News>AFCENT Band "Top Flight" performs for Kyrgyz students in Naryn
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Audience members dance while members of the U.S. Air Forces Central band "Top Flight" perform Sept. 27, 2012 at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. The band is currently deployed from Joint Base San Antonio and performed for various residents in the Kyrgyz Republic while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of Naryn. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
Aliman Temirbek (left) and Senior Airman Henry Roberson warm up by singing and making equipment adjustments prior to a U.S. Air Forces Central band "Top Flight" performance Sept. 27, 2012 at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. Temirbek who is a Transit Center at Manas media relations specialist and a native of Bishkek has joined four other AFCENT bands during their travels throughout the Kyrgyz Republic. Roberson is Top Flight's bassist and male vocalist who is stationed at Joint Base San Antonio and a native of Detroit. The band performed for more than 800 Kyrgyz residents in Naryn while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
Senior Airman Henry Roberson warms up by making adjustments to his bass prior to a U.S. Air Forces Central band "Top Flight" performance Sept. 27, 2012 at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. Roberson who is Top Flight's bassist and male vocalist is stationed at Joint Base San Antonio and a native of Detroit. The band performed for more than 800 Kyrgyz residents while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of Naryn. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
Tech. Sgt. Christin Foley (right) sings while Staff Sgt. Gregory Lacy plays the guitar during a U.S. Air Forces Central band "Top Flight" performance Sept. 27, 2012 at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. Foley who is Top Flight's lead vocalist and Lacy, the lead guitarist are deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. The two are natives of Cleveland and Houston respectively. The band performed for more than 800 Kyrgyz residents while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of Naryn. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
Staff Sgt. Gregory Lacy plays the guitar during a U.S. Air Forces Central band "Top Flight" performance Sept. 27, 2012 at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. Lacy who is the band's lead guitarist is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and native of Houston. The band performed for more than 800 Kyrgyz residents while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of Naryn. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
Master Sgt. Darrin Dziergowski plays the keyboard during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. Dziergowski is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio and a native of Suitland, Md. The band performed for more than 800 Kyrgyz residents in Naryn while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
Aliman Temirbek sings with the band, "Top Flight" during a U.S. Air Forces Central band performance Sept. 27, 2012 at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. Temirbek, who is a Transit Center at Manas media relations specialist and a native of Bishkek, has joined four other AFCENT bands during their travels throughout the Kyrgyz Republic. The band performed for more than 800 Kyrgyz residents in Naryn while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
Tech. Sgt. Chad Newman plays the drums during a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. Newman who is a percussionist is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio and a native of Arlington, Texas. The band performed for more than 800 Kyrgyz residents in Naryn while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
Tech. Sgt. Chad Newman shows Arbermet Zhyrgalbekova how to play the drums after a U.S. Air Forces Central Band "Top Flight" performance at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan. Newman who is a percussionist is deployed from Joint Base San Antonio and a native of Arlington, Texas and Zhyrgalbekova is a resident of Naryn. The band performed for more than 800 Kyrgyz residents in Naryn while on a four-day U.S. Embassy led tour of the region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Vaught)
by Master Sgt. Jason Vaught
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
10/7/2012 - NARYN PROVINCE, KYRGYZSTAN -- Airmen from the U.S. Air Forces Central band, "Top Flight" performed for more than 400 Kyrgyz students Sept. 27, 2012 during a live concert at the House of Youth, Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan.
The six-member band deployed from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas and is currently on a 90-day tour playing for various audiences throughout Southwest Asia. Their 12-day stop in Kyrgyzstan began with performances on the Transit Center at Manas and followed with a 4-day trip to the Naryn Province as part of a U.S. Embassy outreach initiative.
Local teens in Naryn were thrilled that an American band traveled to their city to play live music for them.
Zhrygalbekova enjoyed listening to the live music. She was able to see the last AFCENT band, "Vector" perform during her vacation to Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan where they were on a similar outreach program as Top Flight.
"We all like when the band visited Issyk-Kul," she said. "It is great that [Top Flight] now come to Naryn and play for me and my friends, thank you."
Top Flight, who performs a mix of pop, rock and country, drove the students and teachers to their feet with hits by Michael Jackson and Justin Beiber.
"The band was very good," said Alymudunova Sydyrym who is also resident from Naryn. "The song by Rhianna was my favorite."
Aliman Temirbek, Transit Center media relations specialist, is no stranger to performing with the AFCENT bands who visit Kyrgyzstan. She was invited by Tech. Sgt. Christin Foley and Senior Airman Henry Roberson, Top Flight vocalists to sing a few songs.
"I have performed with other Air Force bands but I really enjoyed singing with Top Flight, they play all my favorite pop songs," said Temirbek who is a Bishkek native. "For Kyrgyz children to see me singing popular songs in English helps them see how music connects us all."
After the performance, Tech. Sgt. Chad Newman, Top Flight percussionist and a crowd favorite was surrounded by students wanting to play the drums.
"Entertaining the audience was the highlight of this trip," said Newman who is a native of Arlington, Texas. "Having the kids come and play on the drums was a wonderful way to reach the children culturally."
