Band of Flight performs third annual Guest Artist concert

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mary Fessner-Tarjanyi
  • United States Air Force Band of Flight Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The United States Air Force Band of Flight will perform its third annual guest artist concert Mar. 5 at 7:30 p.m., at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

This concert will feature the Wright Brass Ensemble, Night Flight Jazz Ensemble, and special guest artist, trumpeter Vince DiMartino.

DiMartino is equally known as both a classical and jazz artist. One of our country's most sought after trumpet performers and educators, he graduated from the Eastman School of Music in 1972 and taught at the University of Kentucky until 1993. At that time, DiMartino began a new appointment as Distinguished Artist-in-Residence at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. There he teaches trumpet, brass and jazz ensembles, and jazz history.

DiMartino has been the lead and solo trumpet in the Lionel Hampton Band, the Chuck Mangione Band, the Clark Terry Band, and the Eastman Arranger's Holiday Orchestra.

He has also been a soloist with many symphony orchestras including Cincinnati, Buffalo, Sante Fe, North Carolina, Orlando, Baton Rouge, and Rochester, New York.

On this program, he will be featured with the Wright Brass Ensemble on "A Gershwin Fantasy," arranged by Wayne Scott, and on Ernst Sachse's "Concertino in E-flat." These highly virtuosic pieces are sure to keep audience members on the edge of their seat.

Among other selections, the Wright Brass Ensemble will be playing Morton Gould's "American Salute" and the March from Paul Hindemith's "Symphonic Metamorphosis." The "American Salute" was arranged by members of the Heartland of America Band at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, and was the first arrangement for Brass Ensemble by an Air Force Regional band, while the "Symphonic Metamorphosis" was arranged by MSgt Gary Poffenbarger of the Air Force Academy Band.

Night Flight will be playing in a variety of styles and will also feature DiMartino on two selections, "When I Fall in Love" and "Autumn Leaves."

Additionally, both ensembles will perform pieces about star-crossed lovers: Wright Brass Ensemble will perform the Suite from Prokofieff's "Romeo and Juliet," while Night Flight Jazz Ensemble will play Bill Reddy's arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story."

This high-energy show is one you won't want to miss.

Please join the Band of Flight in the Modern Flight Gallery at 7:30 p.m. for the third annual guest artist concert. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. This concert is free and open to the public. No tickets are required, but seating is limited to the first 1,200 people. For more information, please call 937-255-5924.

For more information about upcoming performances by your United States Air Force Band of Flight and to sign up to receive our electronic newsletter, please go to www.bandofflight.af.mil.