By Jessica Barfield 

The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus will be making a stop at Oklahoma City Community College on Monday, Feb. 28th at 7:30 p.m., as part of their nationwide tour. 

Presented by OCCC’s Cultural Programs department, the event will be held at our campus’ largest theater, at the Visual Performing Arts Center. And while tickets were free, the event sold out quickly.

“This particular group we have never had before, it is the largest of ensembles,” Director of the Cultural Programs department Lemuel J. Bardeguez told the Pioneer.

Between the band and chorus, the group includes nearly 85 members. 

“We’re looking forward to it because they are going to sound great in our hall. Our feedback is particularly good at supporting acoustic ensembles like orchestras, choirs, and bands,” Bardeguez said.

The field band and soldiers chorus has been captivating audiences, traveling thousands of miles across every state in the country and internationally, for more than half a century. 

From performing in settings such as the world-famous Berlin Philarmonic and Carnegie Hall, to participating in numerous presidential inaugural parades, the Army Field Band and Chorus have continued to be an inspiration to American people, service members and have supported diplomatic efforts around the world. 

Included in the band are four components: the Concert Band, the Soldiers’ Chorus, the Jazz Ambassadors, and the Six-String Soldiers. On this tour, they will be performing, “America, the Beautiful,” a celebration of our nation through a musical and visual journey.

Public Affairs representative to the Army Field Band, Master Sergeant Brian Sacawa has been with the field band for almost 19 years and has over 2000 performances under his belt. “’America, the Beautiful,’ tells the story of our country, beautiful landscapes, and the amazing people,” stated Sacawa.

Brian Sacawa serves with the United States Army Field Band out of Washington, D.C., and is not only the announcer for the Band and Chorus but is the band’s saxophone section leader. 

“I always wanted to serve in a military band in the Washington D.C. area, because you know, there’s not a saxophone in an orchestra. So as a saxophonist, the D.C. military bands are really like the New York Philharmonic of the saxophone. It’s like the best of the best,” Sacawa said.

“America the Beautiful,” pays tribute as a musical celebration to our nation and every generation of its veterans and active-duty soldiers.  

“At the end of every show, we perform a medley of all five-armed service songs,” Sacawa said. “And during that piece, we invite members of the audience who are veterans, currently serving, or are friends and family of people who serve, to stand so that we’re able to honor people’s service, and just thank them for what they do. 

“And every single night, you know, it never fails to move you because you’re playing these songs, and you look out into the audience, and you see people stand up. And in many instances, there are tears in their eyes. You see the pride in their faces, and there’s just nothing like that.” 

For more information, please visit www.tickets.occc.edu.