UWG News Archive

Southern Aire Concert

September 12, 2003

CARROLLTON, GA - Only a little more than a year after its official debut, a unique subgroup of the Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve is bringing its blend of traditional Irish music and Celtic rock to the west Georgia area. Southern Aire, a five-person ensemble, will perform a free concert at the University of West Georgia in the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

The group uses Celtic instrumentation, including Irish wood flute, tin whistle, Irish bodhran drum and Scottish small pipes, to perform traditional Irish music and adds bass guitar, keyboard and drum set to expand its musical appeal with selections of Celtic rock.

UWG News Photo Southern Aire is part of the Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, which was formed in 1941 and is the oldest band, active or reserve, assigned to the Air Force. The band’s mission is to provide musical support for Air Force and Air Force Reserve recruiting programs, official military functions, troop morale and community relations programs. It consists of 60 professional musicians who are assigned to several subunits, which include a Concert Band and a Ceremonial and Marching Band.

The Southern Aire subunit began to evolve in 1999 in a Chamber Recital Series that featured Master Sergeant Scott Gunn, an oboist, on Scottish small pipes accompanied by a guitarist. Over the next three years, a few members of the Air Force Reserve Pipe Band began learning other Celtic instruments, creating the versatility necessary for a new ensemble. The group made its official debut in 2002 during a Concert Band tour held in conjunction with the Great American Brass Band Festival.

Southern Aire is led by Gunn, the noncommissioned officer in charge, who plays tin whistle and Uillean pipes. Other band members are Staff Sergeant Jeff Bare, bodhran drum; Staff Sergeant Janis Thrift, Scottish small pipes, guitar and vocals; Airman First Class Carolyn Gill, Irish flute, tin whistle, keyboards and vocals; and Staff Sergeant Lonny Walker, bass.

The Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve travels throughout the Southeast performing more than 500 concerts annually. The band, which prides itself on its American heritage, has also performed in many overseas venues. In May 1992, it became the first foreign military band to parade through Red Square in Moscow during the Peace Victory Parade. It was also the only foreign band to perform in the 50th celebration of the Victory in Europe Day Parade in St. Petersburg, Russia, in May 1995.

For more information about Southern Aire, visit the band’s web site at www.afrc.af.mil/hq/band. For tickets to the upcoming concert, contact the Townsend Center at 770-836-6694.

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