Originally from the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, Staff Sergeant Ruben Ortega joined the Soldiers’ Chorus in the fall of 2023. A devotion to music from an early age led Ruben to sing competitively and conduct choirs before entering college. Ruben has earned a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from East Carolina University and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Being a choir member has allowed Ruben to sing in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the Washington National Cathedral, the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York and conduct the YouthCue Choral Ambassadors in St. Patrick’s Cathedral of Dublin, Ireland.
The Soldiers’ Chorus, founded in 1957, is the vocal complement of The United States Army Field Band of Washington, DC. The 24-member mixed choral ensemble travels throughout the nation and abroad, performing as a separate component and in joint concerts with the Concert Band of The Musical Ambassadors of the Army. The chorus has performed in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, India, the Far East, and throughout Europe, entertaining audiences of all ages.
The immense talent of Soldiers’ Chorus personnel provide the ensemble with unique flexibility, and in addition to presenting selections from the vast choral repertoire, each member of the ensemble is an accomplished soloist in their own right. Performances often include the music of Broadway, barbershop quartet, Americana, as well as Pop, Rock, and R&B. Critics have acclaimed recent appearances with the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, and the Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Nashville, and National symphony orchestras, giving the chorus a nationwide reputation for musical excellence and inspiring patriotism.
Other notable performances include four World Fairs, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Kennedy Center Honors Programs, the rededication of the Statue of Liberty, the 100th anniversary of Grand Canyon National Park, PBS’s annual National Memorial Day Concert, and the state funerals of Presidents Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter.