It's been a while since my last post, so I thought I'd share some pictures of the various activities that kept me busy over the past few months. After Summer Tour, the Field Band had several local missions. We played a concert every weekend in August. Most were in Maryland, but a few took us as far as Delaware and Pennsylvania. For the second year in a row, Field Band soldiers traveled to local elementary schools to talk to kids about music. These 4th graders will soon be

• Post Comment

Several members of the FIeld Band have been working toward the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency. This month, we completed the final event needed to qualify for the award—a 12-kilomter road march. Two vans departed the Fort Meade Motor Pool at 0530 for Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) headquarters in Virginia. Units from all over the country took part in this great event, hosted by German Soldiers stationed in Virginia. There was a fantastic sense of

• 1 Comment

On Tuesday, I had the great privilege of sitting in with the US Naval Academy Band while their euphoniumist, Karl Schultz, was out for training. The band had an evening concert at the Annapolis City Docks. Annapolis is one of my favorite cities, and this was such a gorgeous location for a concert. We were staged right up agains the Chesapeake Bay, and you could see rows of sailboats bobbing behind the band. The temperature was just starting to cool down a bit as the sun

• 1 Comment

I spent Memorial Day weekend in Fayetteville, North Carolina, saying goodbye to my brother as he heads off to Iraq for the next year. Our family has been anticipating this day since Lance commissioned, almost three years ago. He has worked so hard, been through so much training, to prepare him for this mission. I am unbelievably proud of my little bro. Lance is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, which means that he, along with the rest of the men and women in his company, is

• 1 Comment

The US Army Field Band recently completed a summer tour of the Northeast, and I wanted to share some of my favorite moments. Most of our summer shows are outdoors. Usually, there is a stage of some sort, but occasionally we just get a wide-open grass field. Regardless of location, there is one thing I've learned—if you set up a band, the people will come. I celebrated my 27th birthday in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Before the concert started, I noticed a lady in an

• Post Comment

The final week in January was a blast, as I was able to spend much of it in Arlington, VA for the 2011 Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Conference. This free and open-to-the-public event is the perfect way to start each year. I love catching up with old friends from all over the country, and jamming with my military comrades in the various low-brass ensembles. This fine-looking group is the Armed Forces Tuba Euphonium Ensemble (AFTEE). It's open to any active-duty military

• Post Comment

On February 8th, members of the Soldiers' Chorus of the United States Army Field Band presented Act I of Mozart's famous opera Così fan tutte. The venue was the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. This was a great opportunity for the Army Field Band to reach out to the community and let them get to know us as soldier-musicians. Members of the cast have been working for months to put on this exciting show. You can watch the performance online

• Post Comment

On November 20th, I was honored to represent the US Army at Slippery Rock University's Tuba-Euphonium Day at The Rock. Dr. Brian Meixner, who teaches low-brass and conducts the wind and brass ensembles at SRU, hosts this wonderful, free event. Renowned musician Patrick Sheridan was there as tuba guest artist and I was the euphonium artist. Slippery Rock is about an hour north of Pittsburgh. Participants drove from all over the region to attend. It was a great chance for me to talk about

• Post Comment

The US Army Field Band had its first gym gig of tour at the home of the feisty Mosley High School Dolphins in Lynn Haven, FL. I was a fan of this mounted mascot. SSG Parks is using it for warm-up inspiration. It has reached that point of tour where everyone is acting a little goofy. MSG Cameron and SFC Sarangoulis prepare their embouchures for concert number twenty-two. Our venue for the November 7th afternoon show was the Baptist College of Florida. The house

• Post Comment

In Lakeland, Florida, The US Army Field Band performed in a large community hall to a packed crowd. SSG Carmen Russo, one of the band's phenomenal trombonists, is played a piece called Colors by Bert Appermont. Carmen is aboslutely rocking; Colors is one of my favorite pieces the band is playing this tour. The Soldiers' Chorus presented a concert for students of Florida State University on November 5th. I had a gig with my brass group earlier in the day, but my evening

• Post Comment