_Leader of U. S. Army Band_
Clear and sweet the tones of a boy’s soprano voice rang out in an
age-old Christmas carol, while the class whole-heartedly joined in
the chorus. The music period in that third grade school room was a
pleasure shared by the pupils and their teacher. They all enjoyed
singing with Hugh Curry. And _how_ Hugh liked to sing!
Music occupied a large place in the Curry home in Cambridge,
Massachusetts. It was a great part of the regular family life. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Curry were talented musicians. Hugh Curry, Sr., was a
well-known amateur violinist as well as a popular singer.
Helen, the daughter of the family, made music her profession. She
became the head of the Music Department of Teachers’ College at
Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Hugh Curry, Jr., born in 1911, was reared
in a fine musical atmosphere. From such a heritage and environment he
naturally turned to music. He sang from his earliest years.
Soon the boy wanted to produce other music. Singing was really a part
of him, but it was not enough to satisfy him. He begged to be allowed
to play an instrument, and at the age of nine he began to study the
trumpet. Then as his voice developed, vocal study was added to Hugh’s
educational subjects.
Although devoted to music, Hugh was a good student and made outstanding
records in his other, less showy studies. An all-round American boy, he
was very fond of sports. No one ever dreamed of calling Hugh Curry a
“sissy.” As a valuable member of the school’s baseball team and an ice
hockey star, Hugh was extremely popular.
By the time he was ready to enter college Hugh Curry had won
recognition as a professional musician in both vocal and instrumental
fields. He enrolled at Boston University and his musical activities
helped defray a large share of the expenses of his college education.
Curry was graduated from the University with a Bachelor of Music
degree. Soon after his graduation, he married a college classmate, the
former Kathleen Howard, prominent as a light opera singer. Curry began
his professional career as an instructor in the U. S. Army School of
Music. From the New York College of Music he was awarded the degree
of Honorary Doctor of Music. He became increasingly active in Music
Education and also achieved great success in light opera.
In 1941 Hugh Curry joined the United States Army. A thorough musician,
a talented violinist and singer, as Chief Warrant Officer he was
appointed Assistant Bandleader of the Army Band in North Africa. Curry
worked with the Band all through the African-European tour to cheer and
entertain the fighting men.
Captain Curry commented personally regarding this period. “While the
United States Army Band was the only major service music organization
to tour the combat area during World War II, it must be pointed out
that such an experience and its unceasing companion, mental, physical,
and spiritual discomforts seem glamorous to the men only in retrospect.
The route of the Band through these areas was designed primarily to
permit the organization to reach the maximum number of allied troops,
and the needs of the Band were often sacrificed in order to bring
our men a few moments of relaxation. In those hectic days of rapidly
fluctuating battle lines, the Band, hampered by its necessary but
unwieldy burden of instruments, was often exposed. Even in Antwerp,
Belgium, an Army bandsman was wounded by a V-2 rocket bomb.”
When Bandleader Captain Darcy retired in September, 1945, he was
succeeded by Captain Hugh Curry. A thorough reorganization was
instituted. More new members were desired and applicants poured in
from every part of the United States. All were carefully screened,
not only in proficiency on their individual instruments, but also
their adaptability to all types of music. Each was thoroughly tested,
examined, auditioned and even his vocal ability was judged.
Finally Captain Curry enrolled more than one hundred of America’s
finest bandsmen in the United States Army Band. They represent a large
cross section of colleges, universities, symphony orchestras and many
name dance bands, as well as almost every important American music
school. Even the American Indian is represented by a full-blooded
member of the Onondaga tribe. While at the very heart of the
organization is a small and respected group of men remaining from the
original “Pershing’s Own” Band.
Technicians, skilled arrangers and other necessary personnel have been
added by Captain Curry to this perfectly balanced Army Band. Today, the
United States Army Band under its handsome, dignified leader, is able
to provide prompt and efficient response to the many demands laid upon
it.
_The United States Army Air Forces Band_
The United States Army Air Forces needed a band. It had to be a good
band too, one that would keep pace with--or better still--_lead_ the
streamlined Air Forces.
In 1942 Warrant Officer Alf Heiberg was appointed to organize and
lead the new band. At Bolling Field, Washington, D. C., the national
Headquarters of the U. S. Army Air Force, Officer Heiberg found a
saxophone quartette happily playing “on their own.” With this group
for a nucleus he began to assemble his band. It was an easier job than
Heiberg had anticipated for there were many experienced and outstanding
musicians among the fliers who were eager to play, and an adequate
number of men were soon enrolled. They were all enthusiastic and
practiced so faithfully that in an unbelievably short time the United
States Air Force had a good band, one that compared favorably with the
other service bands.
