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Sounds
from the Hudson Volume 15, Issue 2 LTC Timothy J. Holtan -
Commander Photojournalists: Contributing
Photographers: NEW
FEATURE 190 Years of Outdoor Summer Concerts “Music Under the Stars” 2007 Guest Artists The Hellcats Celebrate July 4th at the Blossom Music Festival USMA Band recording is “out of this world!” 190 Years of Outdoor Summer Concerts Documented as early as 1817, crowded ships from New York to Poughkeepsie would drop anchor at West Point to give their passengers an opportunity to listen to Richard Willis and his famous West Point Band. Mr. Willis was the first Teacher of Music at West Point and he established patriotic summer concerts as outdoor musical traditions at Trophy Point and the ruins of Fort Putnam. He even organized boat/barge concerts on the Hudson. The Academy Band has performed outdoor summer concerts for the length of its 190-year designation. You can witness this wonderful tradition starting on June 10th at West Point’s scenic Trophy Point Amphitheatre (see schedule on page 3). Concerts are free and open to the public and performed every weekend through Labor Day. Listeners enjoy light classics, opera overtures, John Philip Sousa marches, Broadway hits and movie soundtracks of the Concert Band as well as the Big Band standards and new popular works performed by the Jazz Knights. Bring a picnic and enjoy the live music at a beautiful, historic venue.
“Music Under the Stars” 2007 Guest Artists This summer’s guest artists range from the massive 200-piece Cadet Alumni Choir to world class jazz artists, the American Belles and popular Broadway giant George Dvorsky.
The Hellcats Celebrate July 4th
On July 3rd and 4th, the Hellcats will be performing at the Blossom Music Festival, the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra. The Hellcats will present their entertaining show, comprising many patriotic and West Point selections.
In 1997, CW3 Morse was selected for training as a warrant officer bandmaster, and attended Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Upon graduation, he was recognized on the Commandant's List for academic excellence. He went on to the Army Warrant Officer Bandmaster course at the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia, and graduated in June of 1998. Prior to his assignment to West Point, CW3 Morse’s duties included staff officer with the Directorate of Training and Doctrine, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division Band and command staff of the 1st Armored Division Band. In July of 2005, he assumed duties as commander of the 282nd Army Band, Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. CW3 Morse arrived at the U.S. Military Academy Band in May of 2007 to assume the duties as Associate Bandmaster. In response to his new position, CW3 Morse stated, “My family and I are ecstatic about our assignment to West Point and the USMA Band. It is a great opportunity for me to be associated with such fine musicians and to be a part of the rich history and tradition of the USMA Band and of the Academy.”
Sergeant Major Christensen joined the Military Academy Band in 1988 as a repair technician. He has held many additional duties including Reception Day NCOIC for Thayer Hall in-processing and Egner Hall Facilities Manager. In 2005, he became the Support Staff group leader and was assigned the additional duty position of Logistics & Resource Management Division Sergeant Major in 2006. Sergeant Major Christensen's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Army Achievement Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters.
USMA Band recording is “out of this world!” On April 17th, Astronaut Jeff Williams returned a Hellcats CD which flew with him during his six-month stay at the International Space Station. Col. Williams, a USMA Class of 1980 graduate, also graciously gave the band a lecture about his space travels. The event was a culmination of a relationship between the USMA Band and NASA that began at the 2005 Army vs. Navy game, where bandsmen Sgt. 1st Class Deric Milligan and Staff Sgt. Eric Miller devised a halftime show that honored West Point astronauts.
In addition to the Hellcat CD, the plaque presented by Col. Williams includes authentication and various photos from his mission.
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Chris Vadala
(July 29th) is one of the country’s foremost woodwind artists, and Director
of Jazz Studies and Saxophone at the University of Maryland. Mr.
Vadala's performing career has been highlighted by a long tenure as
standout woodwind artist with the internationally recognized Chuck
Mangione Quartet.
Lynn Seaton
(August 5th) has had a stellar career as a jazz bassist
performing with such notables as Woody Herman and the Count Basie
Orchestra. He teaches at the University of North Texas and is on over
100 recordings, including the Grammy winning Diane Schuur and the Count
Basie Orchestra compact disc.
Steve Wiest
(August 26th) is in great demand as a
featured trombone soloist, composer/arranger and clinician. He has
performed with Maynard Ferguson’s Band and the Doc Severinsen Big Band.
Steve is now teaching jazz composition and jazz trombone at The
University of North Texas.
George Dvorsky
(September 1st) frequents the stages of
Broadway, Chautauqua and The Covent Garden in London. His studio
recordings include Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, Broadway Showstoppers,
Brigadoon and The Jerome Kern Treasury. 
Chief Warrant Officer Douglas Hammond
joined the staff of the U.S. Military Academy Band in May of 2004 as
Associate Bandmaster and director of the Jazz Knights. Prior to
enlisting in the Army, he attended the University of Miami, Coral
Gables, Florida, majoring in music theory and composition with an
emphasis on conducting. CW4 Hammond has served in the Army Band program
for over 30 years, first as a tuba player, pianist and arranger before
being accepted into the Warrant Officer program in 1992. He was most
recently commander of the 113th Army Band at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Also
known as “The Dragoons,” this band has a rich history as the 2nd oldest
U.S. Army Band. He has also commanded the 82nd Airborne Division Band at
Fort Bragg and the 10th Mountain Division Band at Fort Drum. CW4
Hammond’s last concert will be the “Hello and Goodbye” concert presented
by the Jazz Knights on June 17th, 7:30 p.m. at the Trophy Point
Amphitheatre. CW4 Hammond will continue his service as a faculty member
at the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia. 
