FARGO, N.D. - The North Dakota Army National Guard's 188th Army Band will play a series of free concerts around the state during its two-week annual training, which begins next week. The concerts celebrate the band's 125th anniversary and will incorporate a piece commissioned specifically for the band.
Titled "Salute," the commissioned piece comes from North Dakota native Jocelyn Hagen, who composed it as a dedication "to all the Soldier musicians, past and present, whose service greatly contributed to the 188th's heritage and legacy of 'Pride in Performance,'" said Warrant Officer David J. Stordalen, 188th Army Band commander and conductor.
Upcoming concerts include:
* 7 p.m. July 30 at Elmwood Park in West Fargo, in conjunction with a West Fargo Park District ice cream social, the 42-piece Concert Band ensemble will perform classic and contemporary wind and vocal literature pieces, patriotic selections and other easily recognizable tunes
* 1 p.m. Aug. 4 at the Town Square Farmers Market, on Third Street and Demers Avenue in Grand Forks, for Military Appreciation Day, the 188th Army Band's 42-piece Concert Band will again perform classic and contemporary wind and vocal literature pieces, patriotic selections and other easily recognizable tunes
* 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at Scandinavian Heritage Park, 1020 S. Broadway in
Minot, as part of the Council of the Arts' Arts in the Park series, the 188th Army Band's 42-piece Concert Band will again perform classic and contemporary wind and vocal literature pieces, patriotic selections and other easily recognizable tunes
* 7 p.m. Aug. 6 at Virgil Syverson Harmon Park Performance Center on Main Avenue and 11th Street West in Williston, the 188th Army Band's 42-piece Concert Band will again perform classic and contemporary wind and vocal literature pieces, patriotic selections and other easily recognizable tunes
* Noon Aug. 7 the Ceremonial Band will play at the Adjutant General's
Courtyard at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck; military ID required for entrance to Fraine Barracks
* Noon - 1 p.m. Aug. 7 at the 7th annual Farmers Market on the south
side of the State Capitol, Bismarck, the 188th Army Band's Jazz Combo will play a variety of jazz selections
* 7 p.m. Aug. 7 at Custer Park, 321 W. Thayer Ave., Bismarck, the 188th Army Band's Jazz and Stage bands will provide jazz and dance selections, and the 42-piece Concert Band ensemble will entertain the audience with classic and contemporary wind and vocal literature pieces, patriotic selections and other easily recognizable tunes
* 7 p.m. Aug. 8 at the North Dakota Veterans Home, Lisbon, the 188th Army Band's 42-piece Concert Band will again perform classic and contemporary wind and vocal literature pieces, patriotic selections and other easily recognizable tunes
* 7 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Chahinkapa Zoo band shelter, Second Street and Seventh Avenue North, Wahpeton, the 188th Army Band's 42-piece Concert Band will again perform classic and contemporary wind and vocal literature pieces, patriotic selections and other easily recognizable tunes
* Noon Aug. 10 in downtown Fargo as part of the outdoor Brown Bag Concert Series at the U.S. Bank Plaza, the 188th Army Band's two rock and country ensembles, Three Time Rule and Blues in Green, will perform. Food vendors also will be on site.
In addition to the public concerts, band members will serve as North Dakota State University's resident band during the school's Symposium on Music Education from Aug. 1-3.
Stordalen, of Saint James, Minn., commands and conducts the 188th Army Band, while Sgt. 1st Class Donald Nagle, of Grand Forks, N.D., serves as the senior enlisted conductor.
The official mission of the 188th Army Band is to provide music throughout the full spectrum of military operations and to instill in Soldiers the will to fight and win, to foster the support of citizens, to promote national interests at home and abroad, and to entertain audiences. In successful completion and ongoing fulfillment of that mission, the band has continued to provide music to the citizens and soldiers of North Dakota for 125 years.
The band was organized in 1887 in Valley City, Dakota Territory. The First North Dakota Infantry Band was ordered to active duty in 1916 to support General "Blackjack" Pershing during the Mexican Border War and then to France in support of World War I.
Following the war, the band was reorganized as the 164th Infantry Band. The band served in the Pacific during World War II with the rest of the North Dakota Army National Guard. After its return, the band was reorganized, this time as the 294th Army Band. The band again reorganized in 1959 as the 188th Army Band, and moved to Fargo.
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Since the 2001 terrorist attacks on America, the North Dakota National Guard has mobilized nearly 3,900 Soldiers and more than 1,800 Airmen in support of the Global War on Terrorism. About 70 percent of all members serving today have joined since that time. Currently, more than 300 North Dakota Guardsmen are serving overseas while about 4,000 remain in the state for emergency response and national defense. For every 10,000 citizens in North Dakota, 65 serve in the North Dakota National Guard, a rate that's more than four times the national average.
| Date Taken: | 07.25.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.25.2012 14:44 |
| Story ID: | 92141 |
| Location: | FARGO, ND, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
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