United States Coast Guard Band

Last updated

U.S. Coast Guard Band
USCG Band with current directors (2020(.jpg
The U.S. Coast Guard Band pictured in 2019.
Active1925 to Present
CountryUnited States
Branch Flag of the United States Coast Guard.svg U.S. Coast Guard
Type Military band
Role Public duties
Size55 [1]
Part ofUSCG Office of Public Affairs
Garrison/HQ New London, Connecticut
Colors  Coast Guard Blue
Decorations Coast Guard Unit Commendation ribbon.svg
Coast Guard Unit Commendation
Website http://www.uscg.mil/band/
Commanders
Director CDR Adam Williamson [1]
Assistant Director CWO Jeffrey A. Spenner [1]
Drum MajorMUCS Brian Nichols [1]
Conductor Laureate CAPT Lewis J. Buckley (ret.) [1]
Insignia
Emblem USCGBInsignia.png
Service Identification Badge USCG Band Badge.png

The United States Coast Guard Band is the premier band representing the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security. Established in 1925, the Coast Guard Band is stationed at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. The Band frequently appears in Washington, D.C., at presidential and cabinet-level functions on formal and informal occasions. Once a year, it undertakes national and international tours to promote the Coast Guard.

Contents

As of 2016, the U.S. Coast Guard Band is the Coast Guard's only professional musical ensemble (a second branch band, the U.S. Coast Guard Pipe Band, is an auxiliary-staffed organization).

History

Founding and early years

An early photograph of the U.S. Coast Guard Band USCG Band Early.gif
An early photograph of the U.S. Coast Guard Band

In March 1925, the Coast Guard Band was organized with the assistance of Lt. Charles Benter, leader of the U.S. Navy Band, Dr. Walter Damrosch, conductor of the New York Philharmonic, and John Philip Sousa, former director of the U.S. Marine Band. [2] At the time of its establishment, it was primarily as a ceremonial unit responsible for supporting cadet activities at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where it was stationed. [3] In 1931 the Coast Guard Band was the principal military band for two of the days of the week-long observances of the sesquicentennial of the British surrender at Yorktown: 17 October, thematically designated "Revolution Day", and 18 October, designated "Religion Day". [4]

World War II

An influx of new personnel into the Coast Guard during World War II stretched the band's capabilities and, for the first time, additional bands were raised by the Coast Guard to support stateside ceremonial and training requirements of the expanding force. In May 1943 an all-women's band, the Coast Guard SPAR Band, was activated at the Palm Beach SPAR Training Station. The Palm Beach SPAR Band, which had a strength of 35 personnel, was transferred to Washington, DC in 1945. While there it performed in the triumphal parade held for Admiral Chester Nimitz and participated in the mourning ceremonies for President of the United States Franklin Roosevelt, assigned to perform dirges at Union Station for the arrival of the funeral train carrying the president's body. The SPAR Band was deactivated in 1946. [5] [6]

In addition to the Coast Guard SPAR Band, bands were activated in many Coast Guard districts for the duration of hostilities. The 11th District Band enlisted Rudy Vallée as its bandmaster (during World War I Vallee had served in the U.S. Navy for three months before being expelled after it was discovered he was 15 years old). Like the SPAR Band, the district bands were phased out after the end of the war, the Coast Guard Band returning to its status as the service's sole musical unit. [7] [8]

Post-war

In 1965 the Coast Guard Band was chartered by Congress as the official band of the entire service and was given parity with other U.S. military "premier ensembles". [3] In 1976, and again in 1981, the Coast Guard proposed moving the band to Washington, D.C. Petition drives by citizens of Connecticut prevented the moves. [9]

A Coast Guard bandsman warms-up prior to a change-of-command ceremony in 2010. Defense.gov photo essay 100525-D-7203C-002.jpg
A Coast Guard bandsman warms-up prior to a change-of-command ceremony in 2010.

