Photo By Michael Strasser | Members of the 10th Mountain Division Band rehearse Nov. 21 in the band center for the...... read more read more
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Nov. 24, 2025) -- The 10th Mountain Division Band is tuning up to deliver some festive music and seasonal cheer to the community during their free holiday concert series in December.
The band will present “A North Country Carol” at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 inside Fort Drum’s Multipurpose Auditorium; 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Indian River High School; and 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Clayton Opera House.
Warrant Officer 1 Henry Soriano, band commander, said the concert series is an annual tradition that combines holiday spirit with community spirit.
“It is both an honor and a privilege that we can do this and share the talents that this band has with the community,” he said. “Since we started the holiday concert series in 2018, it has been gaining traction – to the point where all the tickets for the Clayton show are gone within hours.”
This is the first time that the band will perform the holiday concert on post for the military families.
“To be able to serve the folks who serve us, by giving them a joyful and hopeful celebration for the upcoming holidays, is the biggest reward for us,” Soriano said.
Throughout the year, the band conducts hundreds of performances at military and community functions, typically in smaller groups like a brass or woodwind quintet, jazz combo, rock band or the barbershop quartet.
The holiday concert is an opportunity for the entire 10th Mountain Division to assemble as a unit to plan, practice and produce a full stage performance.
“Not every member will be on the stage to play, but everyone plays a part in some way getting the production together with all the logistics involved,” Soriano said. “We’re leveraging the talents and abilities everyone has. The amount of work that goes into this is incredible.”
“In terms of production, it’s not something we get to do but once or twice a year,” said First Sgt. Andrew Smicker, 10th Mountain Division Band first sergeant. “There are stage movements for the various scenes throughout the concert, there are lighting cues, audio cues and all these different things community members typically won’t see us do in a regular ceremony or parade.”
Smicker described the concert as a musical journey leading up to the holiday, through Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and into New Year’s Day. Band members started rehearsals in late October, but concert planning began much earlier.
“We started brainstorming in the summer,” Smicker said. “We were listening to holiday music when it was still 90-degrees outside.”
The band conducted its first full run-through of the music on Nov. 21.
“It’s been going great. We have a lot of fun music, so it doesn’t feel like we’re at work,” said Staff Sgt. Katherine Bolcar, vocalist. “We are learning together and growing together.”
Bolcar said it is hard to pick out a personal favorite from the concert setlist. She said they have an interesting take on “Jingle Bells” and she has enjoyed singing “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
“We’re also doing a reggae version of ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and a rock version of Chuck Berry’s ‘Run Run Rudolph,’” Bolcar said. “There are a lot of cool things in store – something for everybody!”
Spc. William Ely plays trumpet with the brass quintet, and he sings with the award-winning barbershop quartet – in all, performing in nearly 100 events this year. But when he joined the band last December he was too late for the holiday shows.
“I got here right after they started the performances, but the one I attended was great,” he said. “Now I’m just excited for the chance to perform and interact with community.”
“We’re playing a lot of great music,” Ely continued. “I would have to say, with over an hour worth to choose from, my favorite is ‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.’ It’s a little different, it’s a lot of fun, and I think people are going to like it.”
For tickets to the Clayton Opera House concert, visit www.claytonoperahouse.com. Seating for the other two venues is on a first-come, first-served basis.
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2025 14:06 |
| Story ID: | 552249 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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