A Convention Scrapbook (V) – Corpus Christi, Texas - 2001 The Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Rocks the House!
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ormally a band concert is conducted by one person with perhaps a guest. This concert had not only Major Alan Clark, Commander and Conductor, but also visiting conductors Colonel Ray Toler, USAF (ret.), Director of Bands at Texas A & M University in College Station, Captain Dean Zarmbinski, Commander and Conductor, Air Force Band of the West, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, and Lt. Col.
Alan Bonner, our own National Executive Director, as well as visiting musicians from the Band of the West. There were traditional military band pieces including Sousa’s “Fairest of the Fair” and “Star and Stripes Forever.” The jazz band raised the roof, and a double trumpet solo by TSgt Ken Trimmins brought the audience to its feet. There were unexpected additions as well: the world premier of Stephen Melillo’s “Walk on the Water” ( in honor of Bill Miller, TSgt Ken Trimmins demon- Maj. Clark’s high school band strates his “solo-duet” trumpet director and a protege of Henry Fillmore) and the Third Movement technique. of Julie Giroux’s “Culloden,” conducted by Col. Bonner. The band generously played two encores including the Air Force anthem “Off We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder” to a standing crowd of enthusiastic listeners. Band personnel included several ΚΚΨ/ΤΒΣ alumni. Maj. Clark is an honorary of Beta Gamma Chapter, ΚΚΨ, at LSU. CMSgt Roger Ferrell, band manager for the Band of the U.S.
36—The PODIUM, Fall 2001
Air Force Reserve, was initiated into the Delta Xi Chapter at Emporia State. He majored in music education, playing the clarinet in the marching band as well as the symphonic band there. He became interested SSgt Jessica Welles, Lackland AFB, left, and in the Air Force when SrAmn Krista Jobson double up on the piccolo solo from Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes several friends joined Forever.” and were assigned to the band at Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska. Roger enlisted after graduation and went to Lackland Air Force for basic training. His first assignment was to join his ΚΚΨ brothers in the USAF Heartland of America Band. He has been with the Band of the USAF Reserve for twelve years now, beginning as clarinetist and then moving to Band Manager for three years. MSgt Kani Czanderna Nichols was initiated into the Rho Chapter of ΤΒΣ at Indiana University in 1978. She became a Life Member in 1981. After Potsdam College in New York for her Masters in Saxophone Performance, she joined the Air Force. After ten years in Germany, she has been at Lackland Air Force Base for five years as a member of the USAF Band of the West. Her greatest experience was playing with the Russian Army Band in Moscow in 1994. Fortunately, between her German and their English and the universal love of music, they were able to communicate. The Band of the USAF Reserve is currently seeking to fill several chairs. For information on a musical career in the Air Force, please contact SSgt Marcel Marchetti at 478-327-0555 or email marcel.marchetti@afrc.af.mil. U
National Executive Director Lt. Col. Alan Bonner conducts the Band of the USAF Reserve in a performance of the third movement of Julie Giroux’s “Culloden.”
