Imagine the brass section of a symphony orchestra.
Now, instead of formal attire and brightly lit concert halls, imagine a principal horn player hunched over a loaded rifle at a firing range. For the thousands of classical musicians employed by the U.S. military, this seemingly incongruous image is reality.
The military bills itself as the nation's largest employer of musicians, and some of its personnel hold some of the most coveted music performance jobs in the country. A spot in a top military band is often as competitive as a spot in one of the nation's top symphony orchestras, in terms of stability, salary and benefits.
But there are aspects of the job that require adjustment for civilian musicians: Band members must adhere to strict military standards, including passing a physical fitness test, wearing uniforms during rehearsals and, most challenging of all, completing 10 to 12 weeks of boot camp without the ability to use their instruments.
In my latest article, published this morning, I explore how musicians become military. Over eight months, I followed euphonium player Ada Brooks' journey from auditioning for the West Point Band, through frigid boot camp in the Ozarks, to her first concert.
In today's newsletter, we explore the unique role military bands play in the classical music world and the rigorous demands that come with the job.
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Music and the military have long been closely linked: drums were used to set the pace of marches, and fifes were used for communication on the battlefield before the advent of radio. America's first military band, the United States Marine Corps Band, was known as the “President's Band” and was formed by an act of Congress in 1798.
Loras John Cissel, a senior musicologist at the Library of Congress, said that during the Civil War, band members would put down their instruments, pick up their weapons to fight, then pick up playing again.
Today, the non-musical duties of the band members include drug testing cadets and teaching classes. One West Point band member told me he helps maintain the band's website. Band members see combat more rarely, but they do happen. In 1941, all 21 band members aboard the USS Arizona were killed while loading ammunition into the ship's guns during the attack on Pearl Harbor. On September 11, 2001, the U.S. Army Band assisted in search and rescue efforts at the Pentagon.
Stable career
There are many regional military bands that represent the military in ceremonies, parades, and holiday celebrations throughout the United States. Small, elite military bands perform at inaugurations and for visiting foreign dignitaries, including the West Point Band, the President's Own, the U.S. Air Force Band, the U.S. Army Band, and the U.S. Navy Band.
A seat in a top band is especially attractive: Starting salaries are around $70,000, and musicians also receive tax credits, education benefits, and health insurance. These factors mean band members tend to stay with the band for years, if not their entire careers.
As author and music business expert Donald Passman explained to me, this stability may be attractive to classical musicians, who have fewer opportunities to make a living than many other performers. “It's ironic that jazz and classical music are the most difficult, challenging, and most skilled, yet these two fields pay so much less than pop music,” Passman says. “A pop musician can have a solo concert, but it's not as easy for a viola player.”
Culture Shock
Military band auditions have some elements that are familiar to most orchestral musicians, like performing in front of judges hidden behind curtains to prevent bias. Other details are unique to the military: When I auditioned for the West Point Band, two of the four other candidates said they had to lose weight to pass, and finalists were tested on their proficiency in marching drills.
Military life can be a shock for musicians without military experience. Staff Sergeant Alec Morens, a tuba player in the West Point band, said it was “a little weird” at first to have to wear a battle dress uniform to play the tuba. “You end up having your head shaved and yelling, 'Yes, drill sergeant,'” he said.
But the benefits are clear: Moerens, who attended Northwestern University's Bien School of Music, said he can think of very few graduates from the school who went on to pursue a career in music.
“Basic training is nothing compared to 20 years of performing,” said Brooks, the euphonium player.
MORE: Read my full article, including photos of Christopher Lee from Brooks' time in boot camp.
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