Fanfare (November/December)

November/December 2016 w Volume 37 Number 6

Sea Chanters: A 60-Year History 2016 Holiday Concerts 39th International Saxophone Symposium Spotlight on PO1 Dan Geldert

A Message from the Commanding Officer

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s we get ready to close out 2016, there’s still plenty of work left to do. The Commodores are on tour right now, taking the story of our Navy to seven states and finishing up their three weeks out West.

Meanwhile, we’re preparing for not just our annual holiday concerts in December, but also for the presidential inauguration and International Saxophone Symposium in January.

Last month, we had a very successful Navy birthday week. It started with the Navy Birthday Concert, hosted

by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson. We also participated in a number of other events surrounding the birthday. None of these would be possible without the great work of the Sailors here. So many folks had a hand in not only making these performances possible, but making them truly world class.

fanfare Volume 37 Number 6 Commanding Officer Capt. Kenneth C. Collins

At the end of October, we were privileged to participate in Baltimore’s very first Fleet Week. Between various public performances, as well as the commissioning of USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), we were able to demonstrate to the people of Maryland what we are all about, and how the Navy is working around the world to help secure our homeland and citizens, and support our allies.

The Navy Band Sea Chanters just marked the occasion of their 60th anniversary with a reunion concert. The group continues to demonstrate the highest level of Navy professionalism through the musical excellence on display in every performance.

Public Affairs Officer CHIEF PETTY OFFICER

Adam K. Grimm Editorial Staff

Layout and Design

SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER

SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER

Melissa D. Bishop

Stephen W. Hassay

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

Sarah F. Blecker

Adrienne W. Moore

Photographers SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

Stephen W. Hassay

Eric A. Brown

CHIEF PETTY OFFICER

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

Brian P. Bowman

Lauren R. Cook

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

James C. Anderson

Adele B. Demi

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

David B. Aspinwall

Brittany L. Foster

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

Jon C. Barnes

David A. Smith

fanfare is a bi-monthly magazine published by the U.S. Navy Band public affairs staff.

Front Cover: Sea Chanters perform in San Diego in 1958 under the direction of Lt. Harold Fultz, assistant leader of the U.S. Navy Band. (Navy File Photo/Released)

Country Current

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Finally, we were sad to lose two members of the Navy music family in September. Retired Cmdr. Allen Beck and retired Master Chief Petty Officer Peggy Bair both left an indelible mark on the U.S. Navy Band and the Navy. Fair winds and following seas, shipmates.

Kenneth C. Collins, Captain, USN Commanding Officer

Thank you so much for coming all the way to beautiful Klickitat County and blessing us with your amazing music! We loved sitting in the setting sunshine listening to you all. Great job, Country Current! You rocked the gorge!!! Thanks all for your service to our country!!! God bless the USA!!!!

– Beth (Klickitat County, Washington)

Voices of the Navy: The Sea Chanters from 1956 to Present

by Senior Chief Petty Officer Melissa D. Bishop

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n 1956, Lt. Harold Fultz, then the band’s assistant leader, organized a group from the Navy School of Music to sing chanteys and patriotic songs for the State of the Nation dinner. An immediate success, Adm. Arleigh Burke, then chief of naval operations, transferred them to the Navy Band, named them the Sea Chanters and tasked this all-male chorus with perpetuating the songs of the sea. In 1980, the group added women to their ranks and expanded their repertoire to include everything from Brahms to Broad- Senior Chief Petty Officer Michael Roberts, Chief Petty Officers Linda Teasley and Allison Turk, Petty Officers 1st Class Kristin Pagent, Adam Tyler and Courtney Williams, perform during a national tour concert in 2002. (U.S. Navy File Photo/Released) way. As the United States Navy’s official chorus, they are frequently found at the center of our most important national events. Throughout their history, the Sea Chanters have remained true to the Navy’s watchwords of pride and Continued on page 5 professionalism, and they continue to flourish as a vibrant ensemble.

Holiday Concerts at DAR Constitution Hall Saturday, Dec. 17, at 3 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 17, at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m.

Capt. Collins and the Navy Band invite you to ring in the season at our annual holiday concerts, featuring the combined musical forces of the Concert Band, Sea Chanters, Country Current and Cruisers. This year’s concerts bring some exciting changes. First and foremost, we have added a third performance! Concerts will take place Saturday, Dec. 17, at 3 & 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall at 1776 D St. NW in Washington, D.C. We have also raised the ticket limit! You can order up to six free e-tickets starting Monday, Nov. 7, at 9 a.m., by visiting http://usnavyband.ticketleap.com. Finally, for those unable to see the show in person, we will be streaming each concert live online! The link to watch the show will be available on our website, www.navyband.navy.mil, prior to the start of each show. With holiday music in a variety of styles and genres, it’s sure to be a family-friendly, entertaining show that promises to delight all ages. We’ve even heard that there will be a flyover and a visit by a familiar guest. We hope you can join us as we celebrate the holiday season!

