It was a tranquil scene as the Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band began setting up for their concert at the Edgewood Vista Senior Living Center in Fargo. Residents quietly milled about while random instruments started warming up. Some residents stopped and politely said hello to friends or relatives, while others silently waited for the show to begin. If there was any anticipation, it was well hidden.
The first note of John Phillip Sousa’s The Black Horse Troop got everyone’s attention. Soon, there was a buzz in the room as song after song inspired a feeling of patriotism. Concertgoers sat a bit straighter, with eyes keenly focused on the band. Some began tapping a foot to the beat, others clapped along. Nobody said a word.
The Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band (RRVVCB) is over fifty years old, getting its start as part of American Legion Gilbert C. Grafton Post 2. In 1997, the band incorporated, becoming a 501(c) (3) organization. Since then, the group performs upwards of 45 concerts per year, sometimes two per night. On Veteran’s Day, the RRVVCB plays in five concerts, performing from 10:00am to 7:00pm.
Of the fifty people in the band, approximately 70 percent are veterans themselves or have veterans in their family. “We like to keep everyone veteran connected,” said clarinetist Elaine Borud, who was encouraged to join the band by her husband. Although she initially resisted, her husband’s effective persuasion techniques eventually won out. I came home one day and my clarinet was on the table,” she said. Twenty-five years later, she wouldn’t change a thing.
The band takes great pride in everything they do. From professional programs to impeccable uniforms, it is a first class operation. “They look so sharp,” one Edgewood Vista resident remarked as she admired the band’s bright red jackets and grey slacks. “Yes,” the woman sitting next to her replied. “Very distinguished.” The level of veneration displayed by the band was contagious. It didn’t take long for everyone in the room to have the same look of pride in their eyes and the same reverence for the music being played.
The RRVVCB got its start not long after the end of WWII and continued to grow through the Vietnam War. It was a different time then, long before the invention of the iPod or the creation of YouTube. People were able to sit for extended periods and simply enjoy the world around them. A concert didn’t need over the top light shows or extravagant dance numbers to capture viewer’s attention. The music itself was what mattered. Nowhere has that been more apparent to me than at the Edgewood Vista show. There were no lights or million dollar sound systems. None of the musicians was immodestly dressed. Nobody break danced. Yet, there was a palpable joy in the room as song after song stirred up feelings of patriotic pride in everyone that was there.
The mission of the RRVVCB is the promotion of patriotism through music. The band is made up of musicians ranging from 20 plus years old to 94. “We come from all walks of life,” said tenor saxophone player Brad Schmidt. “We come together one night a week to put this wonderful music together.” Elaine also expressed an appreciation for the unique nature of the group. “It makes no difference what your job background is,” she said. “It is a melting pot group of people.”
One of the fan favorites of this melting pot is WWII veteran and lead clarinetist Dale Howard. Although Dale is ninety-four years old, he doesn’t miss a beat, even participating in solos and specialty pieces. Dale has been playing music since 1929, including stints with the Glen Miller Band and Arte Shaw. Dale has understandably slowed down a bit in recent years, but watching him stand at attention when Anchors Aweigh, the official song of the U.S. Navy, plays was more than impressive.
By the time the first song was over, the Edgewood Vista venue was packed. The woman sitting next to me was dismayed at the volume of the band. As she put balled up Kleenex in her ears, she was asked if she wanted to leave. “Not a chance,” she remarked. Although the Kleenex remained through the concert, nobody clapped louder or stood taller. For this resident, patriotism was far more important than comfort.
The RRVVCB plays a mixture of marches, hymns, polkas, waltzes, and even some Latin music. “We do it all,” Brad said. “It’s just really fun.” The emotions felt throughout the program come to a climax during the band’s final song, God Bless America. “It really pulls at your heart strings,” Brad explained. He and Elaine then described two incidents that they will never forget. Brad detailed an experience playing at a nursing facility in Valley City. He noticed a group of nurses who were acting “giddy” while the band played. After the concert they learned that the young man the nurses were with was completed paralyzed, but he was able to move his big toe for the first time during the song. “It was incredible,” Brad said.
For Elaine, the most powerful image she has is of a veteran who had lost one of his legs. As he tried to stand during God Bless America, nurses around him tried to help. The veteran refused all assistance and stood up on his one leg, shaky but solid. He then saluted. “It was as if he said, ‘I will not be denied this’,” Elaine said. “It was very inspiring.”
The pride and respect felt during each RRVVCB concert starts with the band itself. Although a volunteer band, the musicianship displayed during every performance is astounding. Those musicians are the life behind each song. “There’s such comradery among band members,” Brad explained. “We are truly a united group that is so neat and special.” Indeed, the Edgewood Vista concert was just one of many that will be played this year, but it left an impression on everyone in attendance, myself included. Providing patriotism through music – mission accomplished.
More information on the Red River Valley Veterans Concert band can be found at www.rrvvcb.org.