In general, I love music. More specifically I love brass music. It might come from my many years of playing a tuba, and having 3 sons who played brass instruments and we had a little family band. My youngest son was perhaps the most accomplished of the Wilson brass players. He got as far as being a runner-up in an audition for the Pershing’s Own U.S. Army Band. Part of the audition included tickets to a U.S. Army Pershing’s Own concert, and that is where we were introduced to the Pershing’s Own Herald Trumpets. The Herald Trumpets are often seen at special events like the Capital 4th of July Celebration.
My “love of brass” story also has a few other special moments. Our American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps (since disbanded) was able to attend a national Drum & Bugle Corps competition in Boston. There were several corps that performed, all of them with very, very talented musicians. Some of these corps were over 50 years old and had been regular performers at these competitions. The corps that won our hearts was The Madison (Wisconsin) Scouts. The Scouts were formed in 1920 and I guess the fact they were from the Midwest gave them an immediate kinship to our corps. The night of the Drum Corps International Competition in Boston, the Scouts did not place in the top 5. I still follow the Scouts to this day.
I was also able to follow my son’s brass career, which included a performance with the Newport, Oregon symphony. This small city symphony performed in a concert hall much like Ann Nicole Nelson at Minot State University. We learned through our son that David Ogden Stiers, more common to us as Major Charles Winchester on the TV Show MASH, was the resident conductor of the Newport Symphony until his death in 2018. We did not have the pleasure of seeing Mr. Stiers conduct the Newport Symphony, but there were several displays in the orchestra hall that shared his story and talked about his many talents.
Of course there have been many more events that have added to and enriched my musical experiences, but right now I can tell you that a recent performance by the Air Force Academy Stellar Brass group will certainly rank near the top of these events. The March 19th concert, which was free of charge, brought a group of 6 musicians from the Air Force Academy to the stage of Ann Nicole at Minot State. From the very first note of the National Anthem, which included a flag presentation by the Minot AFB Honor Guard, you knew this was going to be a special evening. As musical ambassadors of the Air Force, these musicians were on a tour that included stop in Grand Forks and Minot. Col. Jesse Lamarand, Commander of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, gave the official welcome to the large crowd that attended. He was able to highlight some of the recent accomplishments at Minot Air Force Base which included the deployment of 4-B52’s to RAF Fairford.
RAF Fairford, located in Gloucestershire, UK, is an RAF station that hosts US Air Force personnel and functions as the USAF’s only European airfield for heavy bombers, supporting Bomber Task Force operations. Col Lamarand shared that some of the B-52’s had returned, and soon the entire force that was deployed would also return to Minot Air Force Base. Col Lamarand turned the night over the Stellar Brass and from there on it was 90 plus minutes of great brass music, as well as personnel stories told by each member of the Stellar Brass as to the relevance of the U.S. Air Force and bases like Minot Air Force Base. Each musician was able to take their turn at the mic and let the audience know where they were from and of course how long they had been part of groups like The Stellar Brass, only one of the many performing groups stationed at the U.S. Air Force Academy. One of the musicians explained that they all, indeed, had gone through Air Force basic training on their journey to where they were today. Although all of them were trained musicians, it was shared that when they went through basics “we were just like the rest of the recruits”. 
Their stories certainly covered a lot of what makes the bands a special part of the Air Force. When the concert was over several of the audience took turns talking with the musicians, which we hope made their evening in Minot special.
It seemed like the evening had just gotten started when it was announced that their final song was John Phillip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever, New Orleans style. The audience gave a standing ovation of appreciation to the Stellar Brass as an end to an almost perfect evening.
More than ever, I appreciate music as the great communicator it is. Bringing folks together for a great evening.
Best Kept Secrets
How could I not let you know that Sunday at 4 PM is a Brass Band of Minot concert at Ann Nicole Nelson Hall. Our theme for this concert is A Bit of Mardi Graz. It will be our final concert of our 2024-2025 season. I invite you to attend and bring a friend.
Today’s Chuckle
You only start complaining about the younger generation after you lose your membership in it.
