‘An Instrumental Role’Bartel Commands Army Band to Build Relationships BY EMILY KESEL
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ieutenant Colonel Randy Bartel, ’92, may work more than 4,500 miles from his alma mater, but the lessons he learned at Central Methodist University are never far from his mind. The Commander of the United States Army Europe and Africa Band and Chorus, Bartel has led performances across the United States and Europe, in front of five U.S. presidents and other heads of state and international leaders. He and his wife, Regina, have been through 11 military household moves and currently live in Germany near Frankfurt. He expects he’ll move again within the next year. And yet as he leads the military’s best musicians at events like the 75th anniversary of D-Day or the 57th Presidential Inauguration, or even travels around Europe as a tourist, Central continues to influence the way he sees the world. “[Europe is] a great place to work, it’s a great place to live, and if folks get a chance to be tourists they must do it,” Bartel said. “A lot of what we would talk about there at Central that I was exposed to initially, I’m now able to see. You go through an art history class or music appreciation there and they describe things that you may not have the opportunity to see, but now it’s actually very, very possible for me.” Other than a general appreciation for art and music, Bartel speaks highly of the education he received at Central because it set him and his fellow alumni up for great success in life. From his introduction into the “Central family” as a student in Marshall, Mo., to studying under some legendary professors as an undergrad, to staying in touch with classmates and other alumni, his connection to the university is strong even across an ocean. “None other than Keith House was a mentor for many people, and it was no different for
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me,” he said. “It was largely centered on trumpet and music education, of course, but it was really about life in general. No matter what somebody decides to do after Central, I think they have a strong mentorship that starts there.” Bartel’s journey in music after earning a music education degree from CMU started with four years of teaching at Elsberry Public Schools near St. Louis, but in 1996 he took an audition with a Marine Corps music program and thus began his career as a military musician. After six years as a trumpet instrumentalist with the Quantico Marine Corps Band, he went back to school for a master’s degree at the University of Missouri and a few years later became an officer in the Army. Throughout his 23 years in the military, Bartel has been involved in many big events – an inauguration, numerous televised performances, and the 80th birthday celebration of legendary composer John Williams, to name a few – but it’s one of the quieter times that he says is one of his most treasured memories. “Folks often do ask what I consider one of my more memorable events, and I go straight to my work with the ceremonial band at Pershing’s Own and the work that that band does daily in Arlington National Cemetery giving honors to our fallen,” Bartel said. “One of the most memorable is one of the most intimate and smaller moments there at Arlington, and I’ll always remember those.” Another memorable event may turn out to be his promotion to lieutenant colonel this summer, but Bartel is quick to say that none of his numerous promotions over the years are any more important to him than the others. “They’ve all been special in their own way,” he said. “I don’t know if I’d put any one over another because a lot of folks maybe don’t get
as many of those that I’ve been fortunate to get, so I think they’re all priceless.” With a family history of military service – his father was a member of the Army National Guard in Marshall – it’s no surprise that Bartel speaks so highly of his job and the purpose his band serves. “Particularly for our overseas units, we do spend a lot of time as a strategic engagement opportunity for our commands, for our army, and for our country,” he said of the Army Europe and Africa Band. “Our world’s much safer when we have friends and relationships throughout the world. The bands actually play a role in that, a key, pivotal, instrumental role, in providing an opportunity to create some shared understanding, some communication that isn’t always possible when maybe words fail a bit. “But music needs no translation,” Bartel says. “From the moment you begin events that include music, everyone begins to understand. And when you have shared understanding, you have great friendships. When you have great friendships, you have a great future. So the bands play a role in that.” Music has also undoubtedly played a role in Bartel’s friendships and future as well, especially since his days at Central. He doesn’t get back to Fayette often, aside from conducting the Alumni Band in 2013 and returning in a “dad capacity” for his son Dakota, ’20, but he stays in touch with the CMU music community through social media. And although he says he’s begun to see some of his Central connections retire, he has no intention of doing so just yet. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work in a job where I’ve found someone to pay me to continue what I studied to do at Central, and that was to play music,” he said. “It’s been a remarkable ride, and I don’t think it’s over yet.”
