Norview High senior Danlie Cuenca knew she was a good singer. But when she performed in the school’s 2013 talent show, she already had plans for a military career. She was a member of the school's nationally ranked Navy ROTC and thrived under its structure and camaraderie.
After the talent show, her choir director’s husband—a retired Navy musician— told Cuenca that the Navy hires vocalists. The Norfolk native saw the opportunity to combine her passions into a career.
On Tuesday, Cuenca, now Musician First-class (MU1), returns to Hampton Roads to perform a free concert at the Sandler Center with the U.S. Navy Band. The band is on a multi-state tour, spanning from Georgia to Virginia, commemorating the U.S. military’s 250th anniversary and the band's 100th anniversary of touring. This is Cuenca’s fifth tour.
Cuenca was accepted into the Navy Music Program after she graduated from Norview. She went through boot camp, as all military musicians must, including those with professional experience in opera and symphony and those holding master's and doctoral degrees in music. Following boot camp, Cuenca attended the Navy School of Music in Virginia Beach.
Being a military musician allows her to perform worldwide, providing a stable income and job security.
“You get the best of both worlds,” she said.
She also learned about the importance of music in the military. Music has long been used to structure the schedules and marching of soldiers, as a form of intimidation or to declare surrender. Music expresses sorrow and triumph felt in battle.
“Everything that can be played is a signal to something,” Cuenca said. Music still provides directional commands, such as an “officers call” to dinner or cues for the musicians to pick up or lay down their instruments.
Some of the marching commands have fallen out of practice, but music continues to build morale as it's used in ceremonies, parades and funerals.
The Virginia Beach performance includes the Concert Band, Sea Chanters chorus and Cruisers popular music group, which features Cuenca. The groups usually perform separately but have come together for the anniversary celebrations.
The ensembles will play traditional band music, modern pop and classic hits. Between the songs, narrators explain aspects of naval history and pay tribute to veterans.
Cuenca loves clapping, singing and dancing with the audience. She’s particularly honored to have veterans in the crowd.
“For them, either it’s been a long time since they've seen anything that has to do with the Navy or the military in general, and I think they’re brought back to those memories with their friends, with their colleagues, with their battle buddies,” she said. “They feel touched.”
And so does she. Sometimes it’s difficult for her to finish a song because she feels so moved by the connection.
“That is a shared moment for us,” she said, “Even though we’re strangers. And afterwards we’re not.”
The 2025 U.S. Navy Band National Tour performance at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach is sold out.
