10 Reasons West Point Summer Concerts Rock

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Army, army band, band, Classical Music, concert, concert band, Free Concert, free performance, Jeremy Gaynor, marches, marching band, military band, military music, Music, Summer fun, Trophy Point, United States Military Academy, veterans, West Point, West Point Band, West Point Cadet, wind ensemble

Take heart Summer fun-seekers, a concert at West Point’s legendary Trophy Point Amphitheater just might be the perfect summer evening. This annual tradition on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy combines festive friends and family, Hudson River vistas, glimmering stars overhead, and rich American history with heart-stopping music performed under the stars by world-class musicians.

And while words cannot do this spirit-raising experience justice, here are just a few reasons West Point Summer Concerts will rock your world.

 

1. America.

Music isn’t the only thing in the air at Trophy Point. From the moment you arrive, you’ll sense a patriotic energy that lifts your spirits. With high-flying flags, military heroes, and time-honored cheers, you’ll experience American pride on full display.

2. The music will blow your mind.

West Point’s world-renowned band boasts multiple generations of talented musicians, many of whom hold graduate degrees from top music institutions. If the band can captivate at ceremonies, parades, sporting events and celebrations, just imagine how they sound on their own home turf.

3. Every seat is the best seat.

Unlike your typical music event, West Point concerts give you plenty of room to spread out, feast on a picnic, and relax with your favorite people. Trophy Point’s natural hillside amphitheater gives fans across the grounds spectacular views and impeccable sound quality. So whether you’re watching the band front and center or dancing on the hilltop with your kiddos, Trophy Point is on point.

4. West Point puts the “FREE” in freedom.

West Point summer concerts are completely FREE of charge. Where else can you enjoy an out-of-this-world performance and dazzling fireworks show without spending a dime? Make a summer tradition out of it. And bring visitors. It’s a pretty safe bet this is one experience they can’t get at home.

5. You’re part of the show.

Little known fact: The West Point band members are born Rock Stars. And they don’t take that responsibility lightly. So when you come to a West Point Band Music Under the Stars concert, expect great music, but don’t expect to stay in your seat. Because whether inviting kids onstage to play along, letting you choose the evening’s featured soloist, or leading audience sing-alongs, the band constantly finds surprising ways to engage you, the audience.

6. History comes alive at West Point.

Think of the West Point campus as a living history museum. It’s where George Washington stationed his headquarters during the American Revolution, calling these very banks of the Hudson River “the key to the continent.” The West Point Band has been performing here since 1817. Since then, they’ve appeared at numerous historic events across the nation.

7. West Point = Instagram paradise.

No filter? No problem. Trophy Point is the ultimate picturesque backdrop for a night of unforgettable music, easily transforming any smartphone photo into a masterpiece. Colorful sunsets echo melodies on the Hudson horizon. Heroic fireworks gleam with pride in the stars above. Rest assured, any memory you capture alongside the nation’s finest uniformed musicians will capture souls.  

8. There’s something for kids AND parents.

West Point concerts offer summer fun for the whole wolfpack. Your little ones will love the excitement of Trophy Point. Firework shows, dancing on stage, and plenty of opportunities to bask in the joy of music with the band themselves. Plus, there’s not a whiff of bad influence in the air. So parents can kick back, munch on picnic goodies, and enjoy wonderful performances worry-free. Win-win.

9. WP is not what you’d expect.

West Point concerts defy expectations. Sure, the band performs classical works, and they do it flawlessly. But these musicians are also masters of country and rock! Think rugged guitar jams, folksy banjo tunes, the whole enchilada. The setting is more relaxed than you would assume too. West Point feels like any college campus. Youthful, vibrant, and full of life. Ideal for a summer music celebration.

10. You can’t make this stuff up.

Where else can you see top-notch music at a beautiful venue with your loved ones for FREE? Where else can you celebrate America on the very grounds our forefathers fought for? Where else can you see live cannon fire? Cannons!? Only one place: West Point.

 

 

 

Driven to Serve: Performing at the New York International Auto Show

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america, Army, army band, band, Hellcats, Jeremy Gaynor, military band, military music, Music, New York City, New York International Auto Show, service, United States Military Academy, USMA, USMA Class of 1955, veterans, West Point, West Point Band, West Point Cadet, Wounded Warriors

 

It started simple: perform at the opening ceremonies for the New York International Auto Show, and quickly exceeded our expectations—not only are we performing the opening, but we’ll be hosting our own booth for the entire week! We’ve been busy preparing for this promising event, and we have lots in store.

