Military band
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A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Music director. Ottoman military bands are thought to be the oldest variety of military marching bands in the world, dating from the 13th century.[1]
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The military band is capable of playing ceremonial and marching music, including the national anthems and patriotic songs of not only their own nation but others as well, both while stationary and as a marching band. Military bands also play a part in military funeral ceremonies.
There are two types of historical traditions in military bands. The first is military field music. This type of music includes bugles (or other natural instruments such as natural trumpets or natural horns), bagpipes, or fifes and almost always drums. This type of music was used to control troops on the battlefield as well as for entertainment. Following the development of instruments such as the keyed trumpet or the saxhorn family of brass instruments, a second tradition of the brass and woodwind military band was formed. A third type, that of a mounted band, serves cavalry and sometimes artillery formations.
Some police forces have their own police bands that provide a similar function to a military band. These bands are also scored as per a military band, i.e. brass, woodwind and percussion.
It should also be noted that the term "military band" also applies to civilian bands that are scored (that is the same instrumentation) as a military band. It is an older term as most of this type of bands have changed their names to "symphonic wind bands" or "concert bands". In the 1920s and 1930s the BBC maintained the "BBC Wireless Military Band ". The International Military Music Society published some transcribed recordings in the 1980s under their own label (IMMS 102)
Military band instruments such as fife, drum, and bugle were historically used to communicate orders to soldiers in battle.[2] 11th century book Diwan Lughat al-Turk mentions a prototype of the Mehtaran, as a "nevbet", Turkish military band tradition.[3] Bands were formed by soldiers.[4][5] 17th century traveler Evliya Çelebi noted that the Ottoman Empire had 40 guilds of musicians in the 1670s Istanbul.[6] Ottoman military bands influenced European equivalents.[7] Each regiment in the British Army maintained its own military band. Until 1749 bandsmen were civilians hired at the expense of the colonel commanding a regiment. Subsequently, they became regular enlisted men[8] who accompanied the unit on active service to provide morale enhancing music on the battlefield or, from the late nineteenth century on, to act as stretcher bearers. Instruments during the 18th century included fifes, drums, the oboe (hautbois), French horn, clarinet and bassoon. Drummers summoned men from their farms and ranches to muster for duty. In the chaotic environment of the battlefield, musical instruments were the only means of commanding the men to advance, stand or retire. In the mid 19th century each smaller unit had their own fifer and drummer, who sounded the daily routine. When units massed for battle a band of musicians was formed for the whole.[2]
Military bands can vary in function and duties based on their specific mission. Bands may perform for a variety of reasons such as special events, military parades, military review, military tattoos, public relations, and troop entertainment. It may also play a role in boosting the esprit de corps or morale of the entire military, a particular service branch or a specific unit (usually regiment/brigade-sized at least).
Military bands play ceremonial and marching music, including the national anthems and patriotic songs. A concert band's repertoire includes original wind compositions, arrangements of orchestral compositions, light music, popular tunes and concert marches found in standard repertoire. Modern-day military musicians often perform a variety of other styles of music in different ensembles, from chamber music to rock and roll.
Algeria
Military bands take place in Algeria. The Algerian People's National Army maintains military bands in the country.
Angola
The Angolan Armed Forces maintains Portuguese-style military bands, primarily in the Army, Navy and Air Force and then in individual units of the FAA. The primary band is the 100-member Music Band of the Presidential Security Household, which is the official security service of the President of Angola.[9] The music band of the Army Command was created on 16 June 1994.[10] 4 years later, on 15 August 1998, the National Air Force created a music band within the artistic brigade.[11] Outside the navy's marching band, the navy also has a small musical group known as Banda 10 de Julho (10 July Band), based at the Luanda Naval Base.[12] All bands follow both the Portuguese and British precedent with the percussion at the front ranks of the band.
Cameroon
Cameroonian military bands solely follow the French precedent for military music and military bands. The Yaoundé based Music Band Company of the Cameroonian Armed Forces under the baton of Captain Florent Essimbi is the main military band of the country. The band was founded in 1959, a year before Cameroon gained its independence, as purely a brass band company. Because of its increase in musicians it was upgraded to a musical section 10 years later. It has retained its current name since 2004. The band currently and has previously relied on its cooperation with the French Military and specifically its connections to musicians from the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Lyon.[13] Other band include the Musique du Carroussel spécial de l'armée, the Musique de la Garde Présidentielle[14] and the Musique de la gendarmerie.
