Homeward Bound

by MU1 Jon Barnes

MU1 Jon Barnes

Our concert yesterday morning was at the North Carolina Music Educators Association Conference (NCMEA) in Winston-Salem, NC. An enthusiastic audience comprised of music educators, students, and community members greeted us. Performing for this type of audience is a joy, especially since my favorite aspect of tour is the opportunity to work with music students.

MUCS Matthew Neff

Over the course of the tour, the band conducted several clinics and I enjoyed meeting many young trumpet players. Sharing my love of this music is the best part of the job. Yesterday afternoon, our trombone section was able to share their combined knowledge and experience with a large group of about 350 NCMEA conference attendees. They demonstrated section playing and improvisational techniques, as well as approaches to teaching younger trombone students.

Now with my first Commodores tour almost under my belt (I'm the newest member of the band), I look forward to next year and another opportunity to share music across this great country!

About the Author

MU1 Jon Barnes is a  native of the Baltimore area and joined the Navy Band in 2012. After earning a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies from Rowan University, he went on to study with Jon Faddis and Scott Wendholt at Manhattan School of Music, where he earned a Master of Music in jazz performance.