But in mid-February, the newly formed base choir made its musical debut singing the national anthem at the 341st Missile Wing's annual awards banquet.

Eleven airmen performed that night, though up to two dozen have rehearsed with the group since it was formed in early December.

Members range from missilieers to security forces to missile chefs to contracting, budget and medical airmen,as well as spouses and dependents.

"I just kept thinking 'Smile, don't look frightened,'" said Tech Sgt. Ulices Pereiravelasco on the Monday following the group's debut.

Most of the members said they have no problem speaking to large crowds or briefing superiors, but as they prepared to sing in front of their peers, their throats went dry and palms got sweaty.

The same went for Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Stiles, the base command chief.

He hatched the idea for a base choir and recruited 2nd Lt. Briana Crowe, who had sung at various base events. Malmstrom is the fourth base where he's started a base choir, but it's the first time he's joined them in song.

Stiles said he hadn't told some of his tablemates at the banquet that he was in the choir, so when he got up to sing, "Another chief was like where's he going?"

Even a few days after their debut, the group members were still buzzing from their performance and jazzed about what comes next.

"People know we would sound okay, but I think we shocked them," Stiles said.

The hope had been to eventually add instrumental accompaniment once the group had the vocals down and after the debut. Stiles said several airmen who play instruments said they were in.

Now the group is brainstorming ways to merge instruments and expand its musical repertoire.

Though their small numbers still create a mighty sound, they're working to recruit more members.

"People are intimidated that it will be like Glee, with everyone walking around with music to Journey in their heads," Stiles said. "I think all skill sets welcome."

A challenge to find members and get them all together for rehearsal is the widely different work schedules on base.

"The realities of a missile base," said Suzzanne Slaughter, an Air Force spouse and choir member.

Slaughter said she hadn't sung with a choir since ninth grade, but she was loving it.

She said she'd never heard of Pentatonix before Crowe played some of the group's a capella music as an example of what they could do in the future.

Since the Air Force canceled the 2016 tour of Tops in Blue, the service's traveling musical entertainment show, Stiles said that creates an entertainment void on base that the choir and musical groups could fill eventually.

They've also seen the videos of the Air Force Band, which performed a tribute to World War II era music over the holidays with heritage uniforms and big band style arrangements and dancing.

"They sky's the limit," Stiles said.

The mix of officer, enlisted, civilian and different career fields and musical backgrounds also enables some off-duty networking and relationship building.

"I love singing," said 1st Lt. Deanna Kerkhoff, of the 341st Mission Support Group. "It's just fun. I love singing with a group of people."

She sang with the show choir while attending the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Kerkhoff was singing during a rehearsal next to Staff Sgt. Sherry Greene from the base budget office. They know each other through their jobs, but singing together adds another layer.

They said it's also been enjoyable to build a choir from scratch.

Young airmen also are getting a chance to interact on a regular basis with seasoned airmen and develop some leadership skills in a different venue.

But, it's also time full of fun and jokes like this exchange while the group was working on its pace and breathing for the national anthem:

Crowe: "Oh yeah, the fermata."

Stiles: "I've eaten one of those."

Crowe: "That's a frittata."

They might not find themselves singing like characters on Glee, but the group members are having fun and expanding their appreciation for music.

"Now I can't hear the national anthem without hearing my bass part," Stiles said."I can tell my musical tastes are changing. I worked out to Frank Sinatra the other day."

jrowell@greatfallstribune.com

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