As Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe during World War II, General Dwight D. Eisenhower placed great importance on maintaining high morale of the troops. Music was an essential part of his strategy. He enthusiastically encouraged the major contributions of Irving Berlin, Glenn Miller, and Glenn Miller’s Army Air Force Band.

In the concert, Music Director David Grandis and the Virginia Chamber Orchestra (VCO) are joined by Narrator Robert Aubry Davis from public broadcasting station WETA. The Airmen of Note, founded to continue the Glenn Miller Band tradition, perform Miller’s signature songs, and the Pro Coro Alexandria singers and orchestra perform Berlin’s “God Bless America, sometimes called the “second national anthem.”

Davis provides insights about Eisenhower’s musical favorites—selected from lists by reliable sources and recordings in his personal collection—and shares what they reveal about him. The program also includes music performed at White House events hosted by Ike and Mamie, and Ike’s personal favorites from a West Point song and a folk tune to music from a hit Broadway show.

During the program, nationally recognized Eisenhower experts and students discuss his dramatic rise to the top five American presidents in polls by leading presidential historians. The experts and students explore Eisenhower's leadership style and goals, and his accomplishments and disappointments.

How to Watch the Program

In Fairfax County, Virginia

• Watch on Red Apple 21 — Cox Communications, Comcast Cable, or Verizon
• Video Stream — https://itweb.fcps.edu/fairfaxnetwork/live/index.cfm

The Virginia Chamber Orchestra website has a Study Guide and Lesson Plans that complement the video. Registration is required (free) to access these documents. Click here to register. 

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