Northern Lights entertains native Alaskans during Operation Arctic Care

  • Published
  • By Maj. Cary McPartlin
  • Operation Arctic Care Public Affairs
KOTZEBUE, Alaska (AFNS) --  The Pacific Air Forces five-piece mixed wind ensemble from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, arrived April 20 to begin a three-day tour performing here and in several nearby villages during Operation Arctic Care.

Northern Lights kicked off their tour with a live performance at Kotzebue's main radio station.

Later they entertained hundreds of students, grades kindergarten through 12, during a one-hour performance at Kotzebue Elementary School, playing several types of music.

The Northern Lights brass ensemble includes Master Sgt. Brian Jenner, a baritone saxophone player; Master Sgt. Lon Throop, a flute and alto saxophone player; Staff Sgt. Jeff Hall, a tenor saxophone player; Staff Sgt. Jeff Dahlseng, a trombone player; and Staff Sgt. Tom Slayers, a trumpet and flugel horn player.

"I'm really excited to be performing up here in front of people who don't regularly get the opportunity to hear live music," Sergeant Jenner said. "In this day in age, people have MP3s and recorded music, but it's not the same as hearing a live performance. Sometimes, as musicians, we take it for granted how fun it is to go to a performance."

"The band was incredible," said Ralph King, the assistant principal for Kotzebue Elementary School. "Those five guys sounded like they were a group of more than 25. The kids loved the interaction and hearing sounds coming from the different instruments."

They also performed for the Kotzebue community, Maniilaq Health Center staff and military participants in Operation Arctic Care 2010 at the health center.

"Performing gives us the great opportunity to reach out to the communities and show another side of the Air Force that people don't often get a chance to see," Sergeant Jenner said.

During the three-day tour, Northern Lights is scheduled to perform for the local community in Buckland, Kobuk and Shungnak, Alaska, before returning to Anchorage.