The West Plains High School Zizzer Pride Band will perform a variety of patriotic music at the 21st annual “A Musical Salute to Veterans” at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, at the West Plains Civic Center.
Hosted by the Missouri State University-West Plains University/Community Programs (U/CP) Department, the event is free and open to all.
“It’s an honor and a pleasure to be able to recognize our many veterans each year with this concert,” said Katarina Vetter, U/CP theater and events coordinator. “Our community is so thankful for all of those who have served, and this is one of the ways we show that. It’s a wonderful thing to see the high school band want to be a part of this event, and we are happy to have them.”
Award-winning band
The award-winning Zizzer Pride Band, under the direction of Rocky Long and Melody Alford, performs over 50 times each school year for parades, band festivals, athletic events, concerts and other community-related events.
The Zizzer Pride Band has performed at several events in our nation’s capitol over the years. In May 2016, the band played a feature concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the Centennial Celebration of the National Parks Service.
The group played at the World War II Memorial in 2008 and at the Lincoln Memorial in May 2012 to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its dedication.
The band will return to Washington, D.C., in May 2020 to perform again at the Lincoln and World War II Memorials.
The jazz band has been selected twice to perform for the Magic Music Days Festival at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The West Plains band program consists of nine performing ensembles, including the high school’s Zizzer Pride Marching Band, Varsity Concert Band, Junior Varsity Concert Band, Jazz Band, Band Techniques Class, Basketball Pep Band, Middle School Advanced Band, Middle School Intermediate Band and Middle School Beginning Band.
For more information about the “A Musical Salute to Veterans” program, call the U/CP Department office, 417-255-7966.