2012 All-American Band Members Perform a Jazz-Inspired Halftime Show in San Antonio
On January 7, the 2012 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band (USAAMB) performed “Rhapsody in Red, White and Blue” during the All-American Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is the premier high school football game in the nation and features America’s top high school senior football players and 125 senior marching musicians.
2012 band members rehearse in the Alamodome prior to the bowl performance on January 7.
Marching band members rehearsed the week of January 2 under the guidance of T. André Feagin, assistant professor of music, associate director of bands and director of athletic bands at the University of Texas at El Paso, as well other elite marching instructors.
USAAAMB Instructional Staff following the halftime performance (from left to right): Albert Nguyen, T. Andre Feagin, Nick Williams. Nicholas Holland. Duane Hill, Jeremy Spicer, Dave Hall, Daniel Montoya, Ian Hale. Jennifer Leseth, Andrea Brown, Scott Jones, and Matt Power.
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is the official selection partner of the USAAAMB and partners with title sponsor, the U.S. Army, along with Drum Corps International and All-American Games for the annual event.
The 125 marching members of the band were awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to San Antonio to participate in the event based on an intense application and audition process.
Nancy Ditmer, 2010-12 NAfME president-elect, talks with band members, including 2012 Drum Major Michael Thompson, foreground, far right.
For 2013, USAAAMB nominations will be accepted until January 31, though students do not have to be nominated to submit audition materials beginning in February.
For clips from the 2012 halftime show
Photos by CSM Loran McClung, US Army Field Band, and Jane Balek, NAfME
--Roz Fehr, January 12, 2011, © National Association for Music Education (nafme.org)