Country Current

Just had the absolute pleasure of hearing Country Current…This was the kind of music I grew up with in the farm and ranch country of Wyoming so it was particularly enjoyable. They were delightful they were friendly and above all phenomenally talented. Thank you for giving us this opportunity.

– Wade (Leavenworth, Washington)

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Performance Schedule

All concerts are FREE and open to the public. Tickets or reservations are not required unless noted (*). Please note that all concert information is accurate at time of publication, though subject to change due to weather and other conditions. For inclement weather announcements, please call 202-433-2525 or visit www.twitter.com/usnavyband. For the most up-to-date information, please check our online performance calendar at: www.navyband.navy.mil

November

Chamber Groups

Wednesday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m.

The Athenaeum 201 Prince St. Alexandria, Va.

Thursday, Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m.

concert band

Seneca Valley High School 19401 Crystal Rock Drive Germantown, Md.

Concert Band and Sea Chanters Friday, Nov. 11, 7:30 a.m.

Veteran’s Day Service at Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Drive Arlington, Va.

Sea Chanters

Saturday, Nov. 19, 4 p.m.

Music and Arts at Providence Providence Presbyterian Church 9019 Little River Turnpike Fairfax, Va.

Commodores

Monday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m.

Henry E. Lackey High School 3000 Chicamuxen Road Indian Head, Md.

Country Current Friday, Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m.

Washington College 300 Washington Ave. Chestertown, Md.

Country Current Bluegrass Sunday, Nov. 20, 3 p.m.

Messiah United Methodist Church 6215 Rolling Road Springfield, Va.

Cruisers

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Sunday, Nov. 20, 2 p.m.

December

Concert Band

Saturday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m.

River Hill High School 12101 Clarksville Pike Clarksville, Md.

Chamber Groups Sunday, Dec. 4, 3 p.m.

Faith Lutheran Church 3313 Arlington Blvd.

Arlington, Va.

Brass Quartet

Saturday, Dec. 10, 2 p.m.

Central Community Library 8601 Mathis Ave. Manassas, Va.

Commodores national tour The Commodores departed Oct. 23 on a 19day tour through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California.

The following is a list of remaining tour performances.

Tuesday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m.

Longmont High School 1040 Sunset St. Longmont, Colo.

Grand Junction High School 1400 N. 5th St. Grand Junction, Colo.

Utah State University-Eastern 451 E. 400 N. Price, Utah

Friday, Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Southern Utah University 351 W. University Blvd.

Cedar City, Utah

Sunday, Nov. 6, 3 p.m.

Foothill High School 800 College Drive Las Vegas, Nev.

Monday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.

Shivela Middle School 24801 Monroe Ave. Murrieta, Calif.

Tuesday, Nov. 8, 5:30 p.m.

Junior Seau Pier Amphitheater 100 S. Strand Oceanside, Calif.

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 7 p.m.

Hemet High School 41701 E. Stetson Ave. Hemet, Calif.

Thursday, Nov. 10, TBD

Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney 1580 S. Disneyland Drive Anaheim, Calif.

Friday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m.

Performing Arts Convention Center 800 Hobson Way Oxnard, Calif.

Thank you…for the wonderful performance in Prescott tonight! Wow, you knocked the socks off a SRO crowd…! We really appreciate your coming to our small city and honoring us with your talent and enthusiasm! I am still babbling to my husband about the rich variety of music and the superb talent of the musicians and vocalists. He missed it and he is the former Naval Aviator! He won’t make that mistake again. I won’t let him!

– Linda (Prescott, Arizona)

Voices of the Navy, cont’d

To mark their 60th anniversary, we asked several past and present members to tell us what it meant to them to serve their country as a member of the Navy Band Sea Chanters.

Chief Petty Officer (ret.) Linda Fisher Teasley (served 1984-2005) “Very few of us can say that we had the honor and privilege to become the public face of mourning for our country. During my years in the Sea Chanters we were called upon to do this for many 9/11 and post 9/11 events. I received many emails and phone calls

from friends saying that seeing someone they knew participating in these events was calming and reassuring to them and that made me proud to be a Sea Chanter.”

Petty Officer 1st Class Maia Rodriguez (serving since 2013) “For me, there are many ways to use your voice: through spoken word, through song, through poetry. If you’re lucky enough to have a voice that moves others, you can do so with a sense of patriotism.