The New York International Auto Show is the largest of its kind in North America with over a million people in live attendance each year, and is also one of the most comprehensively covered media events in the world, boasting 2.6 billion total media impressions for last year’s show. Of course we would want to be a part of one of the world’s greatest public shows, but what does an auto show have to do with military and community service? As it turns out, a lot.

The opening ceremonies will take place on Saturday, April 4 at 8:30 a.m. at the Javits Center in New York City. As a part of this ceremony, Toyota will donate a RAV4 as part of its Wounded Warriors program to Staff Sergeant Alfredo de los Santos, an Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient who survived an RPG attack on his humvee in Iraq two years ago. To officially open the show, the West Point Band, along with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, will lead a parade of vehicles, including the RAV4, through the Crystal Palace. Our own Staff Sergeant Jeremy Gaynor, who recently appeared on NBC’s The Voice, will be featured singing the National Anthem, and will then be available in our exhibit area to meet the public.

Master Sergeants MaryKay Messenger and Brian Broelmann will also perform at the opening and awards ceremonies for the National Automotive Technology Competition, a high school age competition with teams from 31 countries that culminates at the NYIAS.

We have lots to offer during the week as well. Our booth, located at northern concourse 2 near the main entrance, will be open throughout the duration of the show. If you’re around you will definitely want to check out Tune Up @ 2, a series of performances right at our booth each day at 2:00 p.m., featuring everything from bluegrass to rock, brass and string groups, and more.

And since this is an auto show after all, the USMA Class of 1955 Orange County Chopper will be on display in our area for the entire ten days, with Paul Senior himself stopping by on Saturday the 11^th for an interview.

The New York International Auto Show has everything the auto industry has to offer, and then some. We look forward to seeing you there!

Boston Pops Holiday with guests from the West Point Band

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Thanks to everyone that made “West Point Holiday” so much fun!

If you’re looking for more music this weekend come back to Eisenhower Hall Sunday at 1:30, when members of the West Point Band will join the BOSTON POPS Esplanade Orchestra with Conductor Keith Lockhart for their sparkling and beloved Holiday Pops concert.

Tickets are available HERE.

Conductor Keith Lockhart visited Mike & Kacey on 100.7 WHUD this week. To listen to the interview, click HERE for the link or listen to it from right here on our blog.

The Week of the West Point Holiday

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america, Army, army band, band, big band, Chanukah, Christmas, Classical Music, concert band, Eisenhower Hall, Eisenhower Hall Theatre, free performance, Hellcats, holiday, holiday music, Jazz, Jazz knights, Jeremy Gaynor, military band, military music, Music, santa, service, trombone, United States Military Academy, West Point, West Point Band, West Point Holiday, wind ensemble

For most people, Christmas means food, presents, family, maybe some time off of work or school . . . For me, it means those things, but it also means our annual West Point Holiday Show is upon us. So now you know that we put on a holiday show, but what does this really mean for the West Point Band? I’m glad you asked. It means a week filled with many West Point Band members wearing a great deal of different hats. This week, a typical band member is a musician; a stage hand for set-up or tear down; a member of the light crew or decorating team; an usher; publicity booth attendant; producer; et al . . . It means a week of intense music rehearsals, tech rehearsals, set-ups, tear-downs, run-throughs, talk-throughs–It’s a lot.

Why do we do so much? To bring you the best Holiday show on the East Coast, of course! If you’ve never seen it, you definitely owe it to yourself to come. It’s not just a concert of holiday music. It’s much, much more than that. It’s a series of musical selections that tell a story, interspersed with clever narration. Most of our arrangements are original and unique and are guaranteed to appeal to the whole family. And for all you parents out there, there may even be an appearance from Santa Claus, and your kids will have the chance to sit on his lap after the concert (if he shows, wink wink).

So amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, do yourself and your family a favor by taking a little time and joining us in Eisenhower Hall on this coming Friday evening (7:30 p.m.) or Saturday afternoon (2:00 p.m.). I can almost guarantee that it will become a part of your holiday tradition for years to come and we will do our darndest to keep you entertained for those years to come!

Words by Staff Sgt. Dave Loy Song

My Perspective of the West Point Holiday

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Speaking as someone who’s been in the band for nine years, I can honestly say that the holiday show is one of my favorite performances we do. I’ve only not been involved in two of them, and I was bummed out each time to not play, and still attended the performance anyway. This isn’t because I am a holiday fanatic, up on my roof stapling Christmas lights after Halloween and decorating my car like a reindeer (although I do admit to being excited each year when the stations start playing holiday songs)— but it’s because I really feel our holiday shows are just that good.

