By BARBARA MARTIN MORO/Staff Writer
The Intrepid Winds, a woodwind quintet of one of the 20 regional bands of the U.S. Army, visited UT Tyler last Thursday to share their music expertise and talent.
The quintet’s visit is part of what First Sergeant Patrick Hanudel called the twofold mission of Army bands: to provide music for army events, ceremonies and cultural events, and to provide community relations. Their coming to UT Tyler is part of the latter.
“We are part of the community; we are not that strange post behind a fence. The people who work on that post are in the community as well, and we want to be that face of the army, and to live and interact with the community around us,” Hanudel said.
Sergeant Rebecca Cruz, the quintet’s oboist, said that by visiting universities, the regional band is trying to support the Army’s overall band recruiting mission. Even though the Army still recruits musicians in high schools, according to Cruz, the focus has shifted to universities.
“Over the last 10 years or so, the quality of musicianship has just gone exponentially in the army bands, and we want musicians like the musicians at UT Tyler to be a part of our groups,” she said.
Cruz, who joined the Army Reserve band part-time after her sophomore year of college, explained that those musicians interested in playing in the Army have different options, which she divided into three main layers.
First, the special bands, which are elite bands stationed in Washington, D.C.; second, the regional bands, which involve full-time careers; and third, the Army Reserve and the National Guard, both of which involve part-time jobs and give musicians the possibility of pursuing another degree or career.
According to Cruz, every option requires military training. First, the candidate must audition, and if accepted, go through the 10-week Army basic combat training and then the 10-week advanced individual training at the Army School of Music in Virginia Beach.
For many now in Army bands, joining the military was not originally on their radar. When Corporal Andrew Simmons started college, he was not aware of opportunities for musicians in the military. It was not until he heard the Army field band perform that he considered joining the military to be option.
Similarly, Hanudel did not consider joining an Army band until he was a 34-year-old professional musician and had almost finished his PhD.
“The only regret I have is that I wish I had joined sooner,” he said.
Dr. Sarah Roberts, the interim director of the School of Performing Arts at UT Tyler and assistant professor of music, highlighted the importance of the Intrepid Winds visit.
“I grew up in music, and it was either ‘Ok, go and try to be a performer, or be a teacher.’ Those were like the two that everybody talked about, but there are so many more paths in the arts and in music. So, whenever we bring people in who are doing unique things, we want to make sure that especially our students can ask them questions,” she said.
The Intrepid Winds visit consisted of a masterclass and a performance, both open to everyone.
The Intrepid Winds quintet is stationed in Fort Sam, Houston. For those interested in more information or auditioning to join an Army band, reach out to the band liaison, Sergeant first class Andre Goncalves. He can be reached at (210) 376-7477, or interested parties can write to him at .
