Two San Antonio natives returned to Texas last spring as the U.S. Navy Band made an appearance at Jackson Auditorium on the Texas Lutheran University campus. Texas Public Radio was there on March 1 with our microphones to capture the concert, which included patriotic melodies, classic American composers such as Leonard Bernstein, and virtuosic repertoire from Dmitri Shostakovich and Antonio Bazzini.
Musician 1st Class Joseph Gonzalez was among the soloists on Mark Ford’s percussion showcase, “Stubernic Fantasy.” He was joined by two of his colleagues on one instrument!
Gonzalez, a native of San Antonio, graduated from Clark High School in 2005, later earning degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Northwestern University. He joined the Navy Band in 2015, and also returns home to perform locally with the Classical Music Institute.
Musician 1st Class Ashleigh Leas also returned home to Texas while on tour with the United States Navy Band. Leas, from San Antonio, joined the Navy Band in 2016 and serves as a flutist in the Concert and Ceremonial Bands. She graduated from Churchill High School in San Antonio in 2000, and earned a Bachelor of Music in performance from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a Master of Music in performance from Rice University.
The Navy Concert Band has been performing public concerts and participating in high-profile events for more than 90 years. All of their concerts are family-friendly events, meant to be entertaining to veterans, families, individuals and those interested in joining the Navy.
We hope you enjoy this performance on your Independence Day weekend! Tune in Saturday night at 7:00 on KPAC 88.3 FM or KTXI 90.1 FM in the Hill Country. For a preview, listen to the audio player below.
