AU brings 338th Army Band to Ashland for free Nov. 7 concert

ASHLAND, Ohio – A touring military band, the 338th Army Band, will perform in Ashland on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and honor Veteran’s Day, courtesy of a $20,000 grant Ashland University received from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The concert by the 338th Army Band, operating under the 88th Readiness Division of the U.S. Army Reserve, will take place at Ashland High School’s Archer Auditorium (1440 King Road, Ashland). Admission is free and open to the public.

The 338th Army Band’s full concert band will present a program of patriotic music in keeping with the America250 campaign and the Veteran’s Day holiday. One highlight will be “America the Beautiful,” guest conducted by Ashland’s own David Wolbert, retired director of bands at Ashland High School.

AU students and area high school students are also invited to a meet-and-greet with the band’s musicians and leaders on the day of the concert, giving young musicians a chance to talk with professional military musicians about their work.

Slade Denman, director of bands at AU, serves as project director for the grant and is looking forward to the performance.

“This performance is an outstanding opportunity for the Ashland community to hear high-caliber musicians in a program that connects music, history and civic engagement,” said Denman. “For AU students, it is a chance to watch professional musicians at work and to see one of the many career paths open to them in music.”

Denman added, “As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and honor our veterans, this concert also invites us to reflect the important role music has played in our nation’s history and in military life.”

This performance is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, which awarded the grant to Ashland University to bring a U.S. military band to the community in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The award, which the university is matching, helps cover the costs of the concert, including the venue, event staffing, promotion and other associated costs, so it can be offered free of charge.

About the 338th Army Band
The 338th Army Band, constituted in January 1944 as part of a support group for General George S. Patton’s 3rd Army in Europe, is a U.S. Army Reserve military band currently stationed in Whitehall, Ohio and Livonia, Mich. The band is known for delivering electrifying performances across multiple genres at community events.