Sergeant Major Rick Gerard from Los
Gatos, California joined the U.S. Military Academy Band in 1973 as a
tuba player. He left the band in 1976 to pursue a Bachelor of Music from
San Jose State University and to perform as principal tuba with the San
Jose Symphony. He returned to West Point in 1981 as a member of the
Concert Band and also performed in several chamber music ensembles.
Sergeant Major Gerard has served as the band’s primary announcer since
1981. He was appointed to the position of Band Sergeant Major in
September of 2002. He will retire after 29½ years of service. After
retirement, Sergeant Major Gerard plans to enjoy some time off with his
wife and family while he works towards a new career in the voice-over
business. 
Master Sergeant Gregory Alley, trumpet,
will retire from the USMA band after 23 years of service. Prior to
arriving at the band, Greg earned degrees from Cornerstone University
and Michigan State University. One of the highlights of his career was
performing as a founding member of the Regimental Brass Quintet, an
activity which provided him the opportunity to tour the country as well
as travel to Norway to perform. Greg's fondest memories of the band
include interacting with the distinguished alumni of the band at the
annual alumni concert. In addition to his professional accomplishments,
Greg is proud to have raised his four daughters in the West Point
community with his wife, Deb. The Alley family will be relocating to
Hudsonville, Michigan, where Greg will be an adjunct music professor and
private trumpet instructor. 
Chief Warrant Officer Matthew C. Morse
was born in Phoenix, Arizona in December 1967. After moving around the
country, his family settled in Bloomington, Minnesota, where he
graduated high school in 1986. That same year, he enlisted in the United
States Army, and went on to serve with the 4th Infantry Division Band,
Fort Carson, Colorado until 1990 and then with the 296th Army Band, Camp
Zama, Japan. In 1993, CW3 Morse returned to Fort Carson, Colorado, and
the 4th Infantry Division Band. After the band's inactivation in 1996,
he rejoined the 296th Army Band in Japan. During his tours in Colorado
and Japan, CW3 Morse served as euphonium player, trombone player,
percussionist, bass guitarist, flutist, drum major, vocalist, sound
reinforcement/recording technician, Operations Noncommissioned Officer
and Administrative Noncommissioned Officer. 
Sergeant Major Cal Christensen was
appointed to the position of Band Sergeant Major in June of 2007.
Originally from Browns Valley, Minnesota, he attended the band
instrument repair course at Red Wing Vocational Institute in Red Wing,
Minnesota in 1979. At the conclusion of his training in 1980, he was
employed by Cassinat's Music in Riverton, Wyoming as their repair
technician. 
Staff Sergeant Eric Ordway, trombone,
grew up in Northeast Harbor, Maine and joined the Jazz Knights in the
Spring of 2007. After graduation from high school, he enlisted and
reported to the Navy Band in New Orleans. Awarded the Stan Kenton
Scholarship to attend the University of North Texas, Staff Sgt. Ordway
left the Navy to pursue a jazz studies degree. While in Texas, he began
to freelance throughout the Dallas area performing with such groups as
the Dallas Jazz Orchestra. He rejoined the Navy Band Northwest, where he
was the leader of the Dixieland Band and Musical Director of "Cascade
Big Band.” Staff Sgt. Ordway has also been a two-time finalist in the
Eastern Trombone Jazz Competition. 
Staff Sergeant Dan Pierce, trombone, a
native of Slingerlands, New York and Pepper Pike, Ohio, joined the Jazz
Knights in Fall of 2006. He earned a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman
School of Music and a Master of Music from DePaul University. As a
four-year member of the Eastman Jazz Ensemble, he had the privilege to
perform with guest artists including Maria Schneider, Bobby McFerrin,
Vince Mendoza, Toots Thielmans, Tim Hagans, Bill Holman and Clare
Fischer. Staff Sgt. Pierce has studied with Paul Ferguson, John
Marcellus, Mark Kellogg, Mark Fisher and Charles Vernon. His performing
credits include the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony
Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Pops Series with Doc Severinsen, Cleveland
Jazz Orchestra, Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Dave Rivello
Ensemble, Bob Perna and Persistance, and Cunard Cruise Lines.
Staff Sergeant Jeff Prosperie,
percussion, joined the Hellcats in December of 2006. Before coming to
West Point, Staff Sgt. Prosperie served as director of percussion
studies at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette where he taught
lessons, percussion ensemble and drum-line. He received his Bachelor's
in Music Education from Louisiana State University, Master of Music from
the University of North Texas, and has completed all course work for the
Doctor of Music Arts from the University of North Texas. In addition to
performing with the Baton Rouge Symphony, Acadiana Symphony, Natchez
Opera, Los Colinas Symphony and the Dallas Symphony. Staff Sgt.
Prosperie is a former World Snare Drum Champion having won the Drum
Corps International, Percussive Arts Society International and Drum
Corps Mid-West Individual solo competitions. Staff Sgt. Prosperie is a
former percussion arranger and caption head for the DCI World Champion
Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps and currently serves as a
championship level adjudicator for DCI and the Percussive Arts Society.
Staff Sgt. Prosperie's DVD/book Aptitude: A Conversation in Snare
Soloing received the rare highest ranking of perfect "10" from Modern
Drummer magazine. 
