Following is a message from our internationally reknown director, Thom Working:

“Tonight was our final performance and another amazing experience!  The band has played so well -  but we’ve also had very meaningful and emotional experiences at the gravesites - like the one today at Wassenaar where many Dutch Resistance fighters were executed.

We’ve had a great time traveling but we’ve also grown so much emotionally and have such a greater appreciation for the sacrifices in WWII.  It’s difficult to explain to the people at home how appreciative the people here still are 65 years later.

We’re so proud to represent our country in honoring the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for us all so many years ago.”

-Thom

With the performances behind us, all that’s left is to tour Amsterdam and travel home.  Hopefully I’ll be able to upload some additional photos while traveling…

All travelers are well and I believe everyone had black socks on at the concert tonight.  (Right, Jack?)

Clear your calendar and plan to attend our first summer concert in Holland, Michigan this coming Tuesday, June 16 at 7:30pm at the Henry P Vander Linde Bandshell in Kollen Park!  We’ll be playing many of the songs from our Tour of Europe.

While standing in France at the grave of WW1 soldier Gilbert Karsten, 90 year old veteran Ray Lokers from Hamilton, Michigan reflects on his service in World War II. Two days earlier, at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France overlooking Omaha Beach, 16 year old Alyssa Katerberg shares how visiting the final resting place of over 10,000 WWII veterens has impacted her.

Ray and Alyssa are the oldest and youngest travelers with the Holland American Legion Band traveling throughout Normandy, France to perform in the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion ceremonies.

Click here to listen to Ray and Alyssa.

8Jun09 2:25pm Normandy Time

Note from our director Thom Working:

This has been such an amazing experience. The reception of the French in Normandy has been really exhilarating. Standing ovations and many encore numbers.

It’s hard to describe how warm and open – and thankful even after 65 years – the people of Normandy are towards Americans.

The band has really outdone themselves, playing at a professional level!!! The Legion Color Guard adds a dimension which is so appreciated by both us and the audiences.

We also had the great honor to be a part of raising the flags and laying the wreath at the Normandy American Cemetery yesterday (Sunday) before our concert. The band members also split up into small groups to lay a rose at the base of the cross on each of the Ottawa-Kent county soldiers buried there. A very moving day!

The group has been working very hard with several performances a day for the last two days. Now onto Paris for a of R & R.

-Thom

Holland Legion Band at Normandy American Cemetery where President Obama spoke the day before.

Actually, the entire parade was WWII re-inactors.  Before our final concert in the village of Carentan, (I’m guessing about the size of Zeeland, Michigan) we had the good fortune of witnessing the Liberation Parade.  This was more of a military review than parade.  The narrow sidewalks lining the narrow streets were full of local french citizens celebrating the liberation while the 16-22ish year old re-inactors marched in formation with fully equipped vintage jeeps and small tanks.  Change the clothing worn by observers and remove a few contemporary cars from the street and we might just as well been in 1944.

I’m sure that I have never seen Old Glory waving in as many places as I’ve seen the past two days or the Star Spangled Banner played as frequently.  I can honestly say the people of Normandy, France could do Memorial Day and the 4th of July way better than we’ve ever done in the United States!

http://www.ot-carentan.fr/iso_album/carentan_3v_dday_65th.pdf

If you look close on the program listed above you can see our concert listed on June 7.

Under clear blue skies with a mild breeze, the Holland American Legion Band assembled for a five minute Sunday service presented by RCA Pastor and American Legion Band alto saxophone player Bob VanVoorst on the very location of President Obama’s speech a day earlier.

Here is the transcript to Pastor VanVoorst’s service at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach in Normandy, France:

Service at the American Cemetery in Normandy

June 7, 2009

Opening: This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Salutation: Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Jesus said,12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵I do not call you servants^* any longer, because the servant^* does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. ¹⁷I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.”

Meditation: “No Greater Love”

Prayer

We give thanks for: Jesus Christ, who has called us his friends and given his life for us; the fruitful work God has given us to do; the love that we share with all the people of God; the heritage of freedom that we enjoy; God’s presence with us.

We pray for: the unity and mission of the church; peace in the world, and especially for our nation; those who visit this place during this anniversary; our families and friends while we are separated from them; God’s blessing on our band as we travel and play; that all those who hear us may increase their dedication to justice and harmony among the nations.

Benediction “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up the light of his presence upon you, and grant you peace.”

Officiating: Robert Van Voorst, RCA minister (and 2^nd alto saxophonist).

Picture: Ron Geers playing Taps on Omaha Beach for the Ceremony for Soldiers Lost at Sea at Saint Martin de Varreville.

Picture:  Holland Legion Honor Guard on Omaha Beach.

How do they do it?  Professional singers/musicians I mean?  We had three concerts at three different venues today and one reception and now I’m totally beat!  Our last concert tonight was at the Concert Hall of Saint-Lo.  Very cool area!  They requested an encore…THREE TIMES!!!!  The stage lights were bright and the house lights were off, but our clarinet and flute players could see the French audience standing for the Star Spangled Banner.  Talk about a tear jerker!  That after seeing the invasion beaches with young soldiers site seeing and aged veterans performing in ceremonies while young children are playing in laughing on the beach where the invasions took place 65 years ago. I would have never guessed how popular RV’ing is in Normandy.  All the sites have a dozen or more RVs parked in the lot.

Note from our Esteemed Director Thom Working:

Tonight’s concert at the Center Hall of Saint-Lo was the most amazing concert the band has ever played.  We received a standing ovation and two encores.  -Thom

My math skills aren’t all that sharp, and frankly I’ve been told I fall a little flat when it comes to smarts, but I count 43 days till we climb on the plane headed for Normandy!!!  Tomorrow night (Thursday) is the first full rehearsal for the Normandy trip so it seems appropriate to officially begin blogging for the European Tour!!!  My name is Dave Boeve and I’ll be your blogging host throughout the trip.  Barring severe technical disaster, this blog will be YOUR source for video, audio, and text updates on our progress towards the trip and during the trip.  As the actual trip gets closer, you will also find coverage on woodtv.com and 1450AM WHTC (www.whtc.com), but for now, just keep checking out HollandLegionBand.org!

Fund raising: Yep, we can still use some!  Perhaps you’d like to sponsor this blog and have our huge, worldwide audience see your name in lights for the next two months!  Send me an e-mail at David@AudioMemories.org if interested.  Otherwise please follow the links to make a fully tax deductible contribution!  Thanks in advance!

I’ll try to catch some interviews with band members tomorrow night at practice for you!

Dave