Brass quintet fills amphitheater with patriotic, jazz tunes

Members of the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division Band brass quintet perform during a concert Saturday at the Mound City amphitheater. Quintet members include, from left, E4 Specialist Daniel Nowosed on the tuba, Sgt. First Class Harry Reed on the trombone, Sgt. First Class Michael Principe on the euphonium, and Sgt. Andrew King on the trumpet. (Photos by Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)

With the afternoon temperature hovering in the mid-90s, five members of the 1st Army Band brass quintet from Fort Riley found the shade of the overhang on the Mound City amphitheater a merciful protection from the rays of a scorching sun. 

The nearly 60 people who turned out to hear the band found some relief from the heat under the spacious canopy of leaves provided by several tall hardwood trees. The natural slope of the amphitheater gave the audience an unobstructed though distant view as the talented musicians played.

The group of veterans standing for playing of "America the Beautiful" include, from right, Ron Stanley, William Jordan, Kenny Schmitz, Walter Johnson, and Eldon Lanham.

And play they did, often sounding like a much larger band than the five instruments they were playing. Their set list, which ran nearly 80 minutes, included patriotic tunes, jazz standards, some classic favorites like “Shenandoah,” and of course the state song, “Home on the Range.”

Sponsored by the Mound City United Methodist Church, the concert set its sights on honoring local veterans, and 15 veterans were in attendance. After each of the veterans was recognized, organizer Kerry Morrell asked those in the audience whose family included a service member to stand. At that point nearly everyone in the audience was on their feet.

Musicians included Sgt. Mitch Dunham on the trumpet and flugelhorn, Sgt. 1st Class Michael Principe on the euphonium, E4 Specialist Daniel Nowosed on the tuba, Sgt. 1st Class Harry Reed on the trombone, and Sgt. Andrew King on the trumpet and flugelhorn.

The quintet ended their performance with an arrangement of “America the Beautiful,” which brought the veterans and many in the crowd to their feet. 

Sgt. First Class Michael Principe, left, plays a solo lead on the euphonium accompanied by trumpet player Sgt. Mitch Dunham and the rest of the quintet.