A new leader was assigned in March, 1944, Captain George Sallade
Howard. He was the ideal man for the job, a man with talent, training
and ideas. A highly educated musician. Captain Howard at forty
had spent half his years in music teaching and directing bands and
orchestras. An inspiring conductor, Captain Howard also possessed many
original ideas which soon began to produce unusual results in his work
with this new band.
After two months of intensive practice the Air Force Band went on a
concert tour throughout eastern Canada. It was acclaimed by the critics
as the finest concert band ever heard.
Upon returning to Washington the Band played at a command performance
at the White House. That the program was successful was evident, as
the Air Force Band was immediately sent on an exchange tour of Great
Britain which brought the RAF Central Band to America.
From their first program in Royal Albert Hall in London, the Air Force
Band was praised in highest terms by the foremost English musicians. At
that time Britain was living on extremely short food and fuel rations.
Many concerts were played by the Bandsmen bundled up in their heavy
overcoats, and at times, even wearing their hats and gloves.
On account of the cold weather, and the unheated buildings, the people
in England generally had colds. Consequently the audiences coughed
noisily during the concerts, but they were enthusiastic over the fine
playing of the great Air Force Band from America. Frequent air raids
and buzz bombs also interfered with concert programs. After the “Battle
of the Bulge” Captain Howard and his band returned to the United
States.
At the end of the war in 1945, this Air Force group was disbanded.
However, the United States Army Air Forces could not do without
their fine band. Captain Howard had established his reputation as
an unusually capable conductor. He was transferred to the permanent
Air Force with the rank of Major and given the duty of organizing a
permanent Air Force Band.
Only five of the one-hundred-piece wartime band were willing to
reenlist. Major Howard had to start his new organization from the
very beginning. He had decided ideas regarding the possibilities of a
large military band and he proceeded to put them in force. Determined
to have only the best musicians, he used the utmost care in selecting
the players. Fully 1,100 men applied for admission and each one was
critically auditioned.
One hundred and fifteen players were selected--a rare group--so many
were experts, men who had occupied top places in topmost organizations.
Some had been graduated from outstanding universities, others had
played in famous orchestras, symphonic and popular swing bands. One
player had been a symphony concertmeister, and the famous baritone
soloist, Glenn Darwin, came from the Metropolitan Opera Company.
For his first assistant Major Howard appointed Chief Warrant Officer
John F. Yesulaitis, who was not only a graduate in music, but also had
an extensive military experience. He had been a bandleader in World
War II and in charge of the 7th and 77th Infantry division bands in the
South and West Pacific. He is the most decorated member of the band
having made every landing and taken part in every important campaign in
the Pacific.
Robert L. Landers, the director of the band’s famous glee club, “The
Singing Sergeants,” is an important member of the Major’s staff. He has
a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, studied
under Sir Thomas Beecham, Assistant Conductor of the San Carlo Opera
Company, Leader of 529th Air Force Band at Atlantic City and also at
Buckley Field in Denver.
These, and many other gifted artists, make up a splendid ensemble who
are able at the same time to make their individual talents apparent.
From this versatile organization, Colonel Howard--he was made a Lt.
Colonel in 1949--can send out a marching band of one hundred or more
men. He can choose eighty to ninety to form a symphonic band, seventy
or as many as he likes for a concert orchestra. He has several dance
bands, chamber music sextettes, and a well-balanced glee club.
A staff of music writers are kept at work making new arrangements, a
well-trained narrator announces the program descriptions and reads
the necessary script. And the maestro of this great band supervises
the building of the programs which he rehearses and conducts for
radio, concert stage and military duty. Besides these performances
they average three concert tours a year, provide music for important
military and state functions and represent the United States Air Force
musically. The Air Force Band is usually in attendance when foreign
diplomats or royalty happen to be in the Capital. During the summer
military band concerts are given in various centers of Washington,
and orchestra concerts are played during the winter in the Lisner
auditorium. The concerts by the Air Force Band, as well as those by the
other Service Bands, are free to the public.
Colonel Howard says, “We wanted a unit that was as streamlined as
the Air Forces themselves.... We desired a band that could give a
performance of _Scheherazade_ or _The Flying Dutchman_ comparable to
that by any symphony orchestra, and in the next breath could rival
Benny Goodman.”
In this they have succeeded.