Premier Air Force musicians on tour, visit DePauw Oct. 23

Monday, October 16, 2017
The United States Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants, led by Commander and Conductor, Col. Larry H. Lang, are heading to Greencastle. The premier ensemble’s October tour includes a performance at the DePauw University Green Center Monday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. For free tickets visit, music.depauw.edu.
Courtesy photo

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the United States Air Force, as well as the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force Band. Next week the United States Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants, led by Commander and Conductor, Col. Larry H. Lang, are heading to America’s heartland.

The October tour is making stops in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois and Indiana — including a performance at the DePauw University Green Center on Monday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Admission to the concert by the Air Force’s premiere ensemble is free. Tickets, which are required, can be obtained online through the DePauw School of Music website (music.depauw.edu).

Senior Master Sgt. Philip Krzywicki, a graduate of DePauw University, is especially excited about the upcoming tour.

“After 22 years of touring all across this country with the band, it’s great to finally come through this part of Indiana and be back on the stage in Kresge Auditorium,” Krzywicki said.

“DePauw afforded me many fine musical opportunities. The small class size and wonderful faculty gave me the attention I needed and nurtured my abilities — they got me on the right track. This is where I first realized my love for performing onstage.”

In addition to their daily performance schedule, members of the Concert Band and Singing Sergeants will also be mentoring students along the tour through the Advancing Innovation through Music (AIM) educational outreach program.

Air Force Band members typically work with individual sections, focusing on skills such as proper technique, musical phrasing and posture. Then the students come together with them, “side-by-side,” to experience how the music they are working on is performed at a professional level. DePauw students selected for this opportunity will play Fred Jewell’s march “E pluribus Unum” alongside the U.S. Air Force musicians on Monday’s concert, after rehearsing with them during their sound check earlier that day.

“Our AIM program has been an outstanding success at home in Washington, D.C., allowing us to reach over 40,000 students in the National Capital Region over the last two years with music clinics, side-by-side performances and rehearsals with school groups and professional music demonstrations,” Air Force Commander and Conductor, Col. Lang said. “As we tour across the nation performing our community outreach mission, AIM fills a vital role in helping us connect the Air Force to our communities.”

The U.S. Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants are two of the six performing ensembles within the United States Air Force Band, the premier musical organization of the U.S. Air Force. Stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Air Force Band honors those who have served, inspires American citizens to heightened patriotism and service, and positively impacts the global community on behalf of the U.S. Air Force and the United States of America.

For more information or to obtain free tickets, visit music.depauw.edu. The Green Center box office, which will be closed over fall break (Oct. 14-22), will also be open Monday, Oct. 23 from noon–4 p.m. and beginning 90 minutes prior to the performance.

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