Ethiopia
Although Ethiopia has a very long militarily history dating back to the Kingdom of Axum its bands were firstly of the French manner of a fanfare band. The first regular band was established by the early 20th century before the Italian invasion of the 1930s, based on the British and German tradition.
The first permanent military band in the country took the form of the Imperial Bodyguard Band (Kibur Zebegna) of the Ethiopian Empire, being formed in 1929 under Swiss conductor Andre Nicod. It originally consisted of just over a dozen uniformed musicians, majority coming from Welega province. Members of this band got their training originally from the Arba Lijoch fanfare band led by their Armenian bandleader Kevork Nalbandian. Notable members of the Imperial Bodyguard Band included Tilahun Gessesse and Mahmoud Ahmed, Bizunesh Bekele, Colonel Sahle Degago and many more. It was the first African nation to implement western style military music conventions. It came under the direct command of the Derg in the 70s and went into its current form in 1991.
Current marching bands in Ethiopia
Today the Ethiopian National Defence Force Band (ENDFB) (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ብሔራዊ መከላከያ ባንድ) is the central military band of the Ethiopian National Defense Force. With its headquarter in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa, it performs on ceremonial and state functions. Given the British influence, its current formation on parade is modeled on those of the British Army line infantry bands. It is composed of a marching band, a big band, a Corps of Drums, and a youth cadets section modeled on similar bands in the Commonwealth of Nations. It has received assistance from the British Royal Corps of Army Music, most recently between 2007 and 2012. The band itself has trained other marching bands in the country like the Tigray and Somalian marching bands.
In Addition to the EDFMB, there are some notable marching bands in Ethiopia, including:
- Amhara Regional State Police Marching Band
- Benishangul Gumuz Regional State Police Marching Band
- Tigray Regional State Police Marching Band
- Somali Regional State Police Marching Band
- Dere Dawa Youths Marching Band
Namibia
The Namibian Defence Force maintains many military bands throughout its service branches and even its own central band for the entire NDF. These bands followed the South African/British precedent due to the country's administration as South West Africa from 1915 to 1990. In recent years, it has gained a more German and Prussian tradition when marching and performing based on the country's 19th century colonial era as German South West Africa. Since the early 2000s, regular music training has been provided by the South African military.[15] The Namibian Defence Force Brass Band is currently the country's most senior military band, having an area of responsibility out of its base in Windhoek. The Namibian Navy[16] and the Namibian Marine Corps also maintain their own ceremonial brass bands.
Nigeria
Nigerian military bands follow the British Household Division format and are heavily influenced and aided by British military bands. Military bands in Nigeria share similar practices with the Nigerian Police Band, which was considered to be the pioneer military band formation in the country, being established in 1892. Being mostly composed of buglers at the time of its founding, the band was originally composed of British servicemen, rather than native Nigerians. Over the years, however, the Nigerian Armed Forces have taken enormous steps to indigenize military bands due to the overuse of American and British military music and the exposure of the military to Nigerian art. Some of these steps include the establishment of the Nigerian Army School of Music (NASM) and the creation of new military music.[17] Nigerian military bands are today under the command of the Headquarters of the Nigerian Armed Forces in Abuja.
The Nigerian Army Band Corps (NABC), which provides official military records for the armed forces, is the most senior band in the Nigerian Army and in the armed forces. Other bands maintained by the Nigerian Armed Forces outside the NABC include the Nigerian Air Force Band, the Nigerian Navy Band, and the Nigerian Defence Academy Band.[18] The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Band also serves as a paramilitary band.[19] The Nigerian Navy Band was established in 1963 months prior to the country becoming a republic. The Air Force Band was the most recent military band established, being founded in 1970. Enlisted musicians only joined a year later, and did not have its first director of music until 1975. On 9 April 2019, the NAF graduated its first set of pipers from an air base in Abuja who would later comprise the newly formed NAF Pipe Band.[20] A pipe section can also be found in the Guards Brigade.[21] Steel pans were introduced in the late 70s, with the NABC beginning the process of manufacturing steelpans and was the only steel band in the country until 2001.[22][23] The Army School of Music in Ojo and the Navy School of Music in the Ota both provide musical instruction as it pertains to incoming musicians. In September 2019, Ibok Ekwe Ibas, the Chief of the Nigerian Naval Staff, announced plans for the Navy Directorate of Music to partner its foreign counterparts as well as the Music Society of Nigeria to improve its performances.[24]
Senegal
Like Cameroon and Niger, the Armed Forces of Senegal follows the French military band format in all of its musical formations. The Mounted Squadron of the Red Guard of Senegal, being the premier ceremonial unit of its 1st Infantry Regiment, maintains a 35-member mounted fanfare band similar to that of the French Republican Guard Cavalry. The mounted band leads the reset of the squadron in military parades and ceremonial processions in the capital of Dakar. Band musicians ride on white horses whose tails dyed red to match the official colors of the Red Guard.
