U.S. Army Field Band & Soldier’s Chorus to appear in Lawton Oct. 28

The Musical Ambassadors of the Army will appear in Lawton Oct. 28 for a free concert.

America the Beautiful, by the United States Army Field Band & Soldier’s Chorus, will open at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 at McMahon Memorial Auditorium, 801 NW Ferris. The concert, which is free and open to the public, is being sponsored by the Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra and McMahon Auditorium Authority.

Philharmonic Orchestra Executive Director Patty Neuwirth said the idea is presenting the musical tones of U.S. Army soldiers to a Lawton audience.

The Concert Band & Soldiers’ Chorus are the oldest and largest of The U.S. Army Field Band’s performing components, according to the Army. Founded in 1946 and 1957 respectively, the ensembles combine to present joint concerts on their national tours. Members have performed in all 50 states and 30 foreign countries for audiences totaling hundreds of millions, officials said.

The 60-member Concert Band and 29-member Soldiers’ Chorus perform regularly in some of the most famous concert halls in the world, as well as in the humblest auditoriums in the smallest communities.

The joining of these two ensembles allows them to offer versatile programming, from orchestral masterworks and operatic arias to Sousa marches, jazz classics, and Broadway musicals. The band and chorus also perform independently, recently sharing the stage with such ensembles as the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to their national tours, formal concerts, chamber recitals, and educational outreach, band and chorus members frequently represent the Army at formal and ceremonial functions, including the Presidential Inaugural Parade, presidential funerals, the Army All-American Bowl and diplomatic efforts overseas.