United States Air Force Band
The U.S. Air Force Band is part of the U.S. Air Force Bands Program, which consists of 10 stateside bands, 4 overseas active-duty bands, and 11 Air National Guard bands.
The current commander and music director is Lt. Col. Alan C. Sierichs. Within The U.S. Air Force Band there are six performing ensembles: The Concert Band, Singing Sergeants, Airmen of Note, Air Force Strings, Ceremonial Brass, and Max Impact. Collectively, these musical groups perform a wide spectrum of styles, including classical, jazz, popular, patriotic and ceremonial music.
The band's official military life began on September 24, 1941, with the formation of the Bolling Army Air Forces Band under the sponsorship of Lieutenant L.P. Holcomb, commanding officer of the Air Base Group at Bolling Field in Washington, D.C. From 1955 to 1961, the U.S. Air Force Band was joined by the Women in the Air Force Band (WAF Band) as twin ambassadors of the USAF, though Air Force policy kept the WAF Band from overseas appearances. The WAF Band, founded as a local base band in 1951 at Lackland Air Force Base, was stationed alongside the all-male U.S. Air Force Band at Bolling from 1953 to 1957 after which the popular women's band was invited to Norton Air Force Base where they stayed until being disbanded in 1961. Some 235 women served in the WAF Band's ten-year lifespan. Today, the U.S. Air Force Band is made up of male and female airmen and is headquartered at Bolling Air Force Base.
- United States Air Force Academy Band
Read more about this topic: United States Military Bands
Famous quotes containing the words united states, united, states, air, force and/or band:
“Europe and the U.K. are yesterday’s world. Tomorrow is in the United States.”
—R.W. “Tiny” Rowland (b. 1917)
“God knows that any man who would seek the presidency of the United States is a fool for his pains. The burden is all but intolerable, and the things that I have to do are just as much as the human spirit can carry.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“Nullification ... means insurrection and war; and the other states have a right to put it down.”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)
“[Allegory] should ... be very sparingly practised, lest, whilst the writer plays with his own fancies and diverts himself by cutting the air with his wide spread wings, he should soar out of view of his readers, leaving them in confusion and perplexity to explore his viewless track.”
—Sarah Fielding (1710–1768)
“Rich are the sea-gods:Mwho gives gifts but they?
They grope the sea for pearls, but more than pearls:
They pluck Force thence, and give it to the wise.
Every wave is wealth to Daedalus,
Wealth to the cunning artist who can work
This matchless strength. Where shall he find, O waves!
A load your Atlas shoulders cannot lift?”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Firm, united, let us be,
Rallying round our Liberty;
As a band of brothers joined,
Peace and safety we shall find.”
—Joseph Hopkinson (1770–1842)