April 8, 2013. Five members of the Watauga Community Band recently participated in a Community Band at Sea tour coordinated by World Music Tours. The tour brought together more than 55 musicians from around the country on a one-week cruise to the Western Caribbean. The instrumentalists from the Watauga Band were Jim Hamby (clarinet), Linda Jackson (trumpet), Bonnie Gordon (tuba), Ken Sheldon (tuba), and Neil Wilson (trombone). After several onboard practices, the band presented a concert for over 250 fellow passengers.
Colonel Arnald D. Gabriel, USAF (Ret.), directed the band. Gabriel served as Commander/Conductor of the internationally renowned U.S. Air Force Band, Symphony Orchestra, and Singing Sergeants from 1964 to 1985. In 1990, he was named the first Conductor Emeritus of the USAF Band. In addition, he taught at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia where he conducted the GMU Symphony Orchestra and served as chairman of the music department for eight years.
World Music Tours promotes such events to encourage school music programs and to provide community band members the opportunity to work with other musicians and internationally know conductors.
The Watauga Community Band under the direction of Bill Winkler invites local musicians to join. Rehearsals are Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. at the ASU Hayes School of Music. You are invited to the band’s Spring concert to be held on Sunday, May 5 at 3:00 p.m. in the Rosen Concert Hall in the ASU Hayes School of Music.
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