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Band of Liberty brings 4th of July spirit to four states in nine days

  • Published
  • By SrA Mickey Ireland
  • USAF Band of Liberty
Meriden, CT --  Continuing its yearly tradition, the Band of Liberty's Concert Band delighted thousands of New Englanders with an exciting 4th of July tour, performing in four different states in the span of nine days. The tour kicked off on Friday, June 27th with a performance at Hanscom Air Force Base's annual Summer Bash and wrapped up with a concert at the Hubbard Park amphitheater in Meriden, CT on July 6th. For the second year in a row, the Band of Liberty had the privilege of touring with the New York City-based vocal trio "The American Belles". 

1st Lieutenant David Alpar, the Band of Liberty's Commander and Conductor, put together an exciting 4th of July program comprised of contemporary fanfares, opera excerpts, marches and patriotic showstoppers that consistently brought audiences to their feet at show's end. Several band members were featured as soloists throughout the tour, including; SrA Mike Correa, SrA Blair Raker and SSgt Quincy Garner. SrA Correa performed George Hamilton Greene's xylophone feature "Frivolity", a lightning-fast showpiece that displayed his stunning virtuosity night after night. SrA Raker (trombone) and SSgt Garner (trumpet) joined forces to perform the jazz duet "Brotherhood of Man", made popular in the 1961 musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". Both musicians consistently impressed crowds with their highly original solos and musical cohesiveness. 

"The American Belles"--Victoria Reed, Julie Rees and Sophia Hinshelwood, took the stage for the second half of each concert, delighting audiences with their high-energy set that flowed seamlessly from one classic to the next. Styled after the Andrews Sisters, one of the most popular and celebrated musical groups of the 1930's and 1940's, the Belles complemented their shimmering three-part harmony with dazzling choreography and audience interaction. Classic hits such as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and "Oh, Johnny, Oh" took audiences on a sentimental journey back in time to the golden age of Big Band Swing. Holding fast to their patriotic roots, the Belles closed out their set by paying tribute to American veterans with an up-tempo medley of all the United States Armed Service songs. 

The Independence Day tour, which also brought the Band of Liberty to the Bristol, RI waterfront and the North Hampton, NH bandstand, was just the beginning of the busiest summer in recent memory for the Concert Band. Following several local performances at venues such as Boston's City Hall Plaza, Paul Revere Park, Newburyport's Market Square and the York Beach (Maine) Bandstand, the Band of Liberty will embark on two weekend tours to Coastal New Jersey and western New York State. The summer concert season will conclude with an engagement at the Von Trapp Meadow in Stowe, Vermont on August 31st. When all is said and done, the Band of Liberty will have performed in all eight states of their military Area of Responsibility (AOR) in the span of just two months. 

As always, all Band of Liberty summer performances are non-ticketed, free and open to the public. Please check our schedule regularly, and when we're in your area, pack up the lawn chairs and blankets and come listen to the sounds of the Air Force's "Musical Ambassadors to the Northeast!"