USNA Band Carries on Rich Tradition of Music in the Military

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION:

As part of the government shut down effective October 1, 2013 the USNA band march on Maryland Avenue and musical tribute on the State House steps in honor of the 238th NAVY birthday scheduled on Monday October 7^th between 4 and 5:30 pm EST has been cancelled. 

Music has been a major mainstay in military culture for thousands of years.  From drum beats providing the correct cadence for marching, to bugles signaling the start of mealtime, musical instruments have played an instrumental role in the daily lives of soldiers and offices all over the world.  Over time, the importance of music led to the formation of professional music ensembles comprised of military personnel, known as military bands. In America, the tradition of military bands can be traced back almost as far as the founding of our nation.

The United States Naval Academy Band, “The Navy’s Oldest and Finest,” was officially founded on November 22, 1852, but instrumental music being played on the Naval Academy Yard dates back as far as the founding of the Academy in 1845.  This innovative and versatile ensemble is the oldest band in the Navy, the third oldest active military band, and one of the oldest professional musical organizations in the entire country.

The USNA Band is comprised of 68 professional musicians who have studied at top tier music schools and conservatories around the nation, giving them impressive resumes in the performance and teaching of music.  The members of the band take great pride in representing the Naval Academy’s deep heritage of excellence and upholding tradition with each performance.  Performing at the highest possible professional standard for the Navy, Naval Academy, and the citizens of America has always been, and always will be, the band’s overarching mission.

The band performs for dress parades, athletic events, pep rallies, and other traditional functions on the Naval Academy campus, as well as presenting concerts, music for civic events, and instructional clinics for school children and university students within the local community.  The ensemble also performs regularly for military ceremonies and funerals around the mid-Atlantic region.

In recent years, the band has gone above and beyond the call of duty by touring the country to perform at admissions forums and high schools in order to promote the Naval Academy and aid the admissions department.  These events help contribute to diversity initiatives and have produced an overall increase in the number of applicants wishing to study at the Naval Academy.

One of the most anticipated upcoming shows is the combined performance by the marching band and ceremonial band in celebration of the Navy’s 238th birthday on October 7, 2013.  The parade, which begins at 4:00pm, will march out of Gate 3 of the Naval Academy on Maryland Ave to State Circle in Downtown Annapolis, where a patriotic themed concert will be presented beginning at 4:45pm.  The Navy birthday is a huge event and the band will be pulling out all the stops to put on an amazing show that creates lasting memories.  If you’re planning to be in Annapolis on October 7, make plans to witness this spectacle in person.

Those of you who will not be in town for the Navy birthday festivities are in luck, as the band has numerous other shows planned over the next few months.  Below is a list of all scheduled upcoming performances.  For more information on the band or its events, or to book a performance, please visit http://www.usna.edu/USNABand.

Upcoming USNA Band events:

Saturday, September 21, 4:30pm

Concert Band at Downs Park, Pasadena, MD

8311 John Downs Loop

Pasadena, MD

Thursday, September 26, 6:00pm

Clarinet Quartet at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church

Church Circle

Annapolis, MD

Thursday, October 10, 7:30pm

Concert Band at Bowie Performing Arts Center

15200 Annapolis Rd.

Bowie, MD

Thursday, October 17, 7:00pm

Concert Band at Dundalk Middle School

7400 Dunman Way

Dundalk, MD

Thursday, November 7, 6:00pm

Commandant’s Combo at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church

Church Circle

Annapolis, MD

Thursday, November 14, 6:00pm

Brass Ensemble at Towson University

Center for the Arts

Towson, MD

Wednesday, December 11, 7:30pm

Concert Band “Holiday By the Bay” as the Naval Academy Chapel

United States Naval Academy

Blake Rd

Annapolis, MD

Thursday, January 30, 7:00pm

Concert Band at Gordo Center for the Performing Arts

3506 Gwynnbrook Ave.

Owings Mills, MD

Thursday, February 6, 7:30pm

Concert Band at Annapolis Area Christian School

109 Burns Crossing Rd.

Severn, MD

Sunday, February 23, 3:00pm

Chamber Winds at Catonsville Presbyterian Church

1400 Frederick Rd.

Catonsville, MD

Thursday, February 27, 6:00pm

Crabtowne Stompers at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church

Church Circle

Annapolis, MD