Hey, everyone!

Armed Forces Day is coming up on May 16th, and to celebrate, we’ve put together an Armed Forces 5-Pack featuring 5 of our best selling albums*, one from each military branch.

Now through Friday, May 8th, use the Coupon Code AF5 and you can get this great deal for only $47.98 — an over 30% discount**!! Check it out below!

*The Armed Forces 5-Pack
includes:
America! by the US Air Force Band; Music for Honors and Ceremonies by the US Navy Band
Hail to the Chief by the US Marine Band; Always Ready by the US Coast Guard Band
Duty, Honor, Country by the US Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus**The Armed Forces 5-Pack is regularly $74.98

Have a Wonderful Tuesday,

Eric Scism

eric@militarymusic.com

In Case You Missed It…

Here is the latest Disc on Demand release, Celebration and Excursions, both by the United States Air Force Band!! These are two incredible albums, featuring music from some of the most honored composers of the military.

Check out the combo here!

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ALTISSIMO! RECORDINGS
COMMUNITY BAND SPOTLIGHT
NEWSLETTER APRIL 2009

CAPITOL SOUNDS CONCERT BAND

Welcome to April’s Community Band Spotlight! For the past few months we’ve been looking at community bands across America to showcase those that are really trying to give back to the community they are a part of. This month we’re presenting the Capitol Sounds Concert Band from Montgomery, AL.

Originally named the Montgomery Community Band, the Capitol Sounds Concert Band of Montgomery, AL, was created in 1972 by a small circle of former high school and collegiate musicians who wanted to get back into playing their instruments in a group setting. After steadily growing in size over the years, the band voted to rename itself the Capitol Sounds Concert Band in 2000, a fitting reference to its hometown. The band provides musicians with the change to gain a challenging and rewarding experience by playing in a quality concert band setting, furthering their own talent while sharing it with others in the community.

The Capitol Sounds have between 50 and 65 members at every performance ranging from college-age to senior adults. Veterans Day is one of the annual performances of the Capitol Sounds, and many of the older members served in the military and played in the bands and ensembles. What better way to celebrate the service of its members than to take part in national celebrations for the country they selflessly served! Other annual performances include Memorial Day for the local Veterans Hospital, and, of course, they play the big Independence Day celebration when they get to perform all the patriotic crowd favorites.

While patriotic music is a staple at such national celebrations, the Capitol Sounds enjoy playing all types of music, including jazz like the Glenn Miller favorite “In the Mood,” classical, concert, and more. The conductor is in charge of selecting music, and Conductor John Jackson (2003-present) is open to requests and suggestions. Jackson has been involved in music since childhood and continued his studies through college where he majored in music. In addition to his duties as band conductor, Jackson is also the band and music director for the city of Montgomery Parks and Recreation.

We at Altissimo! think the promotion of music is a very important thing, as is a continued education past high school. Something we thought was cool about the Capitol Sounds is a program they’re getting ready to start for high school seniors – a soloist competition where the prize is scholarship money for college! Also, the winner of the competition will have the opportunity to perform with the band and have a solo during the performance. The Capitol Sounds interest in allowing dedicated musicians the chance to further themselves through a college education is a very honorable mission, and we salute them for this effort.

If you would like to see the Capitol Sounds in concert, they have an upcoming concert on May 14 in Wesley Hall at Frazer Memorial United Methodist. Details of their concert schedule can be found at their website here.

*Special thanks to John Jackson for being a great sport and taking the time to answer our questions!
**If you know of a band that should be our next Community Band Spotlight, please email your suggestion to Krista at krista@militarymusic.com.

MUSINGS
By Jack Kopstein

IN MEMORIAM

The Trumpet will be heard on High
The Dead shall live, the living die
And their Music will un-tune the Sky

US Navy Band Air Disaster in 1960

It has been 49 years since the shock and sadness of when America’s top-notch corps of military musicians of the United States Navy Band lost their lives in an air accident in Brazil on February 25, 1960. President Eisenhower called the crash extremely tragic as it wiped out the cream of the Navy band’s orchestra, which some said could take its place with the greatest of the world’s symphony orchestras. Nineteen of the orchestra members perished, including one of the leaders, Lt. J. Harold Fultz. The group were scheduled to have played at a dinner that evening in honour of the President of Brazil. It cast a pall over the entire visit, the first by a seated President of the United States. “President Eisenhower was extremely upset and saddened as he knew band members personally,” said White House press secretary Jim Haggerty.

Most of the newspapers in the United States selected a United Press International backgrounder to describe the work of US Navy musicians. The article said in part,

Most of the members are enlisted men who fought their way to the top in extremely tough competition. The band is faced with the task of replacing the entire orchestral contingent of strings. In doing so, it will follow the same high standards in effect since 1925. That was the year the Navy band came into existence, under an act of Congress signed by President Calvin Coolidge.

The conductor of the Navy band in 1960 was Commander Brendler, who had held the post since 1937. He was with the larger contingent at Buenos Aeries when the crash occurred. The remaining band members were grief stricken.
A memorial stained glass window was erected in the Christ Church in Rio de Janeiro and dedicated on September 24, 1961. The Chief of the US Naval Mission in Brazil unveiled the memorial which read “TO THE GLORY AND MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THE US NAVY WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE AIR DISASTER FEBRUARY 25th 1960.”

The following is a list of the UNITED STATES NAVY BAND that perished in this terrible accident.
Assistant Leader LT Johann H. Fultz
MU2 William F. Albrecht
MUC Elmer L. Armiger
MUC Henry Bein
MU2 Milton C. Bergey
MU1 Robert L. Clark
MU1 Anthony M. D’Amico
MUS Albert J. Desiderio
MU1 Reyes S. Gaglio, Jr.
MU1 Richard D. Harl
MU1 Gerald R. Meier
MUC Raymond H. Micallef
MUC James A. Mohs
MUC Walter M. Penland
MUC Earl W. Richey
MUC Jerome Rosenthal
MU1 Vincent Tramontana
MU1 Roger B. Wilklow
MUC Jefferson B. Young

Band Talk

This month, instead of an interview, we present this wonderful painting created by American illustrator Paul Stahr (1883-1953). This painting depicts John Philip Sousa marching through the streets of the city with the US Navy band that he trained at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station outside Chicago during World War I.* The painting can be found hanging in the library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

*Thank you, John Johnson and Jack Kopstein, for submitting this information!*

On Sunday April 5th 2009 the West Point Glee Club performed with Trace Adkins to help support the Wounded Warrior Project.   

Read More On the West Point Glee Club’s Performance 

For More Music by the West Point Glee Club Check Out:

Stand Ye Steady

West Point on the March

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