published 10/23/08
For United States Air Force Master Sgt. Don Marchand, the opportunity to play music and serve his country seemed like a great opportunity and for 19 years that has been the case.
Marchand grew up in Houston, Texas, and attended the University of North Texas in Denton. After graduation, Marchand was playing trombone with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass in Nashville, Tenn., when he became interested in the Air Force.
“Prior to coming into the Air Force, I found out through friends about the Air Force Band program.” Marchand said. “Knowing I would be able to play as a full-time musician was what appealed to me.”
After basic training, Marchand was stationed in Biloxi, Miss., at Keesler Air Force Base, Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and in Ramstein, Germany.
Now, Marchand is stationed in San Antonio, Texas, at Lackland Air Force Base, and is a group leader for the Air Force Band of the West, one of 10 stateside Air Force Bands throughout the United States. Each band covers a specific geographic area. The Band of the West covers a four-state area that includes Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana. Marchand plays trombone and is a group leader of the 21-member jazz outfit.
“Most of our people are typically college music graduates who audition for the band,” Marchand said. “You pass the audition, you go to basic training and then join the band as a full-time job.”
The band typically plays jazz, ranging from the Big Band-era tunes of Glenn Miller to those by contemporary composers. Marchand said the band likes to incorporate the musical influence of the area of the country they represent.
“The area that we’re in has a Hispanic influence to the music,” Marchand said. “We like to perform music unique to this area.”
The band typically does seven or eight tours a year, each lasting about 10 days, according to Marchand. The tour that includes the performance in Española that is scheduled for Nov. 12 at McCurdy School will begin with the band flying into and performing in Phoenix, Ariz., then performing in Flagstaff before coming to New Mexico and performing in Gallup and Albuquerque before arriving in Española.
“Every trip is an adventure,” Marchand said. “We enjoy going on the road.”
Among the tours and performances that he has been a part of, Marchand remembers those that he took while stationed in Germany.
“The (Berlin) Wall had just come down and some of the countries we went to had never met an American,” Marchand said. “It was a great way for them to meet us.”
A performance at a memorial service for the families of those that were killed in the 2003 crash of the Space Shuttle Columbia provides a poignant memory for Marchand.
“It was very meaningful for us to be a part of those ceremonies that support those families,” Marchand said.
Marchand, who is married with four children, enjoys his career and his fellow band members.
“We all get along great and enjoy being able to do this for a living,” he said. “It’s kinda like a family. It’s great to play on a regular basis with very talented people.”