Rochester native Chief Musician Pamela Blakely will return to her childhood home with the United States Navy Concert Band for a performance on Monday, February 23, at 7 p.m. at the Greece Performing Arts Center, 800 Long Pond Road, Rochester.
Blakely grew up in Greece and was a student in the Spencerport school district. Her mother was a member of the Greece Performing Arts Choral Society for more than 20 years. She went on to earn a bachelor’s from Indiana University and a master’s from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. In 2014, she auditioned for the U.S. Navy’s fleet bands, and following the completion of basic training, reported to Navy Band Great Lakes as her first duty assignment, one of the Navy’s nine regional bands. In 2016, she took a national audition for a single french horn vacancy with the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., the Navy’s premier musical organization. After winning that audition 10 years ago and moving to Washington, D.C., Blakely was promoted twice and is now a chief petty officer in the Navy.
As part of its 2026 Northeast tour celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, the U.S. Navy Band will present a family-friendly concert designed to connect each community with its Navy. The program features a broad selection of musical works, from American classics to contemporary pieces. Selections include works by John Williams, Joseph Turrin, Alberto Ginastera, John Philip Sousa, and Aaron Copland.
The concert is free, but tickets can be reserved by visiting the band’s website:…