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Air Force Band Chamber Series back in full swing!

  • Published
  • By Technical Sgt. Kaitlin Taylor
Washinton, D.C. --  Join us this fall for the return of The U.S. Air Force Band's Chamber Players Series! Throughout the season, members from musical groups in the Air Force Band will break into smaller ensembles to perform in chamber music settings.

So what exactly makes this series different from other performances? At a Chamber Players Series concert, you're likely to encounter a more intimate setting with an eclectic mix of genres and styles. You'll hear virtuosic classical pieces, arrangements of works old and new, jazz combos, woodwind ensembles, and on and on! This series is a delight for us to present, giving performers a chance to step outside our daily musical roles within the band in a freer and soloistic manner. To hear an example of this, join us on Nov. 5 for the Percussion Ensemble concert. Master Sgt. Randy Gorman, a percussionist in the Concert Band, reports this "is a great opportunity to play chamber music as a section, which certainly enhances our ability to play together as a section in the Concert Band. Also, as a percussionist, it is always great to play as a soloist instead of only in a supporting role."

In addition to being artistically fulfilling, playing in chamber ensembles helps us flex our "musical" muscles. Technical Sgt. Sandy Sisk, a bassoonist with the Concert Band, describes the rewarding nature of these challenges: "Chamber music is certainly more challenging in many ways: working with a group of people to come to a consensus about a piece, working on phrasing, intonation and style.  That collaboration is exactly why chamber music is so rewarding.  We can make each piece 'our own.'"

The bulk of these performances will take place at the Lyceum: Alexandria's History at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of a special Veteran's Day Tribute at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington (JCC) on Nov. 12 at 8:15 p.m. In the past, the Chamber Players Series concerts were equally parceled out between the Lyceum and the JCC. Only having one performance venue gives us greater continuity and an opportunity to focus our message in a specific area. With this shift in venue, we hope to serve our audience in a more streamlined manner, having one main stage in which to deliver our performances.

We can't wait to see you throughout this fall, and hope you enjoy the Chamber Players Series!