Manassas native starts viral Holiday Flash Mob

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
Courtesy Story

Date: 12.09.2013
Posted: 12.09.2013 15:10
News ID: 117944
The Air Force Band's first-ever flash mob

WASHINGTON - Starting with a cellist, Technical Sgt. Edward Prevost who is a native of Manassas, Va., and swelling to 120 musicians, The U.S. Air Force Band exhilarated National Air and Space Museum visitors last Tuesday with the first flash mob to be produced by one of the five military branches’ top bands. The five-minute performance featured an original arrangement of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring/Joy to the World” led by the Band’s commander and conductor, Col. Larry H. Lang. Unsuspecting museum visitors were astonished as instrumentalists streamed into the gallery from behind airplanes and space capsules, and vocalists burst into song from the museum’s second floor balcony.

The flash mob was the brain child of the Band’s producer, Chief Master Sgt. Jebodiah Eaton. “I wanted to produce the flash mob at a recognizable location in Washington, D.C. When the National Air and Space Museum agreed to partner with us, we knew it would be the perfect setting to kick off our holiday concert series,” Eaton said. Dozens of Band members with assistance from the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard worked behind the scenes to pull off this amazing endeavor. Fueled by innovation, this “viral video,” which so far has viewed by more than 1 million people worldwide, represents the Air Force’s continued commitment to excellence in air, space and cyberspace.

This event kicked off the Band’s “Spirit of the Season” holiday performances—29 concerts in all—at various venues throughout the Washington, D.C. area including the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the National Museum of American History, THEARC, local high schools and more! For a complete listing, please visit www.usafband.af.mil.

Prevost’s bio and photo: http://www.usafband.af.mil/ensembles/BandBio.asp?BandBioID=1717