Memorial Day: Guilford Band Performs "Stars & Stripes Forever"

The Guilford Town Band has released a "virtual band"performance of John Philip Sousa's "The Stars and Stripes Forever March" in anticipation of the Memorial Day holiday to honor veterans. The video, which can be found by clicking here, was created by over 70 local musicians, including special guest piccolo soloist, Chief Musician (MUC) Laura Pirruccello from the United States Coast Guard Band.

With Memorial Day services across the country being cancelled due to the Covid-19 virus, the Town Band's members were looking for opportunities to pay tribute to veterans. Since rehearsing as an ensemble for live performance was not an option, a virtual performance was created by combining solo videos that band members recorded from the safety of their own homes.

For some members of the band, this experience was a chance to keep old traditions alive. When asked about his participation in the project, percussionist (and director of the Daniel Hand High School Band) John Gage replied, "Playing The Stars and Stripes Forever at the end of the Concert on the Green each summer is a musical highlight of my year, and I'm honored to be able to take part in this performance and recognize the brave veterans in our shoreline communities." For those musicians used to playing regularly in large ensembles, the project provided a much needed creative outlet. Chuck Lignelli, a member of the Euphonium section and director of the Glastonbury Town Band commented, "Ever since music went silent in March when everything closed, I have been hoping for a chance to perform again. This project was not only able to excite people to play again, but it was meaningful to honor our fallen military personnel on this Memorial Day."

The Guilford Town Band, directed by high school band director Mark Gahm, is a multi-generational group of musicians from our own community, as well as surrounding towns. Several Guilford Public Schools students participated in the project, including GHS Junior Bobby Haig, who was charged with the job of mixing all of the audio for the project. When asked about Haig's work on the video, Gahm commented, "We could never have pulled this off without Bobby. I don't know many high school students, or professionals for that matter, who have the musical sense and technical skill to complete a project of this complexity."

As exciting and novel as this has been for band members, all are looking forward to a day when they can once again take part in a live performance. In the words of Jen Sydney, a flautist in the band, "Music-making is, at its core, a community-building experience - something we all need even more under these unusual circumstances. Participating in this project has been an opportunity to build our community, and to thank those who have made tremendous sacrifices to keep everyone safe now and in the past."