[TPIN] Army Bands

[Allegro69]

Time changes all. This includes the military where there were different eras
of 'standards'. While there are exceptions to the rule, like you say, the
majority of musicians had to go to the (at the time of my enlistment in the
Navy 1964 when it was called) the Navy School of Music. I believe it's now
called the Armed Forces School of Music (correct me if I'm wrong) since
members of the Navy, Marines, and Army have to attend and graduate from the
school before being assigned to a regular military band. Only the Air Force
and the Coast Guard had OJT where players would go directly to a band
following basic training. As to the Navy, players who were accepted to play
for THE United States Navy Band or the Naval Academy Band would bypass the
school and go to these bands directly and get a quick promotion to E5.

I can attest to the fact that all the students had to read music and learn
the fundamentals of music theory. It was a pretty good deal, since I had a
very good trumpet instructor, taking a lesson from him once a week. From
time to time, students would have to audition before a committee in order to
ascertain their progress and 'worth'. Being accepted as a student was no
guarantee that you'd sail on thru and graduate. During the time I was there,
there were quite a few that bounced out. Usually, they'd end up on a ship as
a deck ape, spending their days chipping paint and being cussed at by a
Boatswains Mate 3rd class (with 3 or 4 hash marks on his sleeve) rather than
being a Navy Musician. The same applied to the Marines and Army dudes, each
having their own versions of cruddy jobs.

While the Navy (as well as the Marines) had students that were incredible
players , the Army 'Element' (as they called themselves) had a whole bunch
since at the time, there was the draft where many great players were scooped
up and held prisoners against their will. They, despite their abilities, had
to go thru the process. Along with lessons and theory classes, we also had
both concert and stage band practice sessions where it was a mixed bag of
the three branches. I was honored to have sat in trumpet sections along side
with guys like Cecil Bridgewater (one MF player) and a bass player (his name
escapes me) who went on to play for the NY Tonight Show band when he was
sprung from the Army. Both had 'friends and neighbors' who wanted them to be
all they could be.

In as much as I hated the military, going to the SOM was a great experience
for me. There are some musicians who slipped thru the cracks, but military
musicians have to have something on the ball. Be it that Chet could read or
not, I'm sure that he was an asset to the Army band he served with. BTW -
that was a funny story about Chet at the flag pole. It's among many of the
funny things military trumpet players did while playing colors.

Again, just my 2 cents plain.
BOB

Message: 25
Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:46:35 +0000
From: Achias1 at mchsi.com
Subject: [TPIN] Army Bands
To: tpin at tpin.okcu.edu (TPIN)
Message-ID:

<120120061646.9565.45705C6B000561190000255D219791332903010CD2079C080C03BFCE9
C0E07080CBE at mchsi.com>


>When I auditioned for the Army Bands over two decades ago, there were two
options:

>1. If you were good enough, you would go right to the group that auditioned
you (Fifth Army Band near
>Chicago in my case).

>2. If you weren't good enough, you'd go to the Navy School of Music in
Little Creek, VA.

>Either way, you would have to read notes before you arrived at a
functioning band assignment.

>In my Army Band experience, I saw incredible musicians whom I learned a LOT
from, and mediocre high
>school kids. I never did run across anyone who could not read, though.

>Incidentally, the person that I audutioned for at the Fifth Army Band is
now the other trumpet player in
>our quintet. He sent me to the Navy School, but I don't hold that against
him (too much), because after
>going through the SOM, I ended up at the NORAD Band in Colorado Springs, a
much better assignment.

>Dave