By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Military marches, music from the movies and a less well-known composition “Sitka By the Sea” will round out the program at tonight’s concert by the 9th Army Band.
The annual performance by the 9th Army (Arctic Warrior) Band from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is one of the highlights of the Alaska Day Festival.
The free concert is 7 p.m. tonight at the Sitka Performing Arts Center.
The band is here for the rest of the week. In addition to the concert tonight, a big band, a breakout small combo and rock band will perform at the Alaska Day Ball Thursday night. The band will march in the Alaska Day Parade Friday and a brass quintet will play in the transfer ceremony atop Castle Hill following the parade.
Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School students take part in a dance-off on the Performing Arts Center stage this afternoon as members of the 9th Army Band play. The band will perform at the PAC again 7 p.m. tonight at a free Alaska Day festival concert. The band will also play at the Alaska Day Ball Thursday and march in the Alaska Day Parade on Friday. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
Other gigs include a performance for elementary school students today at the PAC by the ensemble Groovin’ Grizzlies, workshops with Sitka High band students and a woodwind quintet performance at the Pioneers Home. A 9th Army Band bugler will perform at the Friday morning memorial service at the Sitka National Ceremony.
This year’s theme for Alaska Day is “Frontier First Responders.”
“It’s an element of the fabric of our community,” said Steve Dalquist, a member of the Alaska Day Festival committee. “It’s kind of an amazing element of our community. So many people stop what they’re doing to go help people that have gotten into trouble.”
The emergency responders being recognized are the Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers, Sitka police and fire departments and volunteers, EMTs, doctors and other medical personnel, hospital workers and clinicians.
“It seems like there’s not much time that goes by when someone is called upon to make a rescue,” Dalquist said.
The intent was to honor not only today’s first responders, but to go back through decades, and even centuries. Dalquist said rescuers must have existed not only during the early frontier days, but in the Russian era, and before then when only Native Alaskans lived here.
“People in all cultures living in this environment would have needed to be rescued – people rise to the cause,” he said.
Artwork for the commemorative button and merchandise was created by Norm Campbell, Tina Miller and Steve Dalquist, the committee said.
The 9th Army Band commander and conductor, Chief Warrant Officer Alexander Davis, is making his third and final trip to Sitka as bandleader. He plans to go out on a high note with a program tonight featuring not only standard marches and military music, but music from the movies, including compositions by John Williams and from Disney films.
He said the Sitka audience, as usual, can expect an entertaining and upbeat concert.
“We like to program a variety of tunes that’s going to appeal to everyone,” Davis said. “Some things that will appeal to kids, patriotic numbers, and numbers that are obscure pieces the public may not be familiar with,” Davis said.
One of the tunes, “Sitka By the Sea,” is “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” with original lyrics about Sitka.
Davis, 34, and his three brothers were brought up with music, with Davis picking up piano at age three. He was a junior studying music at college when he decided to audition for the Army band on trombone. He has played in various Army bands for the past 15 years, including three at JBER as conductor. While on active duty he finished his degree in music education from Augusta State University.
Davis said he loves conducting for the chance “to take my interpretation and share it with the band, and the band shares it with an audience. It creates a wonderful musical moment which I hope we will create (tonight).”
His next post is at the Army School of Music in Virginia Beach, where he will teach.
“For me music was always my escape from reality,” he said. “I’ve always been shy and intimidated. It was a way to express myself and be my true self.”
Specialist Christine Killam, 30, is one of the two piccolo players who will star tonight in the John Philip Sousa classic “Stars and Stripes Forever” march, always a band crowd pleaser.
Killam said she had never had her sights set on the Army band, but then the opportunity came up. She had finished her undergraduate and graduate degrees in music and wasn’t sure what to do next. A music school friend contacted her through Facebook suggesting that she audition for the Army band.
“He said, ‘You know, the Army band is a thing,’” Killam said. “I had no idea.”
Originally from South Carolina, she said that after five months in Alaska – and a few hours in Sitka – she never wants to leave.
“I love it here,” she said.
Band members are generally from JBER but a few flew in from Fort Carson, Colorado, and Joint Base Lewis-McCord (Washington) to fill gaps in the concert band.
Staff Sergeant John Dowler, a saxophone player and audio engineer, said the band is “a direct link between the military and civilians,” including when bands are sent overseas.
“We establish relationships with locals,” he said.
The band members have also been trained as soldiers, and must pass physical fitness tests, and other military requirements.
“All of the musicians are soldier musicians,” Davis said. “Even through we are musicians, we are soldiers first.”
Below is a schedule of events through October 19. An asterisk denotes events sponsored by the Alaska Day Committee:
Today
*7 p.m. - 9th Army Band Concert of varied musical styles. Sitka Performing Arts Center. Free admission.
Thursday
2:30 to 5 p.m. – film “Russian Bishop’s Hose: An Icon Reborn. Tours start at 3 p.m.
5:30 p.m. – Sitka Maritime Heritage Society video presentation of Sitkans telling of experiences in 1964 earthquake. Sitka Public Library.
*7 p.m. – Alaska Day Ball seating opens. Dance music by 9th Army Band. Awards for various period costumes and Native regalia. Period dress, regalia or semi-formal. Adults over 21 only.
Centennial Hall.
Friday, October 18
ALASKA DAY
9 a.m. – All Day. Sitka Underground Tours at St. Michael’s Orthodox Cathedral. Enter at cathedral’s “back door.” Tours start on the hour.
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Open House, Russian Bishop’s House. Film “Russian Bishop’s House: An Icon Reborn.” Chapel open 9:30 to 11 a.m.
10 a.m. – Noon. Alaska Longline Fisherman’s Association open house. New location: 304 Baranof St.
11 a.m. – St. Michael’s annual sisterhood luncheon. Fish pie and chowder.
*11 a.m. – Military Memorial Service led by U.S. Army Chaplain. Sitka National Cemetery. Greet members of Seattle Firefighters Pipe Band.
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Pie sale. Sitka Lutheran Church, 224 Lincoln St.
11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Chili cook-off and feed, with fried Oreos. St. Gregory Catholic Church on Lincoln St.
*12:30 p.m. – Line up for parade along Lake Street.
*1:30 p.m. Parade from Swan Lake to Lincoln Street to Totem Square. Immediately following parade:
*Transfer Ceremony 1867 Commemoration on Castle Hill.
*Immediately following Transfer Ceremony: Air-sea rescue demonstration. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station and Coast Guard Auxiliary. Near O’Connell Bridge visitor facility.
2 p.m. – “Mourning Ceremony,” base of Noow Tlein (also known as Castle Hill), by Kik.sadi clan and other clans.
2 p.m. – American Legion Sitka Post 13 finger food brunch, after parade.
2-4 p.m. – Sitka Pioneers Home open house.
2 - 5 p.m. - Brave Heart Volunteers open house and fundraiser. Manager’s House next to Sitka Pioneers Home.
2:30–6:30 p.m. Sitka History Museum Brew Festival at Centennial Hall plaza.
6:30 p.m. Alaska Day auction of donated services, Sitka High School boys basketball team. Pioneer Bar.
Saturday, October 19
6 a.m. – Seattle Firefighters Pipes & Drums Band departs from airport.
10 a.m. - Noon. Open House aboard USCG Cutter Kukui.
10 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Open House & Marine Safety Fair. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka.
*6:30 p.m. – Variety Show of local talent. Centennial Hall.
