Twenty-five members of The U.S. Army Band, "Pershing's Own," are displaying their talents beyond the multi-seat arenas, which hosted the 2014 Spirit of America shows in Boston, now in Albany, New York and later this month at Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Portions of the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall-based band conducted four educational outreach jam sessions during the first leg of the SOA tour in Boston and 10 have been scheduled at the Albany, New York, stop.
In New England, TUSAB woodwind, percussion, strings and brass sections traveled to a pair of clinics at Boston University and one at the University of Rhode Island. The band's vocal elements from Downrange, Army Voices and the U.S. Army Chorus are on the SOA tour and are participating in educational ensembles.
In Albany, New York, the middle stop on the Spirit of America tour, the educational clinic schedule gets real ambitious. At and around the Empire State capital, parts of The U.S. Army Band will perform and educate budding musicians at 10 schools, including schools TUSAB educational outreach coordinator Sgt. 1st Class Scott Weinhold remembered as a band student growing up in upstate New York.
"We are doing everything from performing for students, sitting in with ensembles, giving lectures and giving master classes where we listen to students and offer advice," said saxophonist Weinhold, who grew up in Salem, New Hampshire. but now calls Albany home. "Some clinics involve only one member, but others might involve up to 20. We have soloists on trombone, clarinet, flute, trumpet, euphonium, and percussion doing solo clinics."
According to Weinhold, the musical educational session will also include the talents of a string quartet, a brass quintet, a trumpet ensemble, a woodwind quintet, a saxophone quartet, a clarinet quartet, a jazz combo and a vocal ensemble.
The band contains one of the larger portions of the SOA tour with 107 musicians, TUSAB commanders, singers and technical support crew making the Boston to Albany to Hershey trip.
As for the educational stops on the SOA tour, Weinhold hopes the band's appearance will motivate young musicians.
"I believe that inspiration would be the largest benefit," he said. "In my own education, I remember key moments and events that helped guide and shape my development as a professional. My hope is that all students and professionals participating will find value in these experiences."
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