The United States Military Academy Band Concert Series starts Sunday

West Point-The United States Military Academy Band begins its popular "Music Under The Stars" Concert Series this year on Sunday, June 13th, at the Trophy Point Amphitheatre. At 7:30 p.m., the Concert Band will open the summer concert season with a mystical program including "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" from Lohengrin by Richard Wagner, Night on Bald Mountain by Modeste Mussorgsky, "Gandalf" from Symphony No. 1 , The Lord of the Rings by Johann de Meij, and movements five through seven of The Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky. The band also will feature the Regimental Brass Quintet as they perform the fourth movement of Eric Ewazen's work Shadowcatcher. The concerts will take place each Sunday through Labor Day weekend, and, as always, they are free and open to the public. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Rotondi, Jr., commander and conductor of the Academy Band, invites you to bring lawn chairs, picnic baskets, your children and pets to the beautiful amphitheatre below Battle Monument at West Point. The breathtaking view looks north to the Hudson River as it weaves between the mountains of the Hudson Highlands. This spectacular view is augmented by the heartbeat of West Point, the United States Military Academy Band. Every Academy graduate - Grant, Lee, Pershing, MacArthur, Patton, Eisenhower and Schwarzkopf n marched to the music of the Academy Band, and countless presidents and heads of state have been greeted by the specialized unit. Current members of the Academy Band were trained at leading conservatories and schools of music, including The Juilliard School, The Eastman School of Music, The Curtis Institute of Music, New England Conservatory and Cincinnati Conservatory. Orchestral transcriptions, marches, big-band jazz and patriotic songs will adorn the free summer concerts throughout the season. Allow extra travel time for the 100% vehicle and photo I.D. inspection at Stony Lonesome and Thayer gates. Due to changing security requirements at West Point, call the Academy Band's hotline at 938-2617, or check www.usma.edu/