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A marine band member
Beaumont ISD students at the United campus enjoyed the sounds of the Marine Force Reserve Band’s Rock and Brass Ensembles during a stop at the Jackson Center on April 1.
The 19-member band played an 80-minute concert in full regalia with trumpets, saxophones, tuba, drums, synthesizers, guitars, tambourines and more. The song list included a selection of current pop hits, rhythm and blues, country and New Orleans-style jazz.
“Students were very engaged, especially with the current pop songs that they performed. They were using their cell phones as flashlights,” said BU journalism teacher Melinda Alvarado. “It was a great success! Students were clearly enjoying themselves as the band rocked the house.”
Additionally, band students were able to benefit from one-on-one instruction after the show, with some master-class experiences with the uniformed experts. BU Band Director Robert Underhill said about 25 students were available to take advantage of the opportunity.
The band was invited to play at BU by Veterans of Foreign Wars & Auxiliary (VFW/VFWA) member and BU social studies teacher Joseph Akers as part of a four-stop tour in Beaumont, with other performances at Tyrrell Park for Freedom Fest and the VFW Hall in Liberty that he helped arrange.
“As a teacher, it was good to see my students engage and be appreciative while they enjoyed the concert,” said Akers. “It was refreshing for both students and us teachers alike to be able to relax for at least 45 minutes from our routines and listen to good music while in the good company of men and women who are not only keepers of our freedom, but also passionate about music, and have a love for performing where their music is, in turn, appreciated.”
Gunnery Sergeant Ken Ebo, Musician Director/Recruiter for the Eighth Marine District, had previously visited Akers’ classroom in January to talk about the cultural ties and transitions music has evolved from the end of WWII into the late 1960s. His talk focused on social changes over time, using music as the medium to convey his presentation points.
“Coming from a military family, being active with the VFWA, as well as being raised as a child in the Marine Corps home, the band coming to BU was deeply moving to me since I was raised around the Marines,” said Akers. “I admit that it was truly an honor to be able to bring this group of young men and women of the Marine Corps to our campus.
“Surprisingly, the Marines of the band are not much older than our students here at BU and, therefore, they were able to make that generation connection and hopefully help to inspire our students for an even brighter future.”