The Armed Forces of Senegal is represented by a joint services band which, unlike the Red Guard mounted band, has a repertoire of a mix between Senegalese folk and classical music. This band was created in 1961 at the time of the founding of the armed forces and the independence of the country. The main music of the Senegalese Armed Forces was at the time formed by a majority of newly recruited young people with no musical knowledge. It was then necessary to count on the Captain Jean Avignon who directed, for 12 years, the Paris-based Musique des Troupes de Marine. Its official duties were prescribed in November 1981.[25] The Senegalese Gendarmerie also maintains its own fanfare band.[26]
Sierra Leone
During colonial rule in Sierra Leone, the army music unit was the Band of the 1st Battalion, Royal Sierra Leone Regiment. Mustapha Sahr "Big" Fayia formed an army dance band in 1965 from soldiers in the newly formed armed forces.[27] It earned money by playing concerts at home and abroad, winning in 1978 the top band prize with their performance at the World Festival of Youth in Havana.[28] The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces today maintains a marching band organized in the British format.
South Africa
There are currently 9 main military bands currently under the auspices of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) that are speed across the four different branches of the SANDF (Army, Navy, Air Force, Health Service). Outside of marching bands, which follow the British influence, the SANDF also follows the British/Commonwealth precedent for utilizing pipe bands, with some of the most notable pipe and drums coming from the Transvaal Scottish Regiment.[29] Since 1969, the South African Army is currently represented in musical support by the Corps of Bandsmen, a military band service that presides over the country's five military bands and the National Ceremonial Guard (NCG) Band. The South African Navy Band, the South African Air Force Band and the South African Military Health Service also operate in the country to represent their own branches.
Uganda
The Uganda People's Defence Force sports a military band for each of the three services: Army, Air Force and Special Operations Command. All bands follow the British precedence. The senior band is the UPDF Band, part of the army, which serves ceremonial duties in Kampala. In the 1970s, military bands under President Idi Amin gained official sponsorship grew as a result.[30]
Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwe Defence Force (ZDF) maintains multiple military bands that are based on the British pattern. The two main bands are the Zimbabwe National Army Band (shortened to the Zim Army Band) and the Air Force of Zimbabwe Band. The latter band has a traditional Hosho player serving in its ranks.[31] A smaller band, Crocodile Sounds, is part of the Mechanized Brigade. The ZDF also maintains the Military School of Music (MSM), currently based at Imbizo Barracks in Bulawayo.[32] In the now dissolved Rhodesian Security Forces, musical duties were provided by the Band and Drums of the Rhodesian African Rifles, notably led by Captain Ken MacDonald, composer of Rise, O Voices of Rhodesia, the Rhodesian anthem.[33][34] A military band was also maintained by the Rhodesian Corps of Signals.
Given the history of the military forces in the Americas, the military band heritage in this part of the world is a mix of various traditions, primarily drawn from Europe. Countries in the Americas belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations are generally modelled after their British counterparts. Trinidad and Tobago take this tradition a bit further with the use of steelpans in its bands. Military bands throughout Latin America draws influence from the military bands found in France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and Spain. However, Haiti remains the only state in the region whose military bands are primarily modelled after the French.
Argentina
Argentina has longstanding connections with Germany, and their army bands reflect these traditional links. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was an exchange of marches between the Imperial German Army and the Argentine Army: Germans gave Argentines Alte Kameraden, while Argentines gave Germans the Marcha de San Lorenzo, which was used in 1940 during the victory parade on the Champs Elysées following the defeat of France. Argentine military bands have field drummers and occasionally buglers and fifes (as is the case with the Tacuari Drummer military band of the Regiment of Patricians, which has two fifers) accompanying the main band.
Three bands belong to the oldest cavalry, artillery and infantry regiments of the Argentine Army, using band formations modeled on German and Italian traditions. All of them report to the Buenos Aires Garrison Command and are administrative, as with the other bands, fall under the Inspectorate General of Military Music.
