Army Field Band Coming to Wartburg

The Army Field Band will perform beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 in the gymnasium of Central Middle School. Tickets are free and may be picked up at Highland Communications in Wartburg and Highland Telephone in Sunbright.

Judy Byrge

The Soliders Chorus will perform beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 in the gymnasium of Central Middle School. Tickets are free and may be picked up at Highland Communications in Wartburg and Highland Telephone in Sunbright.

By JUDY BYRGE
jbyrge@morgancountynews.net

    Residents of Morgan and surrounding counties are in for a treat Tuesday night when the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus come to town.
    A concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at Central Middle School. The program for the evening will feature selections from various composers.
    “This is a rare opportunity to enjoy the Army Field Band and the Soldiers Chorus,” WECO Manager Ed Knight. “We are proud to have been able to facilitate bringing them to Morgan County for a concert.”
    The concert will begin with a Patriotic Prologue and move into Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Southern Harmony which includes The Midnight Cry, Wondrous Love, Exhilaration and the Soldier’s Return before moving to The Secret Garden.
    Dr. Gary D. Sousa, director of bands from The University of Tennessee, will be the guest conductor for the performance of American Overture for Band.
    Visions of Light and Polovtsian Dances will complete the first set.
    After an intermission, the concert will continue with selections from Les Miserables, Valdres, and Casey at the Bat.
    The band includes 65 members and the chorus is made up of 29 voices.
    Sgt. 1st Class Erica Russo, sings alto in the Soldier’s Chorus. She is originally from Florida but spent many years in Columbus, Ohio. Russo joined the Army about 10 years ago.
    “I love the opportunity to be in the Soldier’s Chorus and to travel the country,” Russo said. “And I am so excited that we are coming back to eastern Tennessee. It’s one of my absolute favorite places.”
    She went on to say that she has family in this area.
    “This is just going to be a great reunion for me.”
    Russo auditioned for the chorus and once she was accepted she then joined the U.S. Army.
    “Upon acceptance you do attend basic training, like every other soldier, and complete all the other requirements,” Russo explained. “Then once you’re done, you report directly to the unit.”
    “My favorite concerts are in some of the smaller venues,” Russo said. She went on to express how wonderful it is to go into a place and have the whole town turn out for the concert.
    “It is so meaningful when you can help engage a community in thinking about our soldiers and the hard work they are doing across the world every day.”
    Russo joined her fourth grade chorus and her interest in music continued from there, leading to a degree in music from Florida State University, a masters from Ohio State University. She taught music in a small school in Ohio for a few years and then found her calling.
    “What a great opportunity to do something I love so much,” Russo said, “to serve my country and bring the stories of the American soldiers to so many people and so I joined the Army Field Band.”
    “We try to make sure we have something for every body in our concerts,” Russo said of the mixture of music folks attending the concert can expect to hear.
    “We want to bring it to you like some kind of big warm hug by the time the last beat is sounding,” she said.
    Staff Sgt. Lauren Veronie, who grew up in a tiny town in Texas, has been in the Army Field Band for about three years.
    “I was in college studying music, studying the euphonium, heard about the job and came to the audition and just have had such a wonderful ride every since,” Veronie explained.
    Veronie’s love of the euphonium led her away from symphonies and straight to the Army Field Band.
    “The euphonium is kind of a unique instrument because in this country it’s really only used in military bands,” Veronie explained. “The euphonium is basically a small tuba. I like to call it a ‘baby tuba’. It is basically nine feet of silver-plated brass piping rolled up into a tuba-like instrument.”
    Both Veronie and Russo agree that the Armed Forces Salute is a powerful part of the program. It comes immediately after Casey at the Bat.
    “It is so inspiring to look out there at the audience during the Armed Forces Salute and to see how much they have done for us,” Russo said.
    Some people may not be aware of it, but the Army is the largest employer of musicians in the United States, according to Veronie.
    Veronie adds that one of her favorite parts of the concert is when high school band members are invited to perform.
    Next week’s program will include a variety of music that everyone can enjoy.
    “We take great pride in offering something that everyone can walk away smiling about,” Veronie said.
    The concert will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at Central Middle School. Tickets are free and may be picked up at Highland Communications in Wartburg and Highland Telephone in Sunbright.
    You may call WECO at 346-3900 with questions.