All-American Tuba Player Takes His Music Training to the Virginia National Guard
In January 2011, Matthew Knopp played sousaphone in the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band in San Antonio, Texas. The halftime show of the All-American Bowl featured 110 of the finest marching musicians in the United States.
He is now in the middle of nine weeks of Army Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. After that Knopp will head to the US Army School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia, for nine more weeks of training before he heads for college. The soldier musician will play with the 29th Infantry Virginia Army National Guard Band.
Knopp graduated from E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia, in June, 2011. His music teacher was Larry Seipp, director of bands. Knopp also played with the Lynchburg Symphony Youth Orchestra and the James Madison Youth Honors Brass Band.
His parents Brian and Heather Knopp launched a Facebook page where Matt will post updates on his training.“We are so proud that Matt is able to continue to be part of the great U.S. Army Band tradition,” Brian Knopp said.
USAAAMB 2011 Member Profiles
—Roz Fehr, August 5, 2011. © MENC: The National Association for Music Education