- The Alto Peru Fanfare Band of the Argentine Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers is an all-brass mounted band using the brass and percussion instruments (and formerly bugles). The ceremonial uniform design dates from 1813, and this band serves the President of Argentina.
- The Tambor de Tacuari Band is the "Regiment of Patricians's regimental band. This regiment is the oldest and most prestigious Argentine line infantry regiment. Musicians wear the 1806 regulation uniform originally worn by the regiment when it was raised in response to the British attack on Buenos Aires. The Patricios formally represent the Federal Capital as its honor band.
- The Ituzaingó Band of the 1st Artillery Regiment "Brigadier General Tomas de Iriarte" is the official honor band of the Argentine Ministry of Defense. The band wears uniforms worn by Argentine gunners during the Argentina-Brazil War and later conflicts, with pith helmets as a headdress.
Another notable band of the Argentine Army is the Mounted Band of the 4th Armoured Cavalry Regiment (Mountain) "General Lavalle's Cuirassiers". They wear uniforms similar to those of the French Republican Guard Cavalry and 19th-century cuirassier units. This band uses the same brass and percussion instruments as in the Mounted Grenadiers, when either mounted or dismounted. There are currently 54 bands in the army.[35][36] Other bands in the Army include:
- Band of the Colegio Militar de la Nación
- Band of the Army NCO School "Sergeant Cabral"
- Band of the General Jose de San Martin Military Academy
- Band of the General Manuel Belgrano Military Academy
- Band of the 16th Infantry Regiment "Andes Rifles"
- Band of the 10th Armored Cavalry Regiment "Pueyrredón Hussars"
- Band of the 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment "Blandengues"
- Band of the 5th Light Cavalry Regiment "General Martin de Güemes"
- Band of the 22nd Mountain Infantry Regiment "Lieutenant Colonel Juan Manuel Cabot"
The Argentine Navy fields the Navy Staff Band, the Band of the Argentine Naval Academy and the Band of the Argentine Navy NCO School. The Navy Staff Band is particularly unique that aside from buglers it also sports a bagpipe section. Representing the Argentine Air Force are the Band of the Argentine Air Force Academy, the Band of the Argentine Air Force NCO Academy, and the 1st Air Brigade Band.
Military-styled police bands are present in both the Argentine National Gendarmerie and the Argentine Naval Prefecture.
Barbados
The Barbados Defence Force Band (also known as the Zouave Band), is an element of the reserve units that are composed of members of The Barbados Regiment and the Barbados Defence Force.[37]
Bolivia
In Bolivia, the use of the Turkish crescent with the addition of vertical banners and standards is standard practice in its military bands (only the Bolivian Navy fields bagpipers and fanfare trumpeters in its bands), while the drumline is stationed at the front of the ensemble, thus following both German and French practice. The bands of the Bolivian Colorados Regiment, the presidential guard infantry regiment, and of the Bolivian Army Military Music School are both designated as the country's most senior military bands of the Bolivian Armed Forces. The Military Music School (Escuela Militar de Musica del Ejercito) was created by Supreme Decree on 20 May 1889. Today the anniversary of the school is celebrated on 20 May of each year.[38] In 1951, it received the honorific "Lt. Col. Adrián Patiño".[39] It wears the service dress with the peaked cap. In addition the Band of the Military College of Bolivia served as the senior band of the military educational institutions, having been established in the early 20th century. The Band follows the Prussian precedent with the wearing of the Prussian-styled full dress on parades. Two additional regimental bands wear War of the Pacific era full dress in the Army (the bands of the 2nd Infantry Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment).
A number of Army regimental bands wear either battle dress or combat dress uniform on parade, with combat helmets as headdress for the bandsmen.
Bands are also mounted by the Bolivian Navy and Air Force. As a general rule the bandsmen of these two services wear the service full dress uniform on parade, regardless of rank held (the Navy has an exception, as US dixie hats are worn with the full dress by bandsmen who are in lower-ranked ratings).
