MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, San Diego -- Green, gold and scarlet lights lit the crisp southern California sky as Marines and families alike celebrated another holiday season on Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. Children holding cups of hot chocolate and recruits sitting row-by-row atop bleachers were serenaded with seasonally traditional holiday music.
The depot opened its gates to nearly 500 guests, Dec. 12, for Holiday Concert 2010, an annual event hosted by Marine Band San Diego.
“I think it’s awesome that they put this together,” said Stephanie Mekealian, wife of Cpl. Charles Mekealian, musician, Marine Band San Diego. “It’s a lot of effort for a free concert, especially with all the lights. They must have really gone through a lot.”
The concert began at 6 p.m. as the band’s brass section opened with the song, the “Christmas Fanfare.” Immediately after, the invocation was read by Navy Lt. Robert W. Peters III, the chaplain of 3rd Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment followed by the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Major Gen. Ronald L. Bailey, commanding general, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and Western Recruiting Region, officially welcomed the guests and had the honors of lighting the depot’s three-story tall Christmas tree.
One highlight during the concert featured Maj. Gen. Bailey, Navy Lt. Robert W. Peters III, the chaplain of 3rd Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, along with Sarah Enriquez from Marine Corps Community Services, and band member Cpl. Ethan McDaniel sang, “O Holy Night” while band mate Sgt. Robert Koonce accompanied them on piano.
“I was deeply honored that the commanding general asked me to sing with him,” said McDaniel. “It’s an amazing feeling that your commanding general thinks you have talent and wants to sing with you.”
To pick up the tempo for the evening, the band’s Contemporary Music Ensemble performed country song, “Santa Looks a lot Like Daddy,” sung by McDaniel and Cpl. Kyle Schaefer, a musician with the band. As they took their seats, band member and multi-talented musician Cpl. Traymond Miller soulfully sang “This Christmas.”
“I love the aspect of performing,” said Miller. “But with my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) of being a trombone instrumentalist I don’t get many opportunities to sing. I love being able to use the gifts that God has blessed me with to entertain an audience.”
During the middle of the concert, Santa Claus and band member Lance Cpl. Eric Fisher performed a skit to “It’s Christmas Day, All Secure” as Gunnery Sgt. Jesse Barta, the band’s drum major, read the poem to the audience.
“The Bugler’s Holiday” followed the reading featuring a multi-trumpet performance by Staff Sgt. Dustin Spina, Sgt. Maurice Lewis and Sgt. Joseph McAdams IV, musicians, Marine Band San Diego.
The concert would not be complete without a song from John Philip Sousa, so the band aptly played, “Stars and Stripes for Christmas.”
At the end of the evening, the band successfully caught the attention of jolly old Saint Nick and even got him on stage while performing, “Here Comes Santa Claus.”
“This was all very refreshing,” said Recruit Jacob Villanueva, Platoon 1046, Company C, 1st Recruit Training Battalion. “It puts us in the holiday spirit, especially since we graduate right before Christmas.”