All best wishes and thanks to Chief Warrant Officer Richard Wyman, the esteemed and long-time assistant director of the United States Coast Guard Band. The ensemble's concert Sunday, in Leamy Hall at the United States Coast Guard Academy and with Wyman at the podium, marks his final performance with the ensemble. 

"Sea Songs" is the title of the program and features works by Mason Bates, Joseph Schwantner, Gustav Holst, the band's Chief Musician Sean Nelson, and George Gershwin. 

Wyman, who's been assistant director of the band since 2004, says he has myriad thoughts going through his head of his time with the Coast Guard Band, including:

1. Tours of Japan in 2008 and Taiwan in 2011. The latter included an outdoor concert in Chiayi City with thousands of screaming fans. Wyman says the response was so great that "I kept thinking Lady Gaga had snuck up behind us, and maybe the audience was excited about her instead?"

2. "I'll miss daily being around 50 of America's best musicians — learning from them and hearing them play."

3. Recalling the night in 2008 when the renowned Leonard Slatkin of the Detroit Symphony conducted the band.

4. A confidence that Sunday's "Sea Songs" concert is something he'll never forget for many reasons, not the least of which is that the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Schwantner will be in the audience.

United States Coast Guard Band, 2 p.m. Sunday, Leamy Hall, United States Coast Guard Academy, 15 Mohegan Ave., New London; free; (860) 701-6826.