USAFE-AFAFRICA Band Records Original Piece with Baumholder MHS Director
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — The USAFE-AFAFRICA Band and Baumholder Middle High School teamed up to produce a professional recording of Kimber’s Lament, an original piece written for the upcoming DoDEA Europe Middle School Honors Festival. The concert band work, composed by Baumholder MHS Band Director Jim Valieant, was brought to life during a focused two-hour rehearsal and recording session in the USAFE band room at Ramstein Air Base on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025.
Valieant said collaborating with the Air Force musicians was both inspiring and energizing. “Working with such talented musicians was humbling, but being part of the recording process and providing real-time feedback on artistic interpretation as they brought Kimber to life was amazing,” he said. “It was a tremendous collaborative effort. I can’t thank the band enough.”
The recording will serve as a reference for middle school student musicians prep this may be the first time a living composer has collaborated directly with them on a recording, marking a unique milestone for both the band and the DoDEA music community.
AFN covered the session, capturing behind-the-scenes footage of the collaboration. BMHS senior Keandre Anderson also documented the experience as part of the school’s video production team and will continue chronicling the project during the festival in January.
