• Article Photo. Heartland of America members represented the USAF Thursday during a concert in Vinton.
    Heartland of America members represented the USAF Thursday during a concert in Vinton.
  • Article Photo. Gary Steinberg plays the mirimba while Jonathan Biccum plays the bassoon during Thursday's concert.
    Gary Steinberg plays the mirimba while Jonathan Biccum plays the bassoon during Thursday's concert.
  • Article Photo. Jonathan Biccum makes his own reeds for the bassoon, like others who play that woodwind do.
    Jonathan Biccum makes his own reeds for the bassoon, like others who play that woodwind do.
  • Article Photo. Jonathan Biccum plays a bassoon solo.
    Jonathan Biccum plays a bassoon solo.
  • Article Photo. SrA Steinberg and SSgt Biccum also played a drum and guitar set.
    SrA Steinberg and SSgt Biccum also played a drum and guitar set.
  • Article Photo. SrA Steinberg plays the cajon, which the percussionist sits on.
    SrA Steinberg plays the cajon, which the percussionist sits on.
  • Article Photo. MSgt Hughey Hancock acknowledges the audience as the Heartland of America Band leaves the stage.
    MSgt Hughey Hancock acknowledges the audience as the Heartland of America Band leaves the stage.
  • Article Photo. Nancy Baldwin discusses the mirimba with USAF musician Gary Steinberg; she also plays a mirimba.
    Nancy Baldwin discusses the mirimba with USAF musician Gary Steinberg; she also plays a mirimba.
  • Article Photo. The
    The "beast," a large mirimba, was a featured instrument for the USAF Heartland of America concert.

Did you know that the bassoon is the only woodwind instrument that requires the use of all 10 fingers, or that that you can change the pitch and muffle the sound of a cajon by holding your shoe against it as you sit on it, tapping it with your fingers?

Or, did you know that the USAF has been ranked as the fifth most "blissful" place to work, based on a recent report that included a survey of job benefits, potential for growth, job security and work-life balance?

Those and other music and life lessons took place on the stage of the Vinton-Shellsburg High School auditorium Thursday night, when the United States Air Force Winds of Freedom Heartland of America Band performed a free concert.

The six-member band is based at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Each musician has a full-time job with the Air Force as well as performing in hundreds of concert each year in the Midwest. Heartland of America is one of many performing ensembles in the USAF Winds of Freedom music program.

Band members played guitars, percussion instruments, clarinets, and horns during their performance, which ended an eight-day swing through Iowa. 

"We are a walking, talking, playing commericial for the USAF," bassoon player Jonathan Biccum told the audience. Some of the band members have played for the troops in the Persian Gulf.

"We take them the message of support they have from you," said group leader Nancy Montera. 

The band played a variety of patriotic songs, as well as music from other parts of the world. 

One audience favorite was "The American Anthem (otherwise known as "America, I gave my best to you"), which came from the Ken Burns PBS series, "The War," about World War II. 

After the concert, the musicians invited the audience to come to the stage to talk to them about their music and their instruments. The VSHS band members were required to attend the concert, said Band Director Karl Smith. Part of the band curriculum is learning from the performances of experienced musicians.

"This was a great performance for the students to hear," said Smith.