US Air Force Band conductor

Photo By Lt.Cmdr. Jim Remington | Col. Larry H. Lang, commander and conductor of The United States Air Force Band, leads a rehearsal for performances which will honor the upcoming U.S. Air Force birthday. His premier musical unit inspires patriotism and military service in fellow citizens, honors those who serve, and represents the U.S. Air Force and United States to millions worldwide. Lang is responsible for all activities of this 184-member squadron including equipping, training, and deploying Airmen musicians to perform nearly 1,600 missions each year. Born in El Paso, Texas, Lang began his musical career as a trombonist. He attended New Mexico State University in Las Cruces where he earned bachelor's degrees in music education and music performance in 1980. He went on to complete a master's degree in music education at the University of New Hampshire in Durham and was appointed to the faculty there in 1982. He also served for seven years as assistant director of bands at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La.  

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES

09.18.2014

Story by Nicole Woods 

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

WASHINGTON - As conductor for the United States Air Force Band, for over two years now, and as the only colonel in the career field, Col. Larry Lang has been serving and performing with the Air Force for 24 years.

From his hometown in El Paso, Texas, Lang became an officer in 1990 after getting through auditions for the band in 1989.

He joined the Air Force because he wanted to work with professionals, knowing that they possessed a high caliber of musicians and people.

“I have been so blessed every step of the way,” said Lang.

With degrees in trombone performance and in music education from New Mexico State University and the University of New Hampshire, Lang taught for many years and performed professionally as a trombonist with the El Paso Symphony prior to enlisting.

Lang was a college band director for 10 years at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

“I love doing what I’ve been able to do and what I’m doing today.”

Currently on his sixth assignment with the Air Force, he explains that the Air Force Band program has 10 sub-bands and, “I’ve been very fortunate to be the commander of five of them.”

In Lang’s opinion, every band has been fantastic to work with and because “this is the premier band of the Air Force, all the actual ‘cream of the crop’ musicians and airmen are here.”

Gaining entry into this prestigious band is a very competitive process, with sometimes more than 150 people from all over the country auditioning for a single opening, until the best candidate is chosen, explained Lang.

Lang said that the Air Force Band is a very small career field and is also a permanent assignment, unlike many assignments in the Air Force that sometimes last for just two years.

Band members can stay in their positions for their entire career.

“We have some chiefs who have been here for 25-27 years,” said Lang. “This is the pinnacle of the officer development in our career field.”

In celebration of the Air Force’s birthday, the band performed a special concert Sept. 12 at the Air Force Memorial, with the secretary of the Air Force in attendance, the chief master sergeant of the Air Force and more than 1,000 people in attendance.

“Thank you and happy birthday Air Force,” concluded Lang.

• Date Taken: 09.18.2014
• Date Posted: 09.18.2014 15:16
• Story ID: 142579
• Location: JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US
• Hometown: EL PASO, TEXAS, US