You can move more people in ninety seconds singing the anthem than you can during a two-hour concert Continued on page 6 sometimes, and that’s pretty profound.”

Commander Allen E. Beck, 1937-2016 Retired Cmdr. Allen Beck passed away Sept. 21, 2016, in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Born in 1937 in Defiance, Ohio, Beck began playing the piano at age five before learning saxophone and clarinet in school. After graduating high school he studied at the Eastman School of Music.

Beck began his naval career in the Reserve before reporting to the U.S. Navy Band as a clarinetist in 1957. He served at the Navy Band for only a short time before transferring to the School of Music as a woodwind instructor, and later to Naval Air Force, Pacific Fleet Band as commander. Beck was appointed as a warrant officer in 1966 and was commissioned as an ensign in 1969. In 1970 he returned to the Navy Band as the assistant leader before departing three years later to serve at other commands around the fleet. In 1983, while leader of the U.S. Naval Academy Band, Beck became the first bandmaster to be selected by the commander selection board.

Cmdr. Beck made his final return to the U.S. Navy Band in 1984, as the leader and officer in charge. During his four-year tenure, Beck fostered a period of musical growth for the Navy Band and established the tour operations office, ushering in the model for national tours that is still employed today.

Master Chief Petty Officer Peggy Bair, 1958-2016 Retired Master Chief Petty Officer Margaret “Peggy” Bair passed away Sept.

25, 2016. Bair was born in 1958 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Greensburg High School in 1976.

Bair graduated magna cum laude from the University of West Virginia with a Bachelor of Music in flute performance in 1984, and graduated from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, with a Master of Arts in liberal arts in 2014.

She joined the Navy Band in 1979 as a flute/piccolo instrumentalist in the Concert Band. When she retired in 2009, Bair had served as principal flutist, concertmaster and woodwind chief in charge.

Country current

We attended the performance…last evening. As a veteran of both the US Army and the USAF, I love military performances. Last night was a great performance - we were all impressed with the quality of the musicians - vocally and instrumentally. The fact that it was country even made it better. They represented the Navy in a very positive way. We hope they return! – Mike (Twin Falls, Idaho)

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Voices of the Navy, cont’d

Chief Petty Officer (ret.) Edward Daryl Duff (served from 1990-2013) “It was an honor to serve in the Navy singing for my country. I thank God that my voice was part of the musical sound track that healed and celebrated our nation.”

Chief Petty Officer Adam Tyler (serving since 2000; current unit leader) “I’ve had the pleasure of serving my country as a Navy Band Sea Chanter for 16 and a half years. Performing in support of inaugural events for two of our nation’s presidents has been the highlight of my career so far. I count myself among the few people that can honestly say they love what they do for a living. I am humbled by the level of talent in the folks I work with every day and am honored to be just a small part of the 60-year legacy of the Sea Chanters.”

Senior Chief Petty Officer (ret.) Stephanie Rowland (served from 1982-2008) “I can specifically remember one small town in Appalachia during one of our first tours. We were lodging in a very small motel on the side of the road somewhere that had only enough rooms for the unit. The closest source for food was a gas station convenience mart about 1/2-mile walk away, and town was maybe a couple miles walk through some hills along a country road. However, when we arrived at the school gym that night, the entire county had turned out for our performance. The room was filled to max capacity and beyond. We were welcomed with such warmth and enthusiasm, it truly made me appreciate what our mission was. Many people told us we were the ONLY classical concert they had ever attended, or had the opportunity to attend.

Country Current and Commodores

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Being able to bring them an awareness of the Navy via music was an extraordinary experience and privilege, and one that I perhaps did not appreciate until many years later.”

Senior Chief Petty Officer (ret.) John Bury (served from 19782004) “ ’I only know I swell with pride,’ a line from “This is My Country,” describes my emotions while singing to crowds of thousands throughout various corners of our nation. It has been an awesome privilege serving my country by inspiring hearts with patriotism through music.”

Robert Williamson (served from 1963-1969) “Serving in the Navy Band Sea Chanters afforded me an excellent opportunity to hone my craft as a vocalist while continuing a history of my family serving our great country in a military capacity since the Revolutionary War.” Senior Chief Petty Officer (ret.) Karen Leigh Campbell (served from 1981-2007) “’It’s not just a job. It’s an adventure!’ So promised ads for the Navy in 1980 when I was asked to audition for the Sea Chanters. My return from boot camp heralded the era of four-part mixed harmony. What a joy to serve by sharing music person to person, from the world stage of history to the intimacy of a bedside at Bethesda, from Carnegie Hall to GITMO, at the White House, in an open field or aboard a ship. I joined for four and retired 26 years later -- every day a promise kept. Happy 60th, Sea Chanters!” ff

I cannot say enough about the musicianship, professionalism, and showmanship of both groups. From the initial contact to set up to performance to the tear down – it was a pleasure to work with [them]…Our audiences thoroughly enjoyed the performances as well...I can’t think of a better way to spend tax payer money than supporting outstanding musical groups who serve as such fine ambassadors for our armed forces. THANK YOU for making these performances possible in our communities. These folks do us all proud.