Every year we do something a little bit different; when I first got in the band, we would incorporate local children’s choirs and dance troupes. In the first show I ever played, I specifically remember the Fairfield County Children’s Choir singing the South African hymn “Siyahamba” with percussion accompaniment. It was something so different than I was used to hearing on traditional “holiday” programs! I feel that the way we program a diverse array of songs— as well as using arrangements in a wide variety of musical styles (classical, jazz, funk, pop, country, etc.)— is part of what makes our holiday shows so entertaining. For instance, we have done “O Holy Night” as a soul-bluesy trumpet feature, “No Place Like Home for the Holidays” as a country tune, “What Child is This” as a jazz saxophone duet feature, and “Carol of the Bells” as a fantasy with a slow and steady minimalistic buildup into a rock section with electric guitar solo (the last three of these which will be performed this week!).

For this year’s show I also had the opportunity to help write the script, which gave me an insight into just how involved the show is even beyond the music. Having only ever just played my clarinet part, I didn’t fully understand just how much goes into a production like this. There are all of the vocalist and instrumentalist cues, lighting, sound, props, stage setups, etc— all of which have to work together. Before the band even rehearses a single note, hours upon hours have been spent conceiving, planning, and organizing. To give you an idea, going into the first rehearsal ever for this year’s show, we were already up to draft number seven of the script! And even though the group of musicians on stage for the performance is only a part of the whole band (a hybrid jazz-concert band), this concert is quite literally “all hands on deck,” with all band members either on stage, back stage, ushering, directing cars in the parking lot, playing pre-music— or any combination of the above— not to mention all the work that goes into publicizing the event beforehand. In the end, though, it’s always a great payoff to get to bring in the season with so many people and their families who show up each year for the West Point Holiday!

Words by Staff Sgt. Erin Beaver

Download free tickets HERE
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‘Twas the West Point Holiday

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america, Army, army band, band, big band, Chanukah, Christmas, Classical Music, concert band, Eisenhower Hall, Eisenhower Hall Theatre, free performance, Hellcats, holiday, Jazz, Jazz knights, Jeremy Gaynor, military band, military music, Music, service, trombone, United States Military Academy, West Point, West Point Band, West Point Holiday, wind ensemble

It’s December in the Hudson Valley and that means one thing: it’s time for the West Point Holiday at Eisenhower Hall. As usual, there will be world-class music and an entertaining story. This year’s show is based on the beloved poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” only with a witty West Point twist. There will be laughs, there will be twists, and there might even be an appearance from Santa Claus! How do I know so much about the script? I co-wrote it, along with my colleague, Staff Sgt. Erin Beaver. (The hilarious and clever rhymes—and there are many—were mostly her doing. She’s hilarious.) We did such a fine job writing it, I was asked to narrate the show, too.  I agreed. Normally I’m playing trombone for this production. This year, I’m the M.C.

I’m not going to lie, I’m excited, but I’m also a little nervous. It’s almost like I’m watching my Kansas City Chiefs play. But a few butterflies never hurt anyone. I am truly looking forward to the opportunity.

One advantage I’ll have as the narrator is having an 18-month-old daughter who loves hearing her daddy read to her. Whether it’s a story about different colors, farm animals, or the alphabet, I strive for the dramatic and to entertain—I want my daughter to enjoy her books, after all! Only now I’m reading a holiday poem synced with music. And instead of reading to my toddler, I’m reading to several thousand people. No big deal!

This show is always spectacular and I’m confident this year’s will be no different. Come ring in the holiday cheer with the West Point Band!

Tickets are required for this free show. They can be downloaded at www.westpointband.com.

Words by Staff Sgt. Phil Stehly

Autumn in New York

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The West Point Band has been covering a lot of ground this November. In addition to ceremonies and parades, there were performances for Veterans luncheons, a Marine Ball, banquets, and a second consecutive week where the Jazz Knights Combo performed at the United Nations. There were funerals, cadet formations, and the clockwork sounds of Reveille and Retreat by the Hellcats. Add rehearsals, sectionals with the cadet band, secondary duties and other performances, and everyone was busy with a number of different tasks.

