The United States Navy Band, based at the

Washington Navy Yard The Washington Navy Yard (WNY) is a ceremonial and administrative center for the United States Navy, located in the federal national capital city of Washington, D.C. (federal District of Columbia). It is the oldest shore establishment / base of ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, has served as the official musical organization of the U.S. Navy since 1925. The U.S. Navy Band serves the ceremonial needs at the seat of U.S. government, performing at presidential inaugurations, state arrival ceremonies, state funerals, state dinners, and other significant events. The band performs a broad range of music, including ceremonial

ruffles and flourishes Ruffles and flourishes are preceding fanfare for honors music, ceremonial music for distinguished people. By country Israel In the Israeli Defense Forces, ruffles and flourishes are sounded as a guard of honor presents arms to signify the hono ...

, classical, rock,

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

, and

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Organization and personnel

Since its official designation in 1925, the United States Navy Band has grown into a diverse organization of multiple performing units. The organization features six performing ensembles: the Concert Band, the Ceremonial Band, the Commodores jazz ensemble, Country Current country-bluegrass ensemble, the Cruisers contemporary entertainment ensemble, and the Sea Chanters chorus. There are also several

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

groups. The multiple ensembles help meet the public demand for different types of music and the needs of Navy recruiting. Militarymusic Parade 10

The United States Navy Band is composed of 172 enlisted musicians and four officers, under the direction of Capt. Kenneth Collins.

Concert Band

The Concert Band is the Navy's premier wind ensemble. Along with the Ceremonial Band, this band was part of the original Navy Band in 1925. The group plays concerts in the Washington, D.C. area and performs a month-long national tour each year.

Ceremonial Band

The Ceremonial Band performs ceremonies in and around the Washington, D.C. area. Their primary mission is performing for funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. Additionally, the Ceremonial Band performs at command changes, retirements, patriotic openers, wreath-layings, and arrivals.

Sea Chanters

In 1956, Lt. Harold Fultz, then the band's assistant leader, organized a Navy School of Music group to sing chanteys and patriotic songs for the State of the Nation dinner. An immediate success, ADM Arleigh Burke, then chief of naval operations, transferred them to the Navy Band, named them the Sea Chanters, and tasked this all-male chorus with perpetuating the songs of the sea. In 1980, the group added women to their ranks and expanded their repertoire to include everything from Brahms to Broadway.

Commodores

Founded in 1969, the Commodores are a jazz ensemble. Performers who have appeared with the group include Ray Charles, Stanley Turrentine, Louie Bellson, Terry Gibbs, Chris Potter, Jerry Bergonzi, Bob Mintzer, Dave Leibman, James Moody, and Clark Terry.

Country Current

This seven-member group was formed in 1973 and specialized in country and bluegrass music.

Cruisers

A contemporary entertainment ensemble with eight members was formed in 1999.

History

Early music in the Navy

The earliest music of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

was the shantyman's song. These melodies of the sea helped soften the rigors of shipboard life. Next came trumpeters, drummers, and

fife Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...

rs who were carried on the early

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

s to sound calls, give general orders, and perform at funerals and other ceremonies. Military bands became a separate section of the crew on many Navy vessels. The development of shore-based bands in the 19th century led to the creation of the Naval Academy Band, which grew in size and importance during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. Other band units afloat and ashore played a significant role in promoting sailors' and civilians' morale. At the start of World War I, many musicians left their orchestras to join the United States Navy, using their talents to further the war effort.

Establishment of the U.S. Navy Band

In 1916, a 16-piece band from the battleship was ordered to the

to augment a 17-piece band aboard the Presidential Yacht . The new unit became known as the "Washington Navy Yard Band" and was given rehearsal space near the power plant's coal pile. The increasing tempo of the band's duties led the bandmaster to seek more suitable quarters in the yard's "Sail Loft", and sailmakers were soon cutting and stitching their canvas to the rhythms of the music. The United States Navy Band still occupies the Sail Loft as its headquarters and rehearsal hall. In 1923, a 35-man contingent from the Navy Yard Band accompanied President

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...

on his trip to the Alaska Territory. After the president's unexpected death in San Francisco, the band performed the hymn " Nearer My God to Thee" as his body was placed aboard a train destined for Washington, D.C. With the band growing in importance and prestige, President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he previously ...

signed into law a 1925 bill stating "hereafter the band now stationed at the Navy Yard, known as the Navy Yard Band, shall be designated as the United States Navy Band." The legislation also allowed the band to take its first national tour in 1925. Among those praising the early United States Navy Band was the ''

Boston Post ''The Boston Post'' was a daily newspaper in New England for over a hundred years before its final shutdown in 1956. The ''Post'' was founded in November 1831 by two prominent Boston businessmen, Charles G. Greene and William Beals. Edwin Groz ...

