Fort Lee band rocks high school in local community

Photo By Lesley Atkinson | A Hopewell High School student dances on the stage while the 392nd Army Band performs at a Music in Our Schools event March 17.  

UNITED STATES

03.23.2017

Story by Lesley Atkinson 

Fort Gregg-Adams

FORT LEE, Va. (March 23, 2017) -- Six musicians from the 392nd Army Band performed a live concert in the Hopewell High School auditorium Friday as part of the annual outreach program “Music in Our Schools.”

The Fort Lee band members will perform at 22 local schools and for more than 7,000 children during the program’s two-month run through March and April.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Pick, band commander, said performing in the schools is important to the Soldiers of the 392nd.

“It is not required that we participate in the schools, but it is such a useful vehicle for reaching out to young audiences on so many levels,” said Pick. “We are often the only connection or interaction students have with the military. We have the opportunity to educate our audiences about different types and styles of music and different types of musical instruments. We also can inspire students to consider a career in the military or even a career in music further on down the road.”

First Sgt. Gary Yurgans, the 392nd’s enlisted band leader, said he has an all-star team here and they all have a lot of experience. Due to the demands for the band, they are stretched thin but still try to make the program happen.

“We are short in numbers and one deep in instruments because of the deactivation in 2016,” Yurgans said. “Most of the band members had already transferred. Now, we are reactivated but still low in numbers, so we have to reach out for help at times.”

Currently, the band has only one sound engineer capable of providing sound reinforcement for the rock band. The day of the Hopewell concert, the 392nd’s sound technician was on another assignment with the brass quintet. Due to this conflict, the band reached out to their community and brought two audio engineer instructors from the Army School of Music in Virginia Beach to help with setting up and providing sound reinforcement for the hour long performance.

Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie Doehr, lead vocalist for the band, said setting up for each venue is unique and can take some time because acoustics may differ. It took them longer on this mission to get the right sound check due to working with someone new and in an unfamiliar space.

The band pulled off the concert without a hitch performing songs from artists Bruno Mars to White Stripes. Overall, the band is making an impression on the community. Pick said the reviews for the Fort Lee musicians are usually very favorable.

“Typically, we get 2-4 very positive and appreciative comments a month,” Pick said. “We have a unique avenue for connecting with our audience through music. People thank us for our service and being able to perform for them in their town or school.”

• Date Taken: 03.23.2017
• Date Posted: 03.23.2017 08:56
• Story ID: 227816
• Location: US