The Sounds of America in Budapest

Tuesday evening the US Army Europe Band and Chorus gave a superb concert before a Hungarian audience in the theatre hall of Stefánia Palace – Honvéd Cultural Centre. The 50-member ensemble commanded by Lt.-Col. Bruce R. Pulver had a rich repertoire for the big concert organized by the US Embassy.

The band opened the concert with John Williams’ emblematic Liberty Fanfare, a piece commissioned to celebrate the centennial of the Statue of Liberty. The American bandsmen covered a wide spectrum of music during the close to two-hour performance. They played marches, classic melodies and Rhapsody in Blue, the most popular piece by the American composer George Gershwin, which is perhaps the most impressive combination of jazz and classical music.

The USAREUR band is the largest military orchestra outside the United States. Stationed in Sembach, Germany, the army bandsmen go on tours twice a year, in winter and spring, with hundreds of appearances worldwide. They have already toured several countries in Europe and the Middle East. It is not easy to join the band, most members of which studied music in prestigious conservatories and universities before going into the army.

Photo: Tünde Rácz