MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- -- With the commanding general's Summer Concert Series underway, the Depot Band looked to fine-tune their show for the next two performances by doing something they have never done in their 86-year history.
Tuesday evening marked the first of three rehearsals the Band conducted for its upcoming concerts on July 4 aboard the Depot and July 12 at the Beaufort Water Festival.
What makes these rehearsals and concerts unique is that for the first time in their history, they are to perform with a professional choir.
The choir, named In Excelsis, is a 14-voice ensemble that hails from the Lowcountry that has been performing for the past year-and-a-half. The choir was the result of Lynda K. McClain, founder and director of In Excelsis, who sought to bring about a new level of [choir] performances to Beaufort.
"Teaming up with a choir is something I wanted to do to make this year's concerts different," said CWO2 Robert A. Szabo, director of the Parris Island Marine Band.
Szabo contacted McClain over the telephone to propose the idea after several of the Depot's band members heard the choir perform and passed word of the performance to him.
"After some investigation, we decided we needed to put this together," Szabo said.
Although the first rehearsal together was completed Tuesday, the choir has been rehearsing since the last week of May, said McClain.
"We received the song list in late May and started rehearsing shortly after," she said.
"Tuesday's practice session was simply to mesh the two units together to fine-tune the performance."
Getting together in a small, cramped and often times hot rehearsal room, the 43 members of the Depot Band and 13 members of In Excelsis managed to work through their discomforts and set out to achieve nothing short of perfection, stopping each number continually until it was done right.
The two musical groups showed great respect toward one another as they continually applauded each other after every piece rehearsed.
After two hours, the musicians parted ways until Tuesday, when they will meet for their second rehearsal with a third, and final, dress rehearsal still to come. The end result of the day's rehearsal saw both Szabo and McClain confident in their groups' performance in the upcoming concerts.
"What the public is going to see, I'm know they'll enjoy," said Szabo.
What the public will see is a variety of musical numbers such as "America the Beautiful", "Hero for Today", "America, the Dream Goes On" and "Wind Beneath My Wings."
The two musical groups will also share more than a stage; they will be sharing a musician.
Corporal Nathan Wilson will be joining In Excelsis' men's quartet, ONE VOICE! as an additional member to the quartet that is to perform "the Great Pretender," by the Platters.
Also featured in the upcoming concert will be tenor soloist, Gregg McClain of In Excelsis, performing a Frank Sinatra medley.
The decision to go with a choir is part of Szabo's attempt to show the dexterity and flexibility of his band, showing they are much more than the general public's view of them.
"We're much more than a parade band," said Szabo. "I consider these band members very fine Marines, musicians and performers. The Depot and community should be made aware of what [the Band] is capable of."
Expecting to top last year's attendance of 8,000 spectators, McClain urges folks to get to the concert early.
The concert for July 4 at the Peatross Parade Deck is scheduled to commence at 7:30 p.m. and will be open to the public.