The room filled with the sounds of triumphant trumpets, peppy wind instruments, and a steady drum beat playing the Armed Forces Salutes as the crowd clapped along merrily for the standing veterans in the crowd. On Nov. 9, the band department hosted a concert in Meyer Hall for what they hope will become an annual tradition in honor of our veterans. Conducted by band dean Evan Rogovin, a sense of American pride kept the crowd engaged and cheerful.

“I think [the concert] was really great. I’m satisfied with the turnout,” band senior Mark Ligonde said. “It means a lot to me and the band overall because it’s a way of recognizing what veterans have done and continue to do for [our country], the least we can do is play music for them.”

The band department has been hard at work for the last few months. With events like The Addams Family, All-State, and Prism, it has been a busy year. Despite their tight time constraint, band students and Mr. Rogovin harnessed their energies to perform a patriotic and inspirational collection of songs.

“This concert was a little different than others because the band had a much shorter time to prepare,” band senior Evan Leahy said. “We had about a month to put together and execute seven songs excluding the five salutes performed at the end.”

The band played an array of songs to capture the significance of American history. Music that portrayed America at it’s times of weakness to it’s days of triumph reminded the audience of what really makes our nation great . From “A Celebration of Taps” to “America the Beautiful,” the ensembles captured the patriotic spirit America has kept alive during it’s long and tumultuous history. The percussion played a huge role in setting this tone.

“My favorite song we performed was ‘E Pluribus Unum.’ I really enjoyed learning and performing it because it’s a march I’ve never played before,” band sophomore Aidan Dixon said.  “Playing all these marches has been an interesting experience for me because there’s a piece of American history behind every song.”

The concert was a chance for the band to showcase their creativity and openness to other instruments. Some key moments included a section in which the percussion students sat on the floor with hand held drums performing a piece that required the trading, tossing, and spinning of their instruments. The band also welcomed a cello for their first time, and used a harp to set the tone for “America the Beautiful.”

“ I think the incorporation of strings in a band performance is innovative and interesting,” band sophomore Taylor Stone said. “[String instruments] bring contrast and a cool effect to the overall sound really giving [the performance] more dimension.”

The highlight of the evening occurred at the concert’s conclusion, when Mr. Rogovin encouraged the veterans in the crowd to stand as they heard their salute. Cheering and clapping filled the auditorium for the proud veterans. Ultimately, the event was a unique way to recognize the importance of men and women who dedicate their lives to keeping America safe; therefore, Mr. Rogovin plans to continue putting this honorary concert together for years to come.

“The overall reaction from the crowd was really good. I saw a lot of smiling and some tears,” Goldstein said. “One of my favorite things about music is the fact that we can invoke an emotion. To see and feel the energy of the crowd is very rewarding.”