Fleet Band Activities (FBA), formerly theNavy Music Program (NMP), is the central management office for nine active-duty fleet bands of theUnited States Navy. It is located atNaval Support Activity Mid-South inMillington, Tennessee. FBA has the responsibility of coordinating the assignment and distribution of personnel, equipment and funding to the worldwide activities of navymilitary bands. It also is responsible for managing the application and audition process for potential navy musicians. Personnel from the FBA work directly with theBureau of Naval Personnel to meet our musician requirements for the fleet.
The earliest pieces of military music in theUnited States Navy was theShantyman's Song, which often helped in boosting the morale of sailors and developing a culture based on shipboard life. Later came trumpeters, drummers and fifers who were carried on the earlyfrigates to sound calls, give general orders, and perform at funerals and other ceremonies. They eventually gained a role as a separate section of the crew on many Navy vessels. Shore-based bands in the 19th century led to the creation of theNaval Academy Band, which grew in importance during theAmerican Civil War. Other band units afloat and ashore played a major role in promoting the morale of sailors and civilians alike. At the start ofWorld War I many civilian musicians left their famous orchestras and joined the Navy as well as other services of theUnited States Armed Forces, using their trade to contribute to the war effort. MUS1, a 45-piece regimental band led by notableJames Benton Parsons, was composed of the first blacks to serve in the modern Navy at rank higher than messman.[1] The first of a series of fleet music schools were established in 1903 inVirginia in an effort to improve the training and performance of navy bands.[2] B-1 was replaced at Manana in October 1945 as its men mustered out and returned to the states by a 17-piece band that included future jazz great John Coltrane.[3]
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TheUnited States Navy Band the official musical organization of theUnited States Navy. Based at the historicWashington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. since 1925, it serves the musical needs of the national government, performing atpresidential inaugurations,state arrival ceremonies,state funerals, andstate dinners, alongside other significant events. It is composed of the following ensembles:Concert Band, Ceremonial Band,Sea Chanters, Commodores, Country Current, and Cruisers. On 25 February 1960, 19 members of the Navy Band were flying fromBuenos Aires toRio de Janeiro to join the rest of the band for a reception by Brazilian PresidentJuscelino Kubitschek on behalf of PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower, who was on astate visit to the country. As the Navy transport plane approached the city in dense fog, amid-air collision occurred with a Brazilian airliner, with 19 members of the Navy band (including the assistant leader J. Harold Fultz and most of the string section) being killed.[4] The crash was the single worst event in the band's history, and devastated the remaining members who, despite the loss and its reconfiguration, completed theirSouth American tour. Events that Navy Band has performed in years past have included the funeral for PresidentJohn F. Kennedy, re return of the hostages during theIran Hostage Crisis, the dedication parade of theKorean War Veterans Memorial, theInternational Naval Review and theQuebec City International Festival of Military Bands.
Officially formed in November 1852, theUnited States Naval Academy Band provides musical support to the Brigade ofMidshipmen and the surrounding community. Special events include the Side-By-Side concert featuring local High School musicians chosen to play with the band under the baton of a special guest conductor, and the annual Finale concert featuring all Naval Academy Band ensembles and closing withTchaikovsky's "1812 Overture," complete with live cannon fire! Smaller ensembles are featured in the Chamber Music Series, a variety of recitals planned and presented by individual band members.[5]
Navy Band Northwest dates back to theBremerton Navy Yard Band of 1918 and the13th Naval District Band of 1925. In the fall of 1970, its name was changed to Navy Band Northwest and then to Navy BandSeattle and stayed that way for close to 30 years until it changed its name to Navy Band Northwest in April 1999 as a result of regionalization initiatives.
Navy Band Southwest is one of the Navy's oldest continuing musical organizations. The band serves as the musical ambassador forNavy Region Southwest. The 45-member band's other performing ensembles include the Wind Ensemble, the contemporary music ensemble, the Destroyers, the Show Band West, the Brass and Woodwind Quintets, and SeaBreeze. The latter is the band'sVIP reception combo. It has performed for many different community concerts and professional sporting events, including regular performances with theSan Diego Symphony Summer Pops.
Navy Band Great Lakes performs in a nine-state area of responsibility stretching fromIndiana toNorth Dakota. As its name implies, it is located near theGreat Lakes, specificallyNaval Station Great Lakes where it serves underNaval Service Training Command. It also provides support to the localRecruit Training Command in supporting naval recruits during ceremonies in their basic training.[6] From 1911 to 1917, navy uniform regulations prescribed that the band wear US Marine Corps Uniforms[7] (without USMC) in performance. From 1917 onward the band wore the famous "Crackerjack" uniforms. Navy Band Great Lakes was instrumental in cultural change in the duringWorld War II, having enlisted black musicians, and even creating integrated Navy Bands later on.