Brazil
Brazilian military bands descend from the small unit bands of the Portuguese Army in what was then Colonial Brazil.[40] The last of these bands was the Band of the Brigada da Real da Marinha.[41] The Armed Forces of the Empire of Brazil kept this tradition alive through the 19th century. Military bands became more common from the 1840s on, expanding into services such as military corps and the National Guard.[41] Since the late 1940s, the Brazilian Marine Pipes, Drum and Bugle Corps uses brass (formerly bugles) and percussion instruments, as well as bagpipes and fifes. They represent both the Brazilian Marine Corps and the Brazilian Navy in all activities it participates. Its formation mirrors Portuguese and Italian military band traditions, as well as those of the United States drum and bugle corps of the early 20th century.
The Brazilian Marine Corps also fields for public duties the Brasilia Marine Corps Band and the Central Band of the Marine Corps. Other military bands include those of the Presidential Guard Battalion, the Independence Dragoons, and the Brazilian Air Force Academy Band. The band for the Presidential Guard Battalion is the only band in the Brazilian Army to include both a pipe band section and a drum corps. Personnel from both the Presidential Guard Battalion Band and the Band of the Independence Dragoons form part of the newly formed Army Marching Band and Pipes and Drums, formed in 2016. The Brazilian Marching Band and Pipes and Drums is composed of 74 musicians who play instruments ranging from instruments for marching bands to traditional instruments.[42] Individual military units operate music bands. Currently, the 3rd Army Division Music Band serves one of the largest military garrisons in the country.[43] Military bands are also active both in the Military Police and the Military Firefighters Corps, one of the most notable of which being the Symphonic Band of the Military Police of Paraná State.
Canada
Years of French and later British rule made their imprint in the creation of the Canadian military band tradition. The Music Branch of the Canadian Armed Forces is composed of six full-time bands of the Regular Force, and 53 part-time bands of the Primary Reserve. These bands serve the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Music Branch includes both concert bands, made up of brass, percussions, and woodwind instruments; and pipe and drum bands, formerly the Branch provided corps of drums and drum and bugle corps for ceremonial duties.
In addition to the bands of the Regular Force and Primary Reserve, the Royal Military College of Canada also maintains a pipe and drum bands. The Canadian Cadet Organizations, a youth program sponsored by the Canadian Forces, also maintain their own bands. Bands of Cadets Canada are modeled after their respective sponsored service branch.
Chile
Two Chilean mounted bands are of high interest: the Mounted Band and Bugles of the 1st Cavalry Regiment "Grenadiers" and the Band and Bugles of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment "Hussars" of the Chilean Army. Other bands include the band of the Army NCO School and the Bernardo O'Higgins Military Academy, also of the Chilean Army, the Band of the Chilean Marine Corps Basic School, the Band of the Arturo Prat Naval School and the Band of the Naval Politechnical Academy, all of the Chilean Navy and the National Band of the Carabineros. Band formations on parade, mounted bands included, follow the German model, however only the Chilean Air Force Symphonic Band does not participate - the service is represented on parade by the Bands of the Captain Manuel Avalos Prado Air Force Academy and the Air Forces Specialities School. Another band formation and one with increasing public awareness is the military band of the Chilean Gendarmerie, which reports to the Ministry of Justice.
Military bands in Chile have the same instrumentation with added bugles on the Corps of Drums, as German military bands, with a few unique additions (a remnant of the former French influence in the armed forces). Another distinguishing feature is the presence of the Turkish crescent in the military bands when they are on parade and the band's conductor being assisted by a bugle major.
Colombia
The Military Forces of Colombia and the National Police of Colombia sport military bands and drum and bugle corps with formations similar to those in the United States, Italy, Germany and France. Military bands first reached Bogotá in the 16th century and were developed into active musical ensembles in the 20th century. In the late 1890s, military bands in the country were implemented based on the French model of these ensembles. The 37th Infantry Presidential Guard Battalion of the National Army of Colombia maintains a military band and a corps of drums unit that serves under the command of the President of Colombia at his/her residence at the Casa de Nariño. Pipe bands are also used in the Colombian Navy's educational institutions (the Admiral Jose Prudencio Padilla Naval Academy and the Marine Basic School).[44] The Military Symphonic Band of the Colombian Air Force (founded in November 1987) consists of male and females NCOs, many of which are part of the Band of the NCO School "Captain Andrés M. Díaz", which wears the service full dress and marches with the school drum and bugle corps.[45]
Cuba
Since the late 1960s, the tradition of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces Military Bands Department has been based mostly on the Russian tradition but also with a mix of the former American and Caribbean musical influence.
