1998 Field Show - "1945: Homefront"

The 1998 season saw the band 60 members strong, and also the most successful competition season up to that point. The band performed a conceptual show entitled "Homefront - 1945", which was arranged by David Mairs. The show focused mainly on American popular music at the end of World War II--the music on the "Homefront".

The first half of the show included many swing tunes that were very popular at the time. The main arrangement was essentially a medley of the swing era, which included such tunes as "Sentimental Journey", "Moonlight Serenade", "Stardust", "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and the incredible "Sing, Sing, Sing". 

The focus shifted to a somber requiem for the fallen soldiers of World War II as the band played a tear jerking arrangement of "Taps". 

And finally, as a remembrance of the end of the war and the homecoming of America's troops from Europe and the Pacific, the patriotic "God Bless America" closed the show. 

Dispersed throughout the arrangement of "Taps" and "God Bless America" were salutes to the various armed forces, by encompassing themes in counterpoint of the different United States Armed Forces hymns. "The Star Spangled Banner" theme also occurred in the arrangement.

All in all, it was very successful, but first and foremost, it saluted our beautiful nation, and brought everyone's emotions to a fevered pitch.  One could not help but shed a tear at these performances.