Notable members of the band include composerJohn Philip Sousa, trumpeterClark Terry, saxophonistVon Freeman, trombonistAl Grey, composer and conductorGerald Wilson, saxophonistLou Donaldson, composer and arrangerLuther Henderson,Major Holley.
Navy Band Northeast was officially established in 1974, located atNaval Station Newport in NewportRhode Island. Navy Bands inNewport have previously dated back at least to the era of theAmerican Civil War. It currently serves communities throughout theNortheastern United States.
TheNorfolk, Virginia basedFleet Forces Band is the musical representative for theCommander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and is the largest of the 10 fleet bands.
Navy Band Southeast was established in October 1995. It represents theNavy Region Southeast and serves throughoutFlorida and theSoutheastern United States. The band consists of 31-one professional musicians. It is notable in that it was the unit to whichAmerican Idol finalistPhil Stacey was assigned while on active duty (he was part of the "Pride" ensemble as well as with the wind and ceremonial bands).[8] His success on the show benefited the band by drawing in an estimated 2.4 million dollars.[citation needed]
ThePacific Fleet Band was formed coming out of theattack on Pearl Harbor. Prior to that, Navy Bands have been stationed inHawaii either on ships home ported atPearl Harbor, or attached to Navy shore installations at Pearl Harbor,Barbers Point andWaikiki. From 1959 to 1964, the Pacific Fleet Band operated from a building at Supply Base Pearl Harbor, just inside theHalawa Gate. It moved to its current facility in 1967. Since its establishment, it has traveled extensively in representing theCommander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, as well as theUnited States Pacific Fleet as a whole. It has performed at engagements inPusan andSeoul,Guam, thePhilippines andOkinawa. Its associations over the years have included American bands such as theHickam Air Force Base Band and theSchofield Barracks Army Band as well as foreign navy band such as theIndian Navy Band, theRoyal Australian Navy Band, and theMilitary Band of the Pacific Fleet ofRussia.
TheUnited States Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band is the U.S. Navy's official band supporting Europe and Africa. Stationed inNaples, Italy, it under the operational control of Commander, Naval Forces Europe and Africa. The band performs throughout the European Region and throughout Africa and Western Asia. With that, it performs in locations such as theUnited Kingdom,Iceland,Croatia,Israel,Djibouti,Equatorial Guinea, andSouth Africa. Ensembles in the band include the Wind Ensemble, Ceremonial Band, Marching Band, Brass Quintet, Woodwind Quintet, a Brass/Show Band, Jazz Ensemble, Pop Music Ensembles, and Protocol Combo.
TheSeventh Fleet Band was created as part of theUnited States Seventh Fleet, which was established upon the renaming of theSouthwest Pacific Force on 7 March 1943. They base their activities out ofYokosuka, Japan, TheUnited States Seventh Fleet Band is today composed of six groups of professional musicians: the Pacific Ambassadors Showband, the Far East Edition, the Orient Express, the Broadside Brass Band, the Shonan Brass Quintet, the Woodwind Trio, and a variety of other groups. It has performed in thePhilippines, theRepublic of Korea,Australia,Thailand,Hong Kong,Malaysia,Singapore,Indonesia, as well as many other cities and countries of the Far East.
The Repair Division was established to provide the material support in the operation of Fleet bands both afloat and ashore. It comprises professional Navy musicians and civilians who operate out ofMillington, Tennessee. It is responsible for many administrative tasks, not in the least of which is the shipping and receiving of equipment to/from bands fleet-wide. It is also responsible for maintaining inventory in excess of 50,000 items.
Located aboard theNaval Amphibious Base inNorfolk, Virginia, the Naval School of Music provides specialized training for selected personnel of the Army, Navy, andMarine Corps. It is also the first institution musicians attend following basic training. Graduates of the Navy School of Music go on to serve throughout the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps as members of the military bands of these three branches.
In June 1935, the Navy School of Music was opened, operating in conjunction with the United States Navy Band until becoming an independent entity in 1942. Students enrolled at the School during this era graduated as complete ensembles—transferring as a unit to serve aboard ships in the U.S. Fleet. Unit Band No. 22, for example, was deployed toUSSArizona—ultimately to be counted among the first casualties during theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After more than a decade of operating as a Navy-specific institution, the School received group of 15 enlisted Marines and, following negotiations betweenSecretary of the ArmyFrank Pace and theChief of Naval Personnel AdmiralJohn W. Roper, Army students began being enrolled in January 1951. On 13 December 1951, the first women to graduate from the Naval School of Music received their diplomas.
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