Bandtastic! concert coming April 2

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Kost
  • U.S. Air Force Band of Flight Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The public is invited to the fifth annual Bandtastic! concert Saturday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The concert by the Air Force Band of Flight will showcase classic concert band literature and premiering fresh and new band works in the museum's Modern Flight Gallery. It is free and no tickets are needed, however seating is limited to the first 1,200 people. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The Band of Flight will recognize two historical milestones in this concert. This year is the 50-year anniversary of the death of Percy Grainger, one of the most famous 20th-century band composers. Grainger served in the U.S. Army during World War I as a bandsman. The band will pay tribute to his colossal band literature contributions with their performance of Grainger's "The Gumsucker's March."

Also in 1961, the movie version of Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" was released. To celebrate this hallmark of band literature, the Band of Flight will be presenting Ian Polter's arrangement of "Four Dances from 'West Side Story.'" The band will also perform a previously unpublished and unrecorded work by Clifton Williams, who also served in the Army Air Corps, entitled "Symphonic Dance No. 5." This piece was composed to complement the "West Side Story Dances."

The band will also present a brand-new work by Staff Sgt. Scott Wise, the Band of Flight's arranger. Sergeant Wise has created re-composition of "Tocatta" from Charles-Marie Widor's "Organ Symphony No 5." He has entitled the piece "Rapid City Freestyle." The piece is reminiscent of Cold War-era alert launches of nuclear-capable bomber aircraft from Ellsworth AFB, in Rapid City, S.D.

The concert will also feature marches, patriotic music and an instrumental solo. The band will feature tubist, SSgt John Hardisky on "Variations on Barnacle Bill, the Sailor," an adaptation by Frank Luther and Carson Robison on a traditional folk song originally titled "Abraham Brown." And, Henry Fillmore's "Shoutin' Liza Trombone" will spotlight the band's talented trombone section.

Please join the Band of Flight in the Modern Flight Gallery for an evening the whole family is sure to enjoy. For more information about upcoming performances by your United States Air Force Band of Flight and to sign up to receive our electronic newsletter, visit www.bandofflight.af.mil.