Eureka High Music Director and Guard Leader Promoted

John Arata, Eureka High School music director and a member of the , was promoted to the rank of major in a ceremony at Lambert-St. Louis Airport.

In addition to his duties as commanding officer of the Lambert-based 571st Air National Guard Band, Arata, of , also is the keyboard and violin player for , the rock band element of the 571st that gained international fame with its performance of “Rolling in the Deep,” by Adele. 

Arata, 40, has taught at for 18 years. The band earned this school year at competitions.

“It’s great that the skills I learned in the civilian world can be applied to my military career, while my military career enhances my civilian life,” Arata said in an announcement from the Missouri National Guard.

Having started piano lessons at the tender age of 6, Arata had music in his blood and played the clarinet for the and at Southwest Missouri State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music education. He later earned a master’s degree in conducting at Southern Illinois University.

Arata enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard in 1999, serving as a flight operations specialist in the 135th Aviation Battalion before joining the Air National Guard in 2002.

“I had every intention of staying in the Army until I heard of an open position in the (Air National Guard) band,” he stated in the announcement. “That’s when I decided to apply for the position and joined the Air Guard where I was commissioned an officer.”

While playing with Sidewinder in the Middle East, the band became an overnight sensation when a video of one of their performances went viral and was viewed millions of times. As a result, the band was invited to perform on the “Ellen” DeGeneres Show, “Good Morning America” and the Fox News Network’s “Fox and Friends.”

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“That is certainly something that the band is professionally proud of,” Arata said. “We work very hard to communicate the Air Guard mission to the public and to provide that needed troop morale support. If you’re watching us perform and you’re having fun, then I’m doing my job.”

Among those attending Arata’s promotion ceremony was his fiancée, Tracy Russom, of . The couple is planning a June wedding.

Editor's Note: This article was provided by Bill Phelan, public affairs representative, 70th Troop Command, Missouri National Guard.