The previous regime of Fulgencio Batista, the military sported to military bands: the Music Band of the Cuban Navy (officially named as the Music Band of the Constitutional Navy) both of which were established 5 years apart in the first decade of the 20th century. The Band of the Ceremonial Unit of the Revolutionary Armed Forces has acclaimed high praise by many foreign leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, who greeted bandleader Ney Miguel Milanes Gálvez and said that they did a "Good job" for their performance of The Star-Spangled Banner.[46]
Dominican Republic
Given the long history of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, it is no surprise that the military band tradition is a mix of the French and United States military band practice. Ceremonial bands are present not just in the Armed Forces but in the Dominican Republic National Police.
The Armed Forces' senior band is the Band of the Presidential Guard Regiment, the seniormost of the infantry of the Dominican Army, which serves as the protocol band for the President of the Dominican Republic, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Ecuador
As a general rule Ecuadorian military bands are manned by servicemen with formations modeled after the German, British and United States practice. In parades, the percussion forms the front rank of the band or massed bands during the march past segment of parades.
The Mounted Band of the Ecuadorian National Police uses brass, woodwinds and percussion (sans the timpani). The Ecuadorian Army's Eloy Alfaro Military Academy uses the same format as French bands but without the bugles, as they are part of the Corps of Drums. The fanfare band of the Presidential Mounted Ceremonial Squadron "Tarqui Grenadiers", also of the Army, is composed only of timpani, fanfare trumpets, a snare drum, single tenor drums and sousaphones (when mounted), the military band, which serves as the official presidential band, has a similar formation like the Military Academy but with the large size (around 60 musicians).
Guatemala
European influence of military bands in Guatemala began when an Italian opera company arrived in the country in the latter half of the 19th century to bring orchestra conductor Pietro Visoni to the country, where he was asked by President Miguel García Granados to take control of the bands of the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Guatemalan Army, after which Visoni merged the two and established the Martial Symphony Band, which is still in existence today. The School of Substitutes (known today as Military School of Music Maestro Rafael Alvarez Ovalle) was created shortly after due to the lack of trained military musicians in the country. The school of music is today a middle level military training center. Many bands, when in concert formation, include the marimba as it is the national instrument of Guatemala.[47]
Jamaica
The Jamaica Defence Force funds and oversees two full-time military bands - the Jamaica Military Band (JMB) and the Jamaica Regiment Band (JRB). During war time, musicians will take on operational roles as Medical Assistants. Jamaican military bands follow the precedent set by British and other Caribbean military bands.[48] The Jamaican Combined Cadet Force also maintains its own unit band.[49]
Mexico
Military bands in Mexico follow the precedent of the Spanish military, with the band being on ceremonial occasions backed up by a drum and bugle corps mainly composed of snare drummers and buglers, both of which are provided by military units and educational institutions. In cavalry and artillery units of the Army and the cavalry of the National Guard, fanfare trumpeters are the equivalent to their infantry counterparts. In 1884, the 76-member Band of the 8th Mexican Cavalry Regiment under the direction of Encarnación Payén visited the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition,[50][51] which was seen as a massive PR campaign for American investment by Mexican President Porfirio Diaz.[52] It was also designed to showcase Mexican military music, which was rarely if ever done before. Five years later, Diaz ordered the creation of the Music Band of the Supreme Power, which is now the Representative Music Band of the Mexican Armed Forces.[53] In February 2015, it was reorganized to include personnel from the Secretariats of the Mexican Army, the Mexican Air Force and the Mexican Navy. The Symphonic Band and Chorus of the Secretariat of the Navy also serves as a military band, consisting of professional musicians in the Secretariat of the Navy.
The 1884 U.S. trip also influenced civilian music in the southern U.S., which many members of the band staying in New Orleans and forming and/or joining civilian bands. Lorenzo Tio Sr., the father of Lorenzo Tio Jr., was a notable example of this.[54]
Bands and drummers and buglers wear the full dress or combat dress uniform of their service branch/unit or assigned educational institution, with appropriate distinctive unit insignia and patches.
Paraguay
Military bands are in service within the Armed Forces of Paraguay and the National Police of Paraguay, following the former Imperial German and French band patterns. The seniormost band is the Band of the Presidential Guard Regiment, which serves the President of Paraguay as Supreme Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, it falls under the operational control of the Paraguayan Army.
