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Singing Sergeants to Pay Tribute at Reunion Concert The Singing Sergeants will perform a special alumni concert on Saturday, August 7, at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, located at 1313 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., at 7:30 p.m. The program will feature past and present members of the official chorus of the United States Air Force. The Singing Sergeants will also pay tribute to retired Chief Master Sgt. Floyd Werle, former Chief Composer and Arranger for The USAF Band, who passed away on July 19 at the age of 81. Retired Lt. Col. Craig Jessop, former conductor of the Singing Sergeants and former award-winning conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, will lead the program. Read more... |
Air Force Band Mourns Former Chief Arranger
Retired Chief Master Sgt. Floyd Werle, who arranged hundreds of musical numbers for The U.S. Air Force Band and his local parish, passed away in Oakland, Calif., on July 19 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Chief Werle was best known as chief musical arranger for The U.S. Air Force Band. He was handpicked to be part of the Air Force's premier musical organization by then conductor Col. George S. Howard.
"Floyd E .Werle was the heart and soul of The U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants, and I mourn his loss," said U.S. Air Force Band Conductor Emeritus Col. Arnald Gabriel. Chief Werle worked extensively with Colonel Gabriel starting in 1964, when the colonel became commander and conductor of the Band. The two embarked on an 18-year creative surge, leading to over 50 original compositions. The Chief retired from the Air Force in 1982, but was continually honored for his contributions.
He joined the Band in 1951, as an arranger for weekly Air Force Radio broadcasts involving the Singing Sergeants and Symphony Orchestra. Over 900 of Chief Werle's compositions spanning a 32-year career are now housed in the "Floyd E. Werle Music Library" in Hangar II on Bolling Air Force Base, Washington D.C. The Library was named in his honor during a ceremony in January 2008.
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 Summer Concert Series At the Air Force Memorial - Arlington, Virginia Aug 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25 & 27 At the U.S. Capitol Steps Aug 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 Singing Sergeants Alumni Concert Aug 7 - Washington, D.C. Joint Service Jazz Concert Aug 15 - Washington, D.C. Community Concerts Aug 14 - Woodbridge, Virginia Aug 20 - Hagerstown, Maryland Aug 21 - Reston, Virginia |
Higher Education By Tech. Sgt. Matthew Murray The pursuit of higher education while working full time in The United States Air Force Band offers many challenges. Many Airmen, however, have found that with the help of a variety of Air Force programs and the flexibility of many academic institutions, it is a pursuit that will pay off greatly in the long run. The women and men of The USAF Band form a uniquely well educated organization. Nearly all members of the squadron have bachelor's and master's degrees--some even have doctoral degrees. Many others have chosen to continue to pursue higher education while working full-time with the Band. However, with an already hectic and ever-changing schedule, it can be incredibly challenging. Read more... |
The final month of the 2010 Summer Concert Series has something for everyone! You can still catch one of the Band's performing units at the Air Force Memorial on Wednesday and Friday evenings and at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday evenings. Concerts at both locations begin at 8:00 p.m. The Airmen of Note will be featured in a joint-service performance on Sunday, August 15, and special programs will be presented by the Concert Band on Saturday, August 14, and Friday, August 20.
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Legendary Performers + Airmen of Note = 2010 Jazz Heritage Series!
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The United States Air Force Band is proud to present the 2010 Jazz Heritage Series featuring the Air Force's premier jazz ensemble, the Airmen of Note. This year's series features jazz singer Al Jarreau on November 5, jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel on October 1, and an Airmen of Note 60th Anniversary celebration with seven of the "Note's" distinguished alumni on September 3. All performances will be held at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium and will start at 8 p.m.. They are also free and open to the public - no tickets are needed. Read more... |
The United States Air Force Band is continually working to expand our archives and capture details of the historic music made throughout the years. "Recollections" was designed to enlist your help in this process. If you have any behind-the-scenes stories from these events or memories to share from the featured photographs, please email Band Historian Technical Sgt. Tracey MacDonald at USAFBandHistorian@afncr.af.mil. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!
Please click the image below to see it on our website. When there, select "Download Full Image" to view a larger, more detailed picture.
To read newly-discovered background information pertaining to the photos we included in last month's Cadenza, please click here.
