US Air Force Band of the Golden West

Enjoy a free concert by the US Air Force Band of the Golden West as part of the CELEBRATE THE SEASON concert series at Temple Hill. The concert takes place Monday, December 4^th at 7:00 PM in the Oakland Temple Hill Auditorium (4780 Lincoln Ave). Hear your favorite holiday classics as well as new repertoire played by the concert band, jazz band, vocalists, and smaller woodwind and brass chamber groups.

About the band:

The Concert Band is the largest performing ensemble within the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West and upholds the United States’ historic legacy of symphonic wind band music. Composed of nearly 50 musicians, the Concert Band performs across California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona for thousands of listeners in live concert appearances and for millions via its numerous television, radio, and internet broadcasts. Throughout its history, the Concert Band has collaborated with some of America’s leading band conductors and received enthusiastic critical acclaim as one of the premier musical organizations of its kind.

The Concert Band performs a wide variety of music, from standard concert band and wind ensemble literature to orchestral transcriptions, military marches, jazz, pop, Broadway, and more. Its varied and eclectic programs offer something for everyone and is an excellent choice for family entertainment.

As part of the Band of the Golden West, the Concert Band’s mission is to harness musical excellence to HONOR our nation and those who have served, INSPIRE patriotism and resilience in our Airmen, Guardians, and nations’ citizens, and CONNECT the Air Force with the American public and community partners. The excellence demonstrated by the Concert Band reflects the excellence displayed by all Airmen stationed worldwide, whose selfless service and sacrifices ensure the freedoms enjoyed by citizens of the United States of America.

Commander & Conductor

Lieutenant Colonel Cristina M. Moore Urrutia serves as Commander and Conductor of the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West, Travis Air Force Base, California. The 60-member unit, composed of ten musical ensembles, performs more than 350 missions annually throughout a five- state area of responsibility as an ambassador of the Air Force and Air Mobility Command. Its mission is to honor our nation and its military, inspire patriotism while invigorating the resiliency of Airmen and their families, and connect with both the American public and vital regional and national partners to build trust and advocate for our nation’s strategic defense priorities.

A native of Kimball, Nebraska, Lt Col Moore Urrutia graduated with high distinction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1995 with a Bachelor of Music degree in French Horn Performance and a Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting in 1998. During that time, she began her military career as an enlisted member of the United States Army, serving as Principal Horn and Associate Conductor of the 43rd Army Band of the Nebraska National Guard. She then joined the United States Air Force, receiving her commission as a Distinguished Graduate of Officer Training School in April 2001. Lt Col Moore Urrutia has served multiple command tours and has led bands before US Presidents and foreign Heads of State at such prestigious locations such as the White House, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, and the Maidan Square in Kyiv, Ukraine. She also conducted the Singing Sergeants at the historic Ford’s Theater in the nationally televised “An American Celebration: A Salute to Our Troops,” was the guest emcee for the PBS special “Salute to Veterans 2011” and has appeared as a guest conductor and clinician for multiple military and civilian bands and orchestras worldwide. Units under her command have leveraged engagement opportunities in countries such as Australia, China, Colombia, Kenya, Poland, Thailand, and Ukraine, using music to further US strategic partnership building objectives across six continents.

Guest Vocalist

Alina Ilchuk, a Ukrainian-American soprano, has gained acclaim for the exquisite quality of her vocal expression and the nuanced interpretations she brings to her performances. Since making her professional debut in 1995, she has graced audiences across Europe, the United States, and Canada, collaborating withnumerous esteemed ensembles. In recent times, her efforts have been directed towards raising funds for her homeland of Ukraine, as well as actively promoting Ukrainian cultural heritage. In 2022, Ms. Ilchuk delivered a solo recital showcasing the works of Ukrainian composers in collaboration with the distinguished lecturer and pianist Peter Grünberg for the prestigious program LiederAlive! in San Francisco. She has appeared as a featured artist at the Concert of Compassion, sharing the stage with legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and composer Jake Heggie.

Ms. Ilchuk is deeply committed to supporting the development of arts education worldwide. In 1998, she established the award-winning Sacramento Academy of Musical Arts, guiding aspiring musicians to remarkable successes, including performances at illustrious venues such as Carnegie Hall and enrollment in prestigious music programs, such as the Merola Program at the San Francisco Opera, SF Conservatory of Music Vocal Intensive, Boston University Tanglewood Institute Summer Program, and Curtis Mentor Network. Her students have also achieved excellence in various music competitions and have actively participated in theatrical productions and choral ensembles. During the early 2000s, she helped launch and taught at the Sacramento-based Slavic branch of Patten University, facilitating access to higher education for immigrants from post-Soviet republics in the United States. Furthermore, she is a steadfast supporter of the American-Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation, channeling her efforts into raising financial support for the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv.

Ms. Ilchuk holds a Master’s Degree in Performance and Music Education from the Mykola Lysenko National Academy of Music in Lviv, Ukraine, and a Master of Music in Voice Performance from California State University, Sacramento. She is a distinguished member of Pi Kappa Lambda and the National Association of Teachers of Singing, where she has been an active contributor on the boards of both the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter and the California Capital Chapter of NATS.

This wonderful event is open to the public. All are welcome. Reserve your free tickets starting November 1st.