The Concert Band of the NMA

 

At our last reunion, Wilbur Smith retired as conductor of the NMA Concert Band and handed the baton to Ray Ascione. This year, Ray took up his duties and led the band through four days of focused, productive rehearsal, culminating in a Friday-night concert that was varied, entertaining and, to be sure, patriotic. As an example of the volunteerism underlying this year's reunion, Ray didn't just lead the band; when our guest conductors, Peter Graves and Frank Mullen, stood at the podium, Ray sat in the saxophone section.

After an evening of marches, Broadway medleys, seafaring favorites, and new arrangements, the concert concluded with Carmen Dragon's arrangement of America, the Beautiful. 

In the absence of a tuba section, trumpeter Don 
Junker held up the low end on the contrabass.

As is noted elsewhere, this small reunion brought out numerous volunteers on secondary instruments. Perhaps it was this spirit, in addition to the quality of the music, that led many in the audience to remark that the 2022 concert was the equal of any in the band's history.