The band’s Veterans program, “Standing for Freedom – A Salute to Veterans,” was one of the month’s highlights. It began with the equipment and technical set-up, rehearsals, interviews, protocol labeling seats, and organizing parking and staging. It was a tremendous effort from all involved and is a labor of love and respect for all our Veterans, past and present. “Standing for Freedom” is a great example of the team effort necessary to put together an event of this scale. From performers to ushers, to those who set up and moved equipment, to narration, video and audio – everyone worked together. Meanwhile, as the Band was performing the concert, Master Sergeant MaryKay Messenger was singing the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks game.

On Monday (Veterans Day), the band started early with a Hellcat Bugler performing taps on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as the Superintendent, Lieutenant General Caslen, along with nearly twenty USMA graduates who are now leading NYSE companies, rang the opening bell. 

The Hellcats were featured on “Fox and Friends” and shared with America the professionalism of its military. A little later, the Academy Brass Quintet was featured on “Fox 5” during and prior to the coverage of the Veterans Day parade. The rest of the band was at the Eternal Flame wreath-laying ceremony at Madison Square Park where a “who’s- who” of New York politicians and renowned guests of honor were on the Dias. The West Point Band performed pre-music for the ceremony along with a fine version of the Armed Services Medley and a solo bugler played a flawless performance of taps.

The morning was brisk and it looked like the parade might be a bit cold, but the sun came out just as we started moving up 5th Ave. The scene of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors lining the street, along with the regular hustle and bustle of NYC, was inspirational. The highlight was the band stepping on the Red Carpet in front of the reviewing stand and playing the Army song, The Army Goes Rolling Along. Meanwhile, our remaining Band members were supporting other events like the Highland Falls Fire Department’s Veterans Day activities, a Veterans dedication for Habitat for Humanity, and of course, reveille and retreat here at West Point.

We’re looking forward to a busy time through December: halftime at the Giants game last Sunday, Concert Band and Jazz Knights concerts this past weekend, the West Point Holiday Show, Army/Navy football game, FOX Holiday Special, and other holiday performances for the Corps, West Point, and New York City and surrounding communities. And up at the flagpole above Trophy Point, the sounds of reveille and retreat continue like clockwork.

The West Point Band, the Army’s Oldest, sharing the story of West Point and the Army with America.

Standing for Freedom – a West Point Veterans Day Celebration

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My colleagues and I in the West Point Band will present our annual Veterans Day concert on Sunday, November 10th at 3:00 p.m. in West Point’s Eisenhower Hall Theatre. If you’re in the area, you’re not going to want to miss this one. Join us as we celebrate our veterans!

The band will be a hybrid of musicians from the Jazz Knights, Concert Band, and Hellcats. We’ll be playing everything from Big Band tunes to patriotic favorites. There will also be all sorts of multimedia, including narration and video displays.

Our program will tell the story of our veterans. Where to begin? We’ll hearken back to the American Revolution as the Hellcats perform a number of bugle calls that were so prevalent and vital to battle during that time. Civil War Fantasy, a piece that works just fine on its own on any program, represents the War Between the States. It takes a bit of endurance to play, but it’s equally rewarding to the performer and the listener. World War I will be represented with “Over There,” a catchy tune that’s always a crowd favorite. The Jazz Knights, one of the premier big bands in the world, will perform the music of World War II as they play “Well Git It,” “Take the A Train,” and Glenn Miller’s classic “In the Mood.” Excerpts from Variations on a Korean Folk Song, a powerful piece by renowned wind music composer John Barnes Chance, will recognize the Korean War. Vietnam will be associated with our performance of “Along the Watchtower,” while veterans of Desert Storm will be represented with a performance of “God Bless the USA.” Veterans of our recent campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan will recognize “Letters from War,” a popular song performed by our newest vocalist, Cpl. Jeremy Gaynor. Or they might enjoy our rendition of Medal of Honor, music from the popular video game series by one of Hollywood’s premier composers, Michael Giacchino. And of course there’s the U.S. Military Academy. We’re always thrilled to perform Mansions of the Lord, a powerful and beautiful piece honoring those from West Point who served. The piece will feature the fine playing of our principal trumpeter, Staff Sgt. Andrew Garcia. The concert will close as we recognize all veterans with performances of Armed Forces Medley and Lt. Col. Keene’s original song Standing for Freedom. Other highlights include Sousa’s The Liberty Bell March, America the Beautiful, and a performance of Taps.

This program has it all: vocals, symphonic pieces, jazz, even drum and bugle demonstrations. And it all honors our veterans. Who could ask for more! Hope to see you there.

Free tickets for are required for the performance. They can be downloaded at www.westpointband.com.