The National Flute Association is pleased to announce it is the recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for “Celebrating the Nation’s 250th Birthday with Music from U.S. Military Bands”. 

U.S. military bands have long reflected the nation’s spirit through a rich range of musical traditions—from marching and orchestral to vocal and jazz—and engage communities nationwide through ceremonial, educational, and public performances. In the lead-up to and during our nation’s historic milestone, projects across the country will feature free concerts, community performances, educational residencies, and large-scale civic events with bands from all military branches.

A grant of $20,000 will support performances by the US Air Force Band of the Golden West at the 54th Annual NFA Convention.

Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts Mary Anne Carter said, “As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, the National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support projects that celebrate the enduring legacy of U.S. military bands. These awards recognize the vital role military bands have played throughout American history—from the nation’s earliest days to the present—as powerful symbols of national identity, bringing music to public life and honoring service through a wide range of musical styles and traditions.”

America250 will be interwoven with the convention theme, Origins: Celebrating Trailblazing and Discovery, to honor the creativity and innovation that has shaped the flute world across generations. The Friday Gala Concert titled "The Flute in the United States" will trace a journey through American flute music, performed by military and multicultural flutists. Featuring acclaimed artists Aleksandr Haskin, Sooyun Kim, Maria Fernanda Castillo, Brian Dunbar, Lisa Bost-Sandberg, Aaron Goldman, Megan Ensor, Katrina Penman, and (S) MSgt Sarah Howard-Carter, this gala concert celebrates the richness and diversity of flute performance in the United States through music by Paul Schoenfield, Shulamit Ran, Guillaume Connesson, Jeff Beal, and John Philip Sousa. A special highlight of the evening is the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West, under the direction of Capt. Brian O’Donnell, performing premieres and audience favorites, as well as opening music by the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.