Peru
Examples of Peruvian bands include the Mounted Fanfare Band Company of the "Mariscal Domingo Nieto" Cavalry Regiment Escort, the Band of the Chorrillos Military School of the Peruvian Army, the Lima Air Region Band of the Peruvian Air Force, the Peruvian Air Force Central Band, and the Casma Cadet Band of the Peruvian Naval School. These bands follow the Spanish and French practice, although with drums out front following the French model, followed by the occasional bugle section (more often during the 1980s to early 1990s). The Presidential Life Guard Dragoons Regiment's regimental band is also the only mounted band in active service within the Peruvian Armed Forces.
The Peruvian Republican Guard Band, for seven decades, provided music during state ceremonies, state funerals, and other events. The unit was disbanded in 1991 when the band was merged with that of the National Police's other predecessor services' bands. The Mounted Band of the Presidential Life Guard Dragoons Regiment, the other official presidential band, was established in 1905 along with the formation of the regiment, was disbanded in 1987 and remained inactive until 2012, when it was reactivated by Ollanta Humala, the President of Peru.
In addition to the military bands of the Peruvian Armed Forces, the military-styled band of the National Police of Peru continues the heritage of the Republican Guard Band together with the bands of the Civil Guard and the Investigations Police. Assigned to Lima it has carried on the designation of official protocol band.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidadian military bands are unique in that they follow French and British traditions for military bands, however, they use unconventional instruments such as Steelpans and native Trinidadian instruments. To this day, the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra (TTDFSO) is the only military steel band of its kind in the world. The TTDF's Trinidad and Tobago Regiment provides the majority of the musicians who are assigned to the orchestra.[55]
United States
The American military band traditions date from the British era. From the American Revolutionary War onward military bands – and field musicians playing drums, fifes and bugles – marched in the same manner as their French counterparts. Ever since the American Revolution ended in 1781, American military bands march to the fast tempo of French military bands, owing to their fast marching pace as compared with the slow marching pace of British bands. The instrumental positioning, even though inspired by the British, is also a mix of other influences, including French and German influences.
During the American Civil War most Union regiments had both types of groups within the unit. However, due to changes in military tactics by the end of World War I field musical had been mostly phased out in favor of the brass bands - themselves the basis for today's American civil brass band culture and traditions. These performed in a concert setting for entertainment, as well as continued to perform drill and martial events. In the United States, these bands were increased in instrumentation to include woodwinds, leading to the modern military band traditions in the United States, and high school and college marching bands and concert bands.
A uniquely American type of military band is the Fife and drum corps, with the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps the only remaining band of this type in the United States military. The United States' military bugle bands are also the precursors of the modern-day civil drum and bugle corps and the only one in active service today is that of the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps "The Commandant's Own".
The largest military marching band in the world is the "Fightin' Texas Aggie Band" of Texas A&M University. It is entirely composed of ROTC cadets from the university's Corps of Cadets[56] and subdivided into two bands: the Infantry and Artillery bands of the Corps. The four other State Military Colleges and four Junior Military Colleges maintain bands of their own. The format used by the British Royal Marines is the formation used by the Valley Forge Military Academy and College Regimental Band in Wayne, Pennsylvania, led and staffed by retired RMBS personnel, and by the United States Merchant Marine Academy Regimental Band, also modeled on the Royal Marines bands. Another American military academy, the Missouri Military Academy, has its band modeled in the same manner as the Royal Marines.
Uruguay
The Mounted Band of the 1st Cavalry Regiment "José Gervasio Artigas's Blandengues" of the Uruguayan Army is a mounted band following the Argentine practice, wearing the regiment's 19th-century full dress uniforms, but unlike its Argentine counterpart, also uses woodwinds. Another example is that of the Army's 1st Infantry Brigade Band, the official honors band of the General Assembly of Uruguay, which sports dress uniforms worn during the Argentina-Brazil War and later conflicts. Bands are also mounted by the Army's Uruguayan Military School and the General Artigas Military High School, the latter having recently reinstated the use of the bugle for its field section, the only band to do so. The Air Force Band, which reports to the Air Force Academy, is the only one that uses the shoulder-mounted snares and the multiple tenor drum. Uruguayan military bands have field drummers and occasionally buglers and fifes accompanying the main band. The National Navy of Uruguay maintains for ceremonial purposes the Band of the Uruguayan Naval Academy, which doubles as the official band of the service. It has a bagpipe section attached to it.
The "Day of the Military Musicians" is marked in the Armed Forces celebrated on 30 November, with the International Festival of Military Bands held every year on this date.[57]