– Sherrod (Solomons, Maryland)

Spotlight on...

Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Geldert

by Petty Officer 1st Class Sarah Blecker

Petty Officer 1st Class Dan Geldert is a euphonium instrumentalist in the Concert and Ceremonial Band who joined the Navy Band in 2009. In addition to his performing duties he serves as webmaster for the Navy Band’s website.

Tell us about your musical background.

I think music was always going to be a part of my life. My parents met through band in high school and like to joke (I hope) that they had thought about naming me Gustav or Václav (after Holst and Nelhýbel, respectively). Growing up in Orlando, I took advantage of what musical opportunities there were for a euphonium player. I played in the local brass band and traveled for the occasional solo competition. I took lessons with two veteran Disney musicians: Johnny Rosson (a member of Future Corps) and Gail Robertson (a former member of Tubafours - now teaching at University of Central Arkansas). I then received a music degree from the University of North Texas, where I studied with Brian Bowman. Gail and Brian really took me under their wings – and I owe a great deal to both for their guidance and mentorship. After graduating from North Texas, I joined the Navy Band.

What are some highlights from your career thus far?

So many moments come to mind, it’s tough to narrow it down. I absolutely love this job! It is truly special to come in to work to make music surrounded by so much talent. I’ve had the opportunity to join the band on three national tours, traveling the country and performing for so many different people in so many different communities.

You serve a vital role in the public affairs office as webmaster. Tell us a little about that role, and how you got started in web design.

The internet has quickly become the country’s first place to turn to for communication and information.

As the band’s webmaster, I’m responsible for the development and maintenance of our website.

It’s my job to effectively employ our website to connect with our audience and communicate the Navy Band’s message.

Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Geldert When I began as an assistant webmaster a few years ago I didn’t have any background in web design, but I thought it would be an interesting skill to learn. I read a couple books to get up to speed, and began experimenting at home. Before I knew it I was hooked! Something about the creative application of logic really resonated with me. I read a ton of books, took online courses and began doing a bunch of development in my free time.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I enjoy the outdoors, reading, picking up new skills and obsessing over various personal projects.

These days, though, you’ll probably just find me chasing after my amazing little handful of a toddler. ff Welcome aboard to...Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Lennon, audio production engineer, and...Fair winds and following seas to...

Petty Officer 1st Class Nicholas Cooper, lead trumpet for the Commodores jazz ensemble, who retires after 20 years of service...and to Senior Chief Petty Officer Robert Couto, principal trumpet in the Concert Band who retires after 24 years of service.

Sea Chanters

Thank you for your service to our country and thank you for the wonderful concert last evening. Without a doubt the Sea Chanters brought their very best to us. They obviously enjoyed performing for us as much as we enjoyed hearing them. Each soloist, each group from within the chorus, each instrumentalist, the entire chorus, perfect to the last note. Many, many, thanks.

– Jeanette (Greenbelt, Maryland)

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fanfare

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The 39th International Saxophone Symposium Friday and Saturday, January 6-7, 2017 George Mason University Center for the Performing Arts in Fairfax, Va. Mark your calendars and make sure not to miss an amazing event geared towards saxophonists of every level! If you are in college, apply for the College Quartet Series, it is a one-of-a-kind performance opportunity for your group. The High School Honors Recital, in its second year, provides high school saxophonists the rare opportunity to perform at a major conference. In addition to these programs, the symposium offers everything from recitals to masterclasses to any number of clinics one could think of. The event is dedicated to covering all the bases, from professional to amateur and student. For more information, links to applications and a list of featured guest artists, please visit our website http://www.navyband.navy. mil/saxophone_symposium.html or email us at NavyBand_Symposium@navy.mil.

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Contact Information: Public Affairs Office The United States Navy Band 617 Warrington Ave. SE Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5054 202-433-4777 (office) 202-433-3366 (information)

Visit us on the Web at www.navyband.navy.mil www.facebook.com/usnavyband www.twitter.com/usnavyband to comment on this issue of fanfare, e-mail us at navyband.comments@navy.mil