'Gathering of the Bands' salutes U.S. Air Force 560th

North Idaho College is hosting "The Gathering of the Bands" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13 in the Schuler Performing Arts Center. Eighth-grade students from area middle schools will perform along with special conductor Maj. James W. Phillips in a salute to the 560th U.S. Air Force Band.

For 65 years, the 560th entertained and educated the Northwest and beyond with a wonderful array of concerts, parades and other performances. They set the bar for high-quality performances. Their members also contributed to many groups performing outside the 560th, including the Spokane Jazz Orchestra, the Spokane Symphony, and others outside the region. This free concert salutes the 560th with a concert that spans the ages.

Some of the music to be performed includes the "Raiders' March," which is one of the many famous John Williams movie scores, "Ghost Train," by Eric Whitacre, who set out to capture a supernatural machine that roars through forgotten towns and empty canyons and is deeply rooted in American folklore, and "Perseus - A Hero's Quest in the Heavens," where composer Satoshi Yagisawa creates a piece with space and stars as a theme, utilizing chorale-like melodies to tell the story of the famous Greek hero.

The concert is free and open to the public.