Lewis J. Buckley assumed command of the Coast Guard Band in 1975 as the group's fifth director. Leading the band for 29 years, until 2004, Buckley retired as the longest-serving conductor of a major military service band in American history. [10]

Modern era

In 1989 the Coast Guard Band became the first U.S. military band to perform in the Soviet Union and, in 2016 the Coast Guard Band performed at the debut of "The Finest Hours" at Mann's Chinese Theater, the first time the band had performed at the debut of major motion picture. [2] [11]

In late 2015 the Coast Guard began another study about the feasibility of relocating the band from its traditional station in New London, Connecticut to Washington, DC. The proposal to relocate the band has been opposed by United States Senator Richard Blumenthal. [12]

After the creation of the United States Space Force in December 2019, the Coast Guard Band played a central role in developing the Space Force's official song, "Semper Supra." After singer-songwriter James Teachenor, a former member of the United States Air Force Band at the United States Air Force Academy, wrote the lyrics and composed the melody for "Semper Supra" [13] [14] and received suggested arrangements and finishing touches for it from 12 military bands, [13] [14] he collaborated with Chief Musician Sean Nelson, a trombonist and staff arranger with the Coast Guard Band. [13] [14] Nelson completed the song with harmonies and orchestration, adding more than 30 instrumental parts. [13] "I became familiar with the other branches' songs, but I wanted this one to have its own modern spin to reflect what the Space Force is — modern, new and very advanced," Nelson said. [13] [14] The Coast Guard Band recorded Nelson's arrangement of the song for review by the Space Force. [13] After months of coordination between the Space Force and Coast Guard Band to further develop and revise the song and variations of it, the Space Force chose the final version of "Semper Supra." [13] The song was unveiled in a public performance by members of the U.S. Air Force Band on 20 September 2022, at the 2022 Air & Space Forces Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference at National Harbor, Maryland. [15] Teachenor and Nelson gifted "Semper Supra" and the copyright to its music and lyrics to the United States Department of the Air Force. [13]

Organization

Almost all personnel of the Coast Guard Band are assigned to the ceremonial and concert bands, the group's primary performance units. The band, however, maintains several chamber music groups to provide specialized performance capabilities to which some personnel are co-assigned. This includes a woodwind quintet, a brass quintet, a Dixieland jazz band, a saxophone quartet, a woodwind trio, and a flute and harp duo. [16]

A Coast Guard horn player wearing the concert ceremonial dress in 2011. United States Coast Guard Band - Leamy Hall October 25, 2011.jpg
A Coast Guard horn player wearing the concert ceremonial dress in 2011.

According to the Coast Guard, competition for its limited vacancies is fierce, and many new Coast Guardsmen enlisting as musicians are conservatory-trained with degrees from elite institutions including the Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, and the New England Conservatory. [17] A number of its members also perform with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, the Hartford Symphony, and the New Haven Symphony. [9]

Operationally located at Leamy Hall at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the band has billets for 54 instrumentalists and command staff, and one vocalist. Its vocalist billet has traditionally been filled by a female singer. [1] [9] [18]

Uniforms and equipment

In addition to regular Coast Guard uniforms, the Coast Guard Band is authorized wear of special ceremonial dress consisting of navy blouses with banded collars and shoulder boards, and a multi-colored aiguillette. A second distinctive uniform, the "concert ceremonial dress uniform," is patterned in white with blue highlights such as shoulder boards and cuffs. [19]

Music

Selected discography

See also

Related Research Articles

The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and forms military policy with the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), both federal executive departments, acting as the principal organs by which military policy is carried out. All six armed services are among the eight uniformed services of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Coast Guard</span> Maritime law enforcement and rescue service branch of the United States Armed Forces

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the United States military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its duties. It is the largest and most powerful coast guard in the world, rivaling the capabilities and size of most navies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin</span> Series of search-and-rescue helicopters

The Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin is a twin-engined helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for medevac-capable search and rescue (SAR) and armed Airborne Use of Force missions. It is a variant of the French-built Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anchors Aweigh</span>

"Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy and unofficial march song of the United States Navy. It was composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmermann with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles. When he composed "Anchors Aweigh", Zimmermann was a lieutenant and had been bandmaster of the United States Naval Academy Band