'' newspaper, which printed on 13 March 1929: "…Some folks have an idea perhaps that Navy music is made up of a few chantey choruses, a jig, and "

The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written by American lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, after he witnessed the bombardment of Fort ...

". To the average American Citizen the performance last night must have been a truly startling eye-opener. They performed like a company of first-rank virtuosi…" Under the baton of Lt. Charles Benter, the band's first leader, the United States Navy Band was featured at many historic occasions, including the 1927 return of

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...

following his trans-Atlantic flight. Two years later, the band performed for the return of Adm. Richard E. Byrd from his famous

South Pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the point in the Southern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True South Pole to distinguish ...

flight. The need for qualified musicians led Lt. Benter to found the Navy School of Music under his charge in 1935. Many of the faculty were bandsmen who taught in addition to their performance duties. Throughout much of the 1960s, the band's leader was Anthony A. Mitchell, a classical clarinetist and accomplished composer who had joined the band in 1937. During his tenure as the Band's director LCDR Mitchell composed the popular march ''Our Nation's Capital'', later honored as the official march of Washington, D.C. He also wrote a march for the yet-unbuilt National Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. ''The National Cultural Center March'' was first performed and recorded by the band in 1963 and was performed at fundraising events for the Center throughout the early 1960s. In 1964 the center was renamed the

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

to honor the fallen president. The march's title was changed to the ''John F. Kennedy Center March'' in 1964, though it is still often referred to by its original title.

Crash

There was an aerial collision between two aircraft over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 25, 1960 which carried members of the band.

Capitol concerts

Among the Navy Band's many accomplishments were weekly Monday night concerts, and smaller daily concerts held at the U.S. Capitol. Held on a special stage located on the east side of the Capitol, the daily and weekly concerts ran without interruption from the 1930s until the early 1970s. In the 1960s, the Navy Band began a series of popular children's performances, known as "Lollypop Concerts".

Past leaders of the Navy Band

Radio performances

From 1929 to 1939, the United States Navy Band took to the airwaves with

Arthur Godfrey Arthur Morton Godfrey (August 31, 1903 – March 16, 1983) was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer. At the peak of his success, in the early to mid-1950s, Godfrey was heard on radio and seen on television up to six days ...

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

's "Hour of Memories" radio program. During World War II, the United States Navy Band supported the sale of

war bonds War bonds (sometimes referred to as victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are ...

. It assisted in national recruiting efforts, although most of the band's time was spent performing at the daily funerals at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

. At the close of the war in 1945, the radio program "The Navy Hour" was born. It featured such entertainers as Lt. Robert Taylor and Lt.(j.g.)

Gene Kelly Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor, singer, director and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style and sought to create a new form of American dance accessibl ...

, with whom the band had appeared in the film '' Anchors Aweigh''. When it went off the air in 1968, "The Navy Hour" had set a record for one of the longest tenures in radio.

Other notable performances

The United States Navy Band has performed at the following ceremonies and events: * 1927 – Washington ceremony for

. * 1929 – Washington ceremony for Adm. Richard E. Byrd * 1962 – Washington, D.C. ceremony for

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...

John Glenn John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space and the first to orbit the Earth, circling it three times in 1 ...

. * 1963 – Funeral parade and funeral for President John F. Kennedy. * 1966 – First performance by the Navy Band at New York City's

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

* 1981 – Return of the hostages during the

Iran Hostage Crisis The Iran hostage crisis () began on November 4, 1979, when 66 Americans, including diplomats and other civilian personnel, were taken hostage at the Embassy of the United States in Tehran, with 52 of them being held until January 20, 1981. Th ...

* 1993 – Re-dedication of the Statue of Freedom and the Bicentennial of the

United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the Seat of government, seat of the United States Congress, the United States Congress, legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, federal g ...

* 1995 – Dedication parade of the Korean War Veterans Memorial * 1997 – Dedication of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at

and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Ceremony of Dedication * 1998 – Re-dedication of the

Wright Brothers The Wright brothers, Orville Wright (August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948) and Wilbur Wright (April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912), were American aviation List of aviation pioneers, pioneers generally credited with inventing, building, and flyin ...

National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina * 1999 –

Veterans of Foreign Wars The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), formally the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States Armed Forces, United States war veterans who fought in wars, Military campaign, campaig ...

