Ralph M. Gambone is a former
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 ...
officer. He served as Leader/Officer in Charge of the
U.S. Navy Band
The United States Navy Band, based at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., 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, pe ...
from August 13, 1998 to March 2007.
Prior to that, he served as Director of the
U.S. Naval Academy Band in
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
.
Career
A native of Annapolis, in 1963 Gambone received a one-semester scholarship to the
Peabody Institute
The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University is a Private university, private music and dance music school, conservatory and College-preparatory school, preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1857, it became affiliat ...
and soloed with the Naval Academy Band following a formal audition process.
Gambone enlisted in the Navy in 1969 after receiving his bachelor's degree in music from
Towson State College (Maryland). He was first assigned to the
U.S. Naval Academy Band as a
clarinet
The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell.
Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...
instrumentalist and also served as
conductor
Conductor or conduction may refer to:
Biology and medicine
* Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear
* Conduction aphasia, a language disorder
Mathematics
* Conductor (ring theory)
* Conductor of an abelian variety
* Cond ...
of the
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest Military rank#Subordinate/student officer, rank in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Royal Cana ...
Stage and Concert Bands. While there he earned a master's degree in music from
Catholic University
Catholic higher education includes universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education privately run by the Catholic Church, typically by religious institutes. Those tied to the Holy See are specifically called pontifical univers ...
in Washington, D.C.
After a tour of duty aboard the cruiser
USS ''Little Rock'' (CLG 4), Gambone was assigned to the
United States Navy Band
The United States Navy Band, based at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., 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, pe ...
in Washington, D.C. After three years with the Band and promotion to chief musician, he was assigned to the
Bureau of Naval Personnel
The Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) in the United States Department of the Navy is similar to the human resources department of a corporation. The bureau provides administrative leadership and policy planning for the Office of the Chief of N ...
as Assistant Budget Manager for the
Navy Music Program
Fleet Band Activities (FBA), formerly the Navy Music Program (NMP), is the central management office for nine active-duty fleet bands of the United States Navy. It is located at Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee. FBA has ...
in 1978.
In 1981, he was commissioned an
ensign
Ensign most often refers to:
* Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality
* Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank
Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to:
Places
* Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada
* Ensign, Ka ...
and reported for duty as Music Program Liaison Officer for the Navy Chief of Information in
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 ...
.
After two years as Director, Navy Band
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
, he was assigned as the
United States Navy Band
The United States Navy Band, based at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., 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, pe ...
's Supply Officer in 1985, and a year later assumed the duties of the Band's Assistant Leader. From August 1988 to June 1990, he served as Director, SEVENTH Fleet Band, stationed on board the
USS ''Blue Ridge'' (LCC 19) in
Yokosuka, Japan
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
, the city has a population of 373,797, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th-most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region. The city is ...
, before returning to the
United States Navy Band
The United States Navy Band, based at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., 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, pe ...
as Assistant Leader. His next assignment took him to the
Armed Forces School of Music in
Little Creek,
Va., where he served first as Executive Officer from March to August 1994, then as Commanding Officer.
He was promoted to captain in October 2002, while serving as Director of the U.S. Navy Band.
Awards and honors
The Distinguished Achievement Award in music from
Towson State University
Towson University (TU or Towson) is a public university in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first training school for teachers, Towson University is a part of the University System of Maryland. Since its founding, ...
, May 1991.
Inductee,
American Bandmasters Association
The American Bandmasters Association (ABA) was formed in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman to promote concert band music.Raoul F. Camus. "American Bandmasters Association." In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/sub ...
(ABA), April 2001
References
External links
Official biography, from the United States Navy Band websiteUSS Little Rock Association Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gambone, Ralph M.
United States Navy officers
American male conductors (music)
Towson University alumni
People from Annapolis, Maryland
Living people
Catholic University of America alumni
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
21st-century American conductors (music)
21st-century American clarinetists
21st-century American male musicians