The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Band Corps is a military band in Guyana. It is a representative unit in the GDF whose role is to provide musical accompaniment for ceremonial functions. [1]
The band is currently composed of the following ensembles:
It was founded on 4 December 1967 as the GDF Corps of Drums which eventually was converted into a drum and bugle corps. It was under the original command of Sergeant Fitz Albert Ward. Members of the band were drawn from companies of the defunct British Guiana Volunteer Force. It was mostly brought out during regimental military parades. By late 1972, a marching band was established and unit had grown to a membership of 120 which included eight females, one of which being Sergeant Rosemary Wood, who became the GDF's first female vocalist. [2] Three years later, the band had the following composition: marching band, corps of drums, string band, and steel band. [3] In early 2012, the band took part in a 6-month master class presided by a Colonel from the People's Liberation Army of China. During this event, the tuba was played in the scale of G-Major for the first time in the corps' history. [4]
In February 2013, Claude "Sonny" Ault, who served as band director for many years beginning in 1974, was found dead as a result of an alleged suicide. [5] Ault was responsible for nationalizing British military marches.
The GDF Steel Band was established in 1970, three years after the original band was founded. It was led by Corporal Archie McAllister It is currently one of the six top steel bands in Guyana. [6] It often performed at mixed events with the rest of the corps, and particularly the corp's of drums. [3]
The GDF Frontline band is the string orchestra of the band. Established in 1974 as the GDF String Band led by Andre Jackson accompanied by four members. It was followed by the creation of the World-Wind String Band in October 1975. It received high acclaim in both Guyanese and international circles. It was succeeded by Frontline Band in 1982. [3]
A musical ensemble, also known as a music group or musical group, is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist solely of instruments, such as the jazz quartet or the orchestra. Other music ensembles consist solely of singers, such as choirs and doo wop groups. In both popular music and classical music, there are ensembles in which both instrumentalists and singers perform, such as the rock band or the Baroque chamber group for basso continuo and one or more singers. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles. Some ensembles blend the sounds of a variety of instrument families, such as the orchestra, which uses a string section, brass instruments, woodwinds and percussion instruments, or the concert band, which uses brass, woodwinds and percussion.
A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music. Ottoman military bands are thought to be the oldest variety of military marching bands in the world, dating from the 13th century.
A concert band, variously also called a wind ensemble, symphonic band, wind symphony, wind orchestra, wind band, symphonic winds, symphony band, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion families of instruments, and occasionally including the double bass or bass guitar. On rare occasions, additional non-traditional instruments may be added to such ensembles such as piano, harp, synthesizer, or electric guitar.
The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is the name given to the combined armed forces of Barbados. The BDF was established 15 August 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The headquarters for the Barbados Defence Force is located at St. Ann's Fort, The Garrison, Saint Michael.
The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps. Established by act of Congress on July 11, 1798, it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in the United States. Today, the Marine Band also includes the Marine Chamber Orchestra and Marine Chamber Ensembles.
United States military bands include musical ensembles maintained by the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, and United States Coast Guard. More broadly, they can also include musical ensembles of other federal and state uniformed services, including the Public Health Service and NOAA Corps, the state defense forces, and the senior military colleges.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military of Guyana, established in 1965. It numbers about 4150 soldiers and has military bases across the nation. The Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force is always the incumbent President of Guyana.
David Arthur Granger is a Guyanese politician and retired military officer who served as the 9th President of Guyana from May 2015 to August 2020. He served for a time as Commander of the Guyana Defence Force and subsequently as National Security Adviser from 1990 to 1992. He was Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Guyana from 2012 to 2015.
The United States Air Force Band is a U.S. military band consisting of 184 active-duty members of the United States Air Force.
Canadian military bands are a group of personnel in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) that performs musical duties for military functions. Military bands form a part of the Music Branch of the CAF, composed of six full-time professional Regular Force bands, 15 Regular Force voluntary bands, and 53 part-time reserve force bands. Bands of the Music Branch are often badged with the unit or Canadian Forces base insignia that they support.
The Royal Artillery Band was the first official, and permanent British military band originating in 1557, but granted official status in 1762. Consisting of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments, it represented both the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and the state. The Royal Artillery Orchestra [disbanded on 9 February 2014] was Britain's first permanent professional orchestra. All other bands in the British Army received official, permanent status from 1763 onward. Now that the band's overall history of over four and a half centuries has come to an end, it is now claimed that the Band of the Grenadier Guards are the oldest band, with their overall history of over three hundred and thirty years. It is however, important to consider that until 1762, all military bands were formed as and when required, and then immediately disbanded when not, and that they consisted only of hired, civilian musicians.
Military and processional music was designed to fulfil necessary functions in a military environment, and accompanies pageants, parades, ceremonies, processions.
The French Foreign Legion Music Band or Foreign Legion Music, formerly officially designated as the Principal Music of the Foreign Legion is a Musical Formation of the French Army composed largely of Legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion.
A police band is a military-style band operated or sponsored by a police force. Police bands provide ceremonial support for civic events, and perform at police observances such as funerals and police academy graduations. Most police bands consists exclusively of professional police officers, while others consist of personnel of law enforcement and other special agencies. Like military bands, their repertoire is mostly composed of ceremonial marching music and honors music.
The New Zealand Army Band is a brass band that primarily provides musical support for the New Zealand Army at all state and ceremonial occasions. It was founded in 1964 by Captain James Donald Carson (1935–2008) of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.
The Indian military bands consists of musicians from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Indian military bands regularly participate in international festivals and take part in celebrations dedicated to various national events. These bands are permanent participants in the Delhi Republic Day parade on the Rajpath. Today, the Indian Armed Forces have more than 50 military brass bands and 400 pipe bands and corps of drums. A Tri-Services Band refers to a joint Indian Armed Forces military band that performs together as a unit. At the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo in Moscow, the band consisted of 7 officers and 55 musicians. The Military Music Wing of the Army Education Corps is the principal educational institution of the armed forces that provides instruction to musicians of all ranks. Instruction is also provided by the Military Music Training Center and the Indian Navy School of Music.
There are currently 9 main military bands currently belonging to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), which represent the different branches of the SANDF and providing music on ceremonial occasions. Since military bands were introduced in the country, they have played a prominent role in public and military life. Pipe bands also play an important role in South African military music, with notable pipe bands coming from the Transvaal Scottish Regiment and the South African Military Health Service. Military bands of the SANDF are also affiliated with the police bands of the South African Police Service. In addition to military music, military bands in the SANDF perform different genres, including classical, jazz, pop and light music.
Sri Lankan military bands refer to the joint-service musical units of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces representing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force. The three bands mentioned, which were established in 1949, 1952 and 1970 respectively and are the seniormost in the armed forces. They are composed of many ceremonial marching bands as well as concert bands which are base for the band's success. The band participates in main social and cultural events, including formal state visits and military parades. All army regiments also contain a regimental band for ceremonial duties.
Jamaican Military Band (JMB) is one of two military bands in the Jamaican Defence Forces, with the other being The Jamaica Regiment Band. The main task of the band is to play music at all national and military ceremonies. The band's repertoire includes mostly classical and marching music. During war time, the band takes on operational roles such as Medical Assistants.