thedrifter
02-02-07, 08:31 AM
Band of Marines off to Miami SUPER BOWL XLI >> Quantico musicians part of pre-game festivities
February 2, 2007 12:50 am
Members of the Quantico Marine Corps Band practice a re-enactment of the flag raising at Iwo Jima, which they will include as part of the band's appearance at the Super Bowl in Miami on Sunday.
Click for larger photo and to order reprints
Quantico Marine Corps Band trombonists (from left) Sgt. Ken Ebo, Cpl. Franklin Smith and Sgt. Tim Cutler practice prior to joining the rest of the ensemble for practice for a Super Bowl performance in Miami this Sunday.
Click for larger photo and to order reprints
BY LUCIA ANDERSON
Gunnery Sgt. Robert Kielar is excited about being at Super Bowl XLI, even though he'll have to watch it on TV.
Kielar, who lives in Spotsylvania County's Falcon Ridge subdivision, is an assistant conductor and trombone player in the Quantico Marine Corps Band. He and his fellow musicians have been invited to entertain during the Super Bowl Kick Off Show.
Performing before 70,000 spectators in South Florida's Dolphin Stadium--and possibly another 150 million TV viewers--has a certain cachet.
It's possible that the TV audience will see a commercial or sportscaster commentating instead of the Marine band, but there will still be thousands watching in the stands.
"From a numbers standpoint, it's humongous, and it's a part of our culture," Kielar said.
But the gig doesn't include complimentary seats for the game. Kielar noted that the NFL has set aside 50 seats for Marine Corps veterans of recent battles in Iraq, but none for the band.
Band members will have four minutes on the field, sandwiched between the Cirque du Soleil and Billy Joel singing the national anthem.
They will play a medley of service songs, honoring the Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force, then close with "Apotheosis," an arrangement of The Marines' Hymn by Sammy Nestico. That piece ends with band members, dressed in period uniforms, creating a tableau of the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Szabo said the World War II uniforms are the exact ones worn by the Iwo Jima flag-raisers in the movie "Flags of Our Fathers." Szabo, who lives in Spotsylvania's Willow Oak subdivision, is the band's conductor and officer in charge.
After their part of the show is over, band members will pile into buses and go back to their hotel to watch the game on television, like all the folks back home.
Szabo said when the Crown Plaza managers learned the band wasn't going to be able to stay for the game at the stadium, they decided to set up a Super Bowl party at the hotel.
Kielar, who characterizes himself as "an NFL freak," won't have a team in the struggle. "I was born and raised a Redskins fan," he said.
Szabo's team--the Saints--didn't make it, either. "My first and third duty stations were in New Orleans," Szabo said, "and three of my four sons were born in New Orleans."
He'll be rooting for Indianapolis Sunday, because Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning grew up in New Orleans.
Kielar said he'll be pulling for the Colts, too.
"I'd like to see Manning get his just due," he said.
Regardless of who wins, Super Bowl XLI is is something the Quantico Marine Corps Band won't forget anytime soon.
"It's obviously quite an exciting job to do, and we're quite privileged to be picked," Szabo said. "These Marines can walk away and say they were part of history at that Super Bowl."
Lucia Anderson: 540/374-
Email: 5405landerson@freelancestar.com
February 2, 2007 12:50 am
Members of the Quantico Marine Corps Band practice a re-enactment of the flag raising at Iwo Jima, which they will include as part of the band's appearance at the Super Bowl in Miami on Sunday.
Click for larger photo and to order reprints
Quantico Marine Corps Band trombonists (from left) Sgt. Ken Ebo, Cpl. Franklin Smith and Sgt. Tim Cutler practice prior to joining the rest of the ensemble for practice for a Super Bowl performance in Miami this Sunday.
Click for larger photo and to order reprints
BY LUCIA ANDERSON
Gunnery Sgt. Robert Kielar is excited about being at Super Bowl XLI, even though he'll have to watch it on TV.
Kielar, who lives in Spotsylvania County's Falcon Ridge subdivision, is an assistant conductor and trombone player in the Quantico Marine Corps Band. He and his fellow musicians have been invited to entertain during the Super Bowl Kick Off Show.
Performing before 70,000 spectators in South Florida's Dolphin Stadium--and possibly another 150 million TV viewers--has a certain cachet.
It's possible that the TV audience will see a commercial or sportscaster commentating instead of the Marine band, but there will still be thousands watching in the stands.
"From a numbers standpoint, it's humongous, and it's a part of our culture," Kielar said.
But the gig doesn't include complimentary seats for the game. Kielar noted that the NFL has set aside 50 seats for Marine Corps veterans of recent battles in Iraq, but none for the band.
Band members will have four minutes on the field, sandwiched between the Cirque du Soleil and Billy Joel singing the national anthem.
They will play a medley of service songs, honoring the Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force, then close with "Apotheosis," an arrangement of The Marines' Hymn by Sammy Nestico. That piece ends with band members, dressed in period uniforms, creating a tableau of the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Szabo said the World War II uniforms are the exact ones worn by the Iwo Jima flag-raisers in the movie "Flags of Our Fathers." Szabo, who lives in Spotsylvania's Willow Oak subdivision, is the band's conductor and officer in charge.
After their part of the show is over, band members will pile into buses and go back to their hotel to watch the game on television, like all the folks back home.
Szabo said when the Crown Plaza managers learned the band wasn't going to be able to stay for the game at the stadium, they decided to set up a Super Bowl party at the hotel.
Kielar, who characterizes himself as "an NFL freak," won't have a team in the struggle. "I was born and raised a Redskins fan," he said.
Szabo's team--the Saints--didn't make it, either. "My first and third duty stations were in New Orleans," Szabo said, "and three of my four sons were born in New Orleans."
He'll be rooting for Indianapolis Sunday, because Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning grew up in New Orleans.
Kielar said he'll be pulling for the Colts, too.
"I'd like to see Manning get his just due," he said.
Regardless of who wins, Super Bowl XLI is is something the Quantico Marine Corps Band won't forget anytime soon.
"It's obviously quite an exciting job to do, and we're quite privileged to be picked," Szabo said. "These Marines can walk away and say they were part of history at that Super Bowl."
Lucia Anderson: 540/374-
Email: 5405landerson@freelancestar.com