Soldiers bring beats to local schools

  • Published
  • By Army Staff Sgt. Matthew E. Winstead
  • U.S. Army Alaska Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Members of U.S. Army Alaska's 9th Army Band shared their skills and talent with Anchorage-area children Feb. 21 through 24 as part of national Music In Our Schools Month.

Local schools hosted the Fort Wainwright-based band for a series of concerts and musical clinics.

The band performed for about 1,650 Anchorage-area students during the week.
The concerts were geared toward elementary students, to give them an opportunity to see and enjoy the professional musical style and training of the 9th Army Band, while the clinics and workshops gave high school and middle school students a chance to interact and share musical talent with the band.

"It's really fun to get in there with some of the kids," Spc. Daniel Loeschen, a trumpet player for the 9th Army Band said. "They all really seem to enjoy it and I have a blast doing it."

The concerts featured some patriotic musical selections and provided some comic relief when one of the teachers or faculty was selected to be a surprise musical guest during the show.

During the performance at Ursa Major Elementary School on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Lori Doyle, a substitute teacher, was selected and given a silver triangle to play.

"We provide our 'victim' with some warning," said Sgt. 1st Class Heather Harmon, a bassoon player with the 9th Army Band. "They know they're being brought up and asked to do something beforehand, but they don't know what exactly until we present them with the triangle."

The guest performer is presented with their instrument and some sheet music
and is instructed to follow along and play their few notes at the appropriate time in an exaggerated movement of hand gestures and comical rustling before the musical selection begins.

As is expected, the guest quickly falls short of his or her requirements and is instead prompted by Harmon via a hand signal when to strike and sound the triangle.

All of this is done to the delight of the young children who laugh and cheer as the scene progresses.

At the Ursa Major concert, the triangle presentation drew laughs from all ages when one of the children cried out, "That's a cowbell!"

In addition to instrumental performances, the Soldiers also displayed vocal talents.
Sgt. Crystal Downs, a flute player and vocalist took to the floor several times during the performances to sing selected jazz and ragtime selections for the students in addition to her talents with the flute.

"I really like singing for the kids," said Downs.

Earlier that same morning, members of the 9th Army Band hosted a workshop with students at East Anchorage High School, performing alongside the students as they practiced and shared rehearsal techniques.