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NEW ORLEANS - Marine Corps Band New Orleans performed for the summer season opener of the New Orleans Zephyrs baseball team at Zephyrs Field, April 9, 2015.
Outside the stadium, the band opened the night with a repertoire of traditional marches and New Orleans inspired songs before the start of the game.
“We [performed] several patriotic songs, local New Orleans songs and some pop songs,” said Lance Cpl. Benjamin Black, a percussionist in the band. “It’s some local flavor that the crowd should be able to enjoy. It should be an exciting night.”
By playing in different events, the band is able to enhance the connection and relationship between the Marine Corps and the New Orleans community.
“One of the main missions of Marine Corps Band New Orleans is to be good neighbors,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Bryan Sherlock, officer in charge of the band. “For us to be good neighbors and be able to come out and perform for thousands of people here in New Orleans is a great way for us to reinforce what we do, as well as get the name and the image of the Marine Corps in the public’s mind.”
When facing a huge crowd during a presentation, the members of the band are trained to be able to keep calm and focus on their performance.
“I tell my Marines that if there are two people in the audience or 200,000, they get the same performance,” said Gunnery Sgt. Michael J. Maschmeier, the enlisted conductor of the band. “The size of the crowd that comes to stay and watch us doesn’t matter to us; they are still going to get 110 percent from every Marine in the unit.”
But in some cases, the size does matter. For a few young Marines, the size of the crowd is a direct representation of their career accomplishments.
“This is everything I have been working for,” says Black. “For two years I have auditioned, gone through Basic Training, Marine Combat Training and now I am finally where I have been dying to be, where I have wanted to be for years; performing in front of a huge crowd.”
The band travels more than 150,000 miles and performs for an estimated 8 million people a year, and has a continuous involvement with the community through diverse presentations such as games, parades and ceremonies.
“The community audience is the reason the Marine Corps band exists,” said Cpl. Adam Edwards, french horn player in the band. “We perform for the people and by keeping a good relationship, we will always have a good audience supporting us and the Marine Corps.”
| Date Taken: | 04.11.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.15.2015 11:44 |
| Story ID: | 160035 |
| Location: | NEW ORLEANS, LA, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Music, Hot Dogs and Baseball, by Sgt Ian Ferro, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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