U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West performs in Riverside

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Zach Anderson
  • 4th Air Force Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  The United States Air Force Band of the Golden West recently performed a free concert at Ramona High School here. The Band of the Golden West is stationed at Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco. The evening's open-to-the-public performance was part of a five-stop tour the band has been conducting throughout the southern California area with the goal of reaching out to local communities and telling the Air Force story. 

"We really want to continue to reinforce what the Air Force is and the daily contributions that we make to the ongoing fight. We are here to help raise the awareness of the Air Force contribution to the Total Force," said Maj. Keith H. Bland, the band's commander. 

With a diverse set of musical selections that ranged from opera to Latin-flavored tunes to Korean folk songs, the band definitely held the audience's attention. Some of those in attendance were impressed at the level of talent displayed on stage. 

"This is wonderful, so wonderful and such fun! They are so talented. You don't hear a wrong note. It's perfection," said Mardeen Crockett, a Sun City resident. 

A highlight of the concert came when nine students from Ramona and Martin Luther King High Schools in Riverside joined the band for a performance of "The Kentucky Derby March." For the students, it was a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to perform on-stage with professional musicians. 

"It was invigorating! It was really nice to be playing with a band of that caliber," said Kevin Wheeler, a junior trombone player at Ramona High School. 

Band members appreciated mentoring the students as well. 

"It feels great," said Senior Airman Greg Gallant, a clarinetist. 

"We get to perform with the kids and they get to see what it is like to be a professional musician, and learn the Air Force story as well," he said. 

The band told the Air Force story through song, playing renditions of classic patriotic and military tunes that had the audience clapping along to the music. 

"I served in World War II and it is terrific to be able to listen here. I enjoy a good concert band and this really means a lot to me," said Jack Krause, a Riverside resident. 

"This music is patriotic and it makes you happy. It just helps you to forget your troubles," said Barbara Spires, also of Riverside. 

All that entertaining music was delivered with a very powerful message to the community. 

"It's great to be able to play in a community so near an Air Force installation and see how proud these community members are of supporting the Air Force men and women here. We hope that through us and seeing how professional we are, they can better appreciate the folks they don't see, the professionals on the flight line doing daily missions and those in deployed environments who are providing that same level of professionalism and same level of excellence each day," Major Bland said. 

The band closed out the concert with the playing of the "U.S. Armed Forces Medley" as a way of thanking those who have served or are serving in all branches of the United States military. 

Major Bland said the performance was also in gratitude to the community for supporting those military members. 

"It's our way of saying thank you to this community for their continued support of March Air Reserve Base." 

Following the concert, several members of the audience stood by to shake hands with band members and offer compliments. After thanking the community members for their attendance and support, Major Bland said it is important for each person in the audience to understand the true meaning behind the evening's performance. 

"It's not about us. It's about reminding everyone what a privilege it is to live in this great nation, what we have to be proud of as Americans, and celebrating that. I hope we bring a spirit of what it is to be an American and what it is that we have here to be thankful for." 

The United States Air Force Band of the Golden West concluded their five-stop southern California tour with a performance at the Oxnard Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, Calif.