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Celebrating Memorial Day at home and away

  • Published
  • By Technical Sgt. Kristin Bowers
Washington, D.C. --  Members of The United States Air Force Band will help commemorate Memorial Day with six performances throughout the country. The famed Airmen of Note will perform at the Jacksonville Jazz Fest on May 23 and the Atlanta Jazz Festival on May 25. The performances will feature new and classic big band repertoire and are free and open to the public.

On Saturday May 24, at 6 p.m., Max Impact will perform on the National Harbor Waterfront Plaza Stage. This concert will kick-off the National Harbor Military Concert Series which continues with performances every Saturday by various military ensembles.

Band members will return to the Kennedy Center at 3 p.m. on May 25 for the 7th National Memorial Day Choral Festival. The Air Force Symphony Orchestra will perform with an uplifting program of American music with civilian choristers from across the nation to remember those who have served our country. This year's festival will specifically recognize and remember the 70th Anniversary of D-Day and the march to victory in WWII. Senior Master Sgt. Robert Harrelson and Technical Sgt. Daniel Anderson will be featured as vocal soloists. This is a free event, but tickets are required. Tickets are available from the Music Celebrations International Presenter only. For further information, please visit memorialdaychoralfestival.org.

As in years past, the Singing Sergeants will perform in the Memorial Day concert with the National Symphony Orchestra on the west lawn of the Capitol Building on Sunday May 26, at 8 p.m. This concert will also be broadcast on local PBS stations. Please check your local listings for more information.

At 9 a.m. on May 26, a bugler from the Ceremonial Brass will perform taps at the Air Force Memorial for the Air Force Association and Air Force Sergeants Association's Memorial Day Remembrance and Wreath-laying Ceremony. A vocalist from the Singing Sergeants will also perform the National Anthem.

Another bugler will sound taps at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's Memorial Day Observance at 1 p.m. on May 26.

Members of the Band are humbled and honored to commemorate Memorial Day 2014 and to pay tribute to the more than two million service members who gave their lives in service to our country.

Following the Memorial Day weekend events, the Concert Band and Singing Sergeants will kick-off the Band's Summer Concert Series with an 8 p.m. concert on May 30 at the Air Force Memorial. The performance will feature euphonium player Joe Broom, the winner of this year's Young Artist Competition. The series runs from May 30 to August 29 with more than 80 performances throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Visit the Band's web calendar for more details.