JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Band, and guests, marked the final performance of the 88th season of their ‘Music Under the Stars’ summer concert series, Aug. 29.
The entire ‘Music Under the Stars’ season took place at Eustis’ Magnolia Park every Thursday evening, June through August. The members of the TRADOC band played several genres of music, which covered marches, country, and rock.
“This could be historic, but there’s 50 people on stage for the first time, maybe, in the history of the seven entities here,” said Lt. Col. Treg Ancelet, commander, TRADOC Band, about the last show of the season. “We have musicians from Fort Lee, TRADOC’s band, Langley’s band, the school of music, the 380th Reserve, alumni, and of course our singing Army voices from the United States Army Band, ‘Pershing’s Own,’ out of Washington D.C.”
Maj. Gen. Arlen “Ray” Royalty, the TRADOC deputy chief of staff, commenced the evening’s event by praising the performers, and swearing in 22 future Soldiers.
“What a privilege to bring these folks, these young folks, into the Army's next generation,” said Royalty. “Today, tens of thousands of our Soldiers are deployed in 140 countries. On behalf of our grand republic, please join me in thanking these Soldiers, civilians, and family members of our total Army for their continued service.”
The night’s show was a mixture of instrumental and vocal performances.
“Army Voices started up with 15 minutes, and sang about four songs,” said Ancelet. “We did about six songs, Army Voices will come back out; sing another 15 minutes, and then we concluded it with the ‘1812 Overture’ with the cannon.”
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed his ‘1812 Overture’ in 1880 to commemorate Napoleon's defeat by Russian soldiers during the French invasion of Russia in 1812, complete with live cannon fire punctuating its exuberant climax. The ‘Music Under the Stars’ finale punctuates its own season finale each year with a cannon battery’s deep booms accompanying the brass fanfare.