Photo By James Goodwin | Sgt. 1st Class Julie Angelis Boehler, right, and Staff Sgt. Sidonie Wade play, "Snare...... read more read more
By Rhonda Apple
Pentagram Staff Writer
JOINT BASE MYER HENDERSON- HALL, Va. - Female musicians from The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” made history March 20, performing a first-ever chamber music concert at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery in honor of Women’s History Month.
The all-female ensemble included: Master Sgt. Maria Luisa de la Cerda Rohde, piccolo section leader, Ceremonial Band, and native of New Braunfels, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class Julie Angelis Boehler, principal timpanist, Concert Band/Orchestra, and Worcester, Mass., native; Sgt. 1st Class Kirsten Lies-Warfield, trombonist, Ceremonial Band, and Fargo, N.D., native; Sgt. 1st Class Stacie Thompson, clarinetist, Ceremonial Band, and Springdale, Ariz., native; Staff Sgt. Michelle Acton, saxophonist, Ceremonial Band/Saxophone Quartet, and Plano, Texas, native; Staff Sgt. Meredeth Rouse, English horn, Concert Band/Woodwind Quintet, and Boston native; and Staff Sgt. Sidonie Wade, percussionist, Ceremonial Band, and Melbourne, Fla., native.
About 50 guests attended the lunchtime concert, welcomed by retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Wilma L. Vaught, president of the board of directors of the memorial’s foundation. Vaught gave a short biography about each soldier musician, telling the audience something unique about each performer, including their most memorable experiences as a member of TUSAB.
“Playing for this event was pretty meaningful. I know Sgt. 1st Class Boehler made an effort to get some of the women from the Ceremonial Band out to play here today,” said Lies-Warfield. “We’re usually busy doing ceremonies, which are important, but very different from getting out and playing music of our own making to a live audience who can respond.”
I really enjoyed the concert, hearing these women perform and hearing their stories was wonderful,” said Army wife Lisa Deacon.
Lies-Warfield, Thompson and Acton performed “As I Went Walking By,” by John Mundy, “L’Homme Aux Bras Ballants,” by Yann Tiersen; “Springtime Mantleth Every Bough,” by Thomas Morely; “Come Sirrah, Jack Ho!” by Thomas Welkes; a Macedonian folk tune, “Katusha Mome,” and Lies-Warfield’s poignant ode to military spouses, “His Wife.”
“I was really happy that I was able to take the opportunity and compose a piece for this event, make this offering to service members’ spouses and recognize them as the individuals they were,” said Lies-Warfield.
She said her inspiration for composing “His Wife” was the sight of all the tombstones with only first names of women in Arlington National Cemetery. “This was all that defined them in relationship to their husbands, the veterans,” said Lies-Warfield. “I wanted to recognize these women as individuals.”
During a recent funeral ceremony at ANC, Lies-Warfield said she actually saw a tombstone inscribed “Dorothy, his wife,” and thought about her as she listened to the hymns being played. “I imagined her singing along,” she said.
The second half of the program included a performance of Vincent Persichetti’s “Parable XV for Solo English Horn,” by Rouse; “SYRINX for unaccompanied flute,” by Claude Debussy performed by de la Cerda Rohde and a rousing finale “Snare Drum Duet,” by Alexander Lepak, performed by Boehler and Wade.
“It was an honor to hear these talented women perform,” said Lucerchia Metters, a disabled Army veteran and business owner. “Women are the backbone of the military. Behind every great man is a greater woman.”
March is National Women’s History Month. The Department of Defense recognized women’s service throughout March, hosting numerous events throughout the National Capital Region.
Currently, about 202,400 women make up 15 percent of the U.S. military’s active duty personnel according to Joy Crabaugh, a spokesperson for the Department of Defense’s Personnel and Readiness, Office. There are about 74,500 women serving in the Army and Air National Guard and 80,400 women serving in all military branches of the Reserve, including the Coast Guard.
| Date Taken: | 03.20.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.28.2014 17:22 |
| Story ID: | 123121 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, US |
| Hometown: | BOSTON, MA, US |
| Hometown: | FARGO, ND, US |
| Hometown: | MELBOURNE, FL, US |
| Hometown: | NEW BRAUNFELS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | PLANO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | SPRINGDALE, AR, US |
| Hometown: | WORCESTER, MA, US |
| Web Views: | 186 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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