100th Anniversary celebration at their national convention in

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...

* 2000 – International Naval Review festivities in New York City * 2001 – "United in Memory" memorial service at

the Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The building was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As ...

* 2002 – "Beam of Hope" remembrance ceremony at

Freedom Plaza Freedom Plaza, originally known as Western Plaza, is an open plaza in Northwest Washington, D.C., United States, located near 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, adjacent to Pershing Park. The plaza features an inlay that partially depict ...

in Washington, D.C.

Discography of the U.S. Navy Band

* 1963 – The National Cultural Center Presents the United States Navy Band, RCA Victor * 1992 – Music for Honors and Ceremonies * 1996 – Commemoration * 1997 – Ports of Call * 1997 – That Holiday Feeling * 1998 – Seawolf * 1998 – Coast to Coast II * 1999 – Mystic Chords of Memory * 2000 – American Salute * 2000 – 75th Anniversary Collection * 2001 – Celebrations * 2002 – Music for Chamber Winds * 2002 – Happy Holidays * 2003 – Overtures and Finales * 2005 – Light Cavalry Overture...and other Warhorses * 2006 – Sail Loft Sounds * 2006 – World Class Marches * 2007 – Holiday Wishes * 2009 – Command Performance * 2009 – Directions * 2011 – Derivations * 2022 – Premieres

Notable members

* Victor Salvi, Italian-American

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...

ist, played with the band during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and later with the

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...

and the

NBC Symphony Orchestra The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra conceived by David Sarnoff, the president of the Radio Corporation of America, the parent corporation of the National Broadcasting Company especially for the conductor Arturo Toscanini. The NBC ...

, before founding

Salvi Harps Salvi Harps is an Italian manufacturer of Harp, concert harps. The company was founded by Italian-American harpist and harpmaker Victor Salvi in 1956. History The father of company founder Victor (Vittorio) Salvi was an Italian luthier, piano ...

Music

Gallery

File:US_Navy_011200-N-0773H-003_United_States_Navy_Band.jpg, The United States Navy Band Concert Band performs traditional and popular holiday music for the television special, "Happy Holidays" at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., 2001. File:United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters" chorus.jpg, A group photo of the "Sea Chanters" chorus. File:US Navy 040611-N-1810F-003 The U.S. Navy Band marches into position during the Rotunda Service honoring former President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C.jpg, The United States Navy Ceremonial Band marching into position during a 2004 departure ceremony held at the United States Capitol Building during the state funeral of Ronald Reagan in 2004. File:US Navy 090618-N-0773H-083 Capt. George N. Thompson, commanding officer of the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Band leads band members as they render honors during a 21-gun salute.jpg, Captain George N. Thompson, commanding officer of the United States Navy Ceremonial Band, leads the Drum Major and band members as they render honors during a 19-gun salute at the swearing-in ceremony for

Secretary of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department within the United States Department of Defense. On March 25, 2025, John Phelan was confirm ...

(SECNAV) the Honorable

Ray Mabus Raymond Edwin Mabus Jr. (; born October 11, 1948) is an American politician and lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy from 2009 to 2017. Mabus previo ...

at the

. File:US Navy 071001-N-0773H-059 The United States Navy Ceremonial Band, under the direction of Drum Major, Master Chief Musician Joe D. Brown Jr., stands at attention as Marine Gen. Peter Pace approaches their formation during the c.jpg, The United States Navy Ceremonial Band, under the direction of the Drum Major, Master Chief Musician Joe D. Brown Jr., standing at attention as Marine General

Peter Pace Peter Pace (born November 5, 1945) is a retired United States Marine Corps General (United States), general who served as the 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pace was the first Marine officer appointed as chairman and the first Marine ...

approaches their formation during the change of command ceremony for the

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: appointment; gra ...

. File:US Navy 090827-N-0773H-269 The U.S. Navy Band along with La Musique du Royal 22e Regiment, marches off during the closing ceremony of the Quebec Tattoo at the Pepsi Coliseum.jpg, The United States Navy Band along with La Musique du Royal 22^e Régiment, marches off during the closing ceremony of the Quebec Tattoo at the Pepsi Coliseum, 27 August 2009.

References

''This article incorporates

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no Exclusive exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly Waiver, waived, or may be inapplicable. Because no one holds ...

text from a U.S. federal government website.''

External links

* {{Authority control Bands of the United States Navy Wind bands Musical groups established in 1925 1925 establishments in the United States Washington Navy Yard