JBM-HH sings its way into Advent season

Photo By Nell King | Army Master Sgt. Leigh Ann Hinton of the U.S. Army Voices, performs during the Advent Recital Series at Memorial Chapel Dec. 11 on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. The well attended performance included a total of eight songs, including a traditional hymn “O’Come, O’Come, Emmanuel” and a festive-paced hymn entitled “African Noel.” (Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall PAO photo by Nell King)  

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, UNITED STATES

12.17.2015

Story by Delonte Harrod 

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - In only their second week of celebrating and remembering the birth and return of the Messiah (Advent), congregants gathered at Memorial Chapel on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Dec. 10 to celebrate the holiday season.

Before the religious service, spectators were provided a performance by The U.S. Army Voices, a choir from The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” including a variety of seasonal hymns.

Dr. Randall Sheets, organizer of the advent celebration weeks, music director and ceremonial organist on JBM-HH, said he believes this kind of music “moves us into a more spiritual realm.”

“I think it takes us out of the day-to-day world we live in, the commercial world, the hustle-and-bustle, the craziness that we all have to experience in life when we wake up,” he explained. “One of the great beauties of music is that it moves us out of our day-to-day life.”

The concert lasted for 30 minutes, but within that time span, the U.S. Army Voices sang eight songs, including a traditional hymn “O’Come, O’Come, Emmanuel” and a fast-paced hymn titled “African Noel.”

“We have members that bring us great pieces of music in various styles,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Gottshall, choir director of The U.S. Army Voices. “We selected some of the pieces because they had an Advent theme as opposed to a Christmas theme in anticipation of Christmas and then some pieces that celebrated Christmas itself.”

It was the group’s first time performing at the chapel and singing religious songs, according to Gottshall, who also said the group is known for performing patriotic, pop and Broadway-style music.

“We loved the opportunity,” he said. “This kind of music is music we don’t get a lot of opportunity to perform in our day-to-day jobs, so an opportunity to present some more classically oriented music in a beautiful space like this—we jumped to the challenge when Dr. Randall Sheets asked us.”

Attendee Joseph Pukas said the music was beautiful and that his favorite song was “Ave Maria,” written by Franz Schubert in 1825. He said the song was his favorite because he “grew up with it.”

Pukas explained that the songs “enlighten” the Advent season and it causes him to remember the old times. Dec. 17 is the next advent celebration, featuring organist Alvin Gustin and soprano artist Rebecca Litig. This event is free and open to all on JBM-HH.

• Date Taken: 12.17.2015
• Date Posted: 12.17.2015 17:02
• Story ID: 184833
• Location: JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, US