NY Army National Guard Band performs free concert in Greenport on Friday, August 5
The 42nd Infantry Division's "Rainbow" Band will perform at 7 p.m. at the Polo Grounds on Moores Lane
Greenport, New York (07/22/2022) — The New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division "Rainbow" Band will present a free concert at the Polo Grounds on Moores Lane in Greenport on Friday, August 5 at 7 p.m.
The 36-member band, led by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ethan Wagner, will present a program of patriotic music, and tunes from the movies and Broadway. The program will feature a brass quintet, a rock performance and Latin jazz style music as well.
The band is a component of the New York National Guard 's 42nd Infantry Division.
The division earned the nickname "The Rainbow Division" during World War I when it included National Guard units from many states. It was said to 'reach across the country like a rainbow."
Military bands traditionally played music to boost the spirits of Soldiers, and to keep them in step and inspire them as they headed into battle.
Bandsmen would then traditionally put down their instruments and serve as stretcher bearers retrieving the wounded from the battlefield.
When the 42nd Division Band deployed to Iraq with the 42nd Infantry Division in 2005, band members played concerts and performed morale shows for Soldiers, and also provided security for the Division Main Operations Center.
The band will also perform at the Sousa Bandshell in Port Washington's Sunset Park on Thursday, August 4 at 7 p.m. and the Montauk Point Lighthouse on Saturday, August 6 at 2 p.m.
Traditionally, the band's Citizen Soldiers play a number of performances each summer during their annual training.
These will be their first touring performances since 2019. The COVID -19 pandemic forced a halt to performances in 2020 and 2021.
The band reaches out to local New York State communities to offer free performances to the public.
Army National Guard band members, like other Army band members, attend basic training and learn all the skills required of any Soldier, ranging from marksmanship to land navigation.
To enlist in an Army band, for the National Guard, Army Reserves or active duty, applicants must first audition to ensure they have the necessary skills to perform the band's musical mission.
The 42nd Infantry Division Band is based at Camp Smith Training Site in Cortlandt Manor, New York.
Media Attachments
Soldiers assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division Band perform during a concert in Rochester, New York, for the New York State School Music Association on March 7, 2022.
New York National Guard
Col. Richard Goldenberg, 518-786-4581Share this Story
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