State Published March 23, 2010 By MSgt Steven M. Przyzycki The USAF Academy Band Houston, Texas -- Your United States Air Force Academy Band kicked off their Spring Tour here tonight at Houston Baptist University, dazzling the crowd with a wide variety of styles of music that offered something for everyone in the diverse crowd. Leading the Concert band on his first tour since deploying to Southwest Asia as Officer in Charge of the Air Force Central Command Band, Commander Lieutenant Colonel Larry H. Lang had the crowd on its feet. The program featured the band on Carolyn Bremer's "Early Light" and the classic Percy Grainger favorite, "Molly on the Shore." A crowd pleaser was Roberto Sierra's "Tumbao" from his "Sinfonia No. 3, La Salsa" and Texas native John Gibson's "American Anthem" which included a stirring narration read by Technical Sergeant Alejandro Vieira. This vivid tribute to our veterans and National Anthem poignantly saluted our American freedom and way of life. Spotlighted soloists included Master Sergeant Karl Bradley performing "All Those Enduring Young Charms" for solo Euphonium and band, and Technical Sergeants Nancy Poffenbarger and Crissy Saalborn brought a night at the opera to Houston, singing the duet "The Flower Song" from Leo Delibes' famous opera "Lakme." The concert's second half showcased the talents of the Academy Band singers in a rousing production entitled "The Dames of Broadway." Famous songs and dance numbers from the best musicals to ever appear in the theater were presented to the crowds delight. The concert concluded with a salute to our veterans and the fine young men and women serving throughout our military today. Performances of all the armed services songs and the playing of our National March, John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" brought the show to a climax. It was a great night that even Sam Houston himself would have been proud of!