The men and women of the U.S. Air Force are a brave lot who defend our country, bomb the hell out of enemies around the world and boldly give classical music concerts. There’s nothing like the serene sound of classical music to provide inspiration during ceremonies or before invading a foreign country. The Air Force Strings play music for either occasion. Tonight, the string ensemble will show us our tax dollars at work when they give a free concert at the McDonald Theatre at 8 p.m.
It’s difficult to imagine the terms “classical music” and “Air Force” being used in the same sentence, but the Air Force Strings is an accomplished group of musicians who play a repertoire that ranges from classical to bluegrass tunes. The 22-person ensemble has played for every American president since Eisenhower. All the musicians are graduates of respected universities and music conservatories.
The Air Force Strings is an interesting dichotomy of military protocol and emotional music. The promotional material is full of military-speak, including sentences such as: “A key element of (the Air Force Strings’) mission is to entertain audiences at high-level protocol events in a formation known as the United States Air Force Strolling Strings.” Ouch. That’s enough military jargon to make my brain explode.
Once the group begins playing, however, the universal language of music overwhelms the stilted language of government bureaucracy. These musicians revel in musical displays of emotion unheard of elsewhere in the military. Their inspiration comes from the genius works of Bach and Beethoven, not the moronic “Let’s Roll” slogan emblazoned across the fuselages of Air Force fighter jets.
On occasion, the ensemble puts away their music and strolls through the audience, playing their tunes by memory — it’s their way of making the music up-close and personal.
Tonight’s concert is worth attending because of the group’s dedication to musical perfection and because they play for free (unless you count the billions of taxpayer dollars funneling into the Air Force, but that’s another matter). For non-classical listeners, the concert offers a good introduction to chamber music, and for those already acquainted with classical music, the Air Force Strings present an enjoyable alternative to other, sometimes stuffy, classical concerts.
Admission to the concert is free on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 8 p.m. at the
McDonald Theatre, located at 1010 Willamette St.