Air Force band to perform concert Friday at Bedell Performance Hall

The U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America will take the stage for a patriotic concert Friday at the Bedell Performance Hall on the River Campus at Southeast Missouri State University.

The band's free performance is geared toward Veterans Day on Nov. 11 and features songs like "America the Beautiful" as well as more contemporary selections like "Suite of Old American Dances" and a tribute to Tom Jones.

"The finale to our show is 'A Salute to the Armed Services,' a song which features all branches of the armed services," said Staff Sgt. Dwight Wiest, saxophonist for the band. "We are proud to share the concert hall with veterans from all branches of service, and think this concert is a fitting tribute to honor those who served and are serving our country."

The U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America is the flagship ensemble of the Air Force, and tours from the upper peninsula of Michigan down through the Midwest into Arkansas and Oklahoma.

"We are on the road on average a week to 10 days every month," Wiest said. "We also have a jazz ensemble, brass and woodwind quintets and even a rock band that tours as well for the different missions we have."

Their missions aren't limited to touring the Midwest and doing community relations concerts like Cape Girardeau will see next week. "We also deploy for morale missions for the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. As we are a military unit, we can go to some areas that other groups cannot, which really gives the troops a taste of home they might not otherwise get," Wiest said.

In addition to their road duties, the men and women of the band have duties at home. They perform for ceremonies and official events on base, as well.

"We look at our job as being representatives of the excellence of today's Air Force," Wiest said. "You must audition for this job, and auditions are tough, likened to a professional symphony orchestra. Most of our performers have college degrees in music before entering the Air Force, some have masters and we even have a member with his doctorate.

"In addition to the stringent requirements for the musicianship, members must also pass the Air Force's rigorous physical standards. We are proud to have this opportunity to serve our country and do what we love," he said.

Though tickets are no longer available for the concert, Wiest encouraged everyone to come out. "At 7:15 we will be opening the doors, and if there are seats still available, you can come in and fill those empty chairs."

For more information on the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America, visit www.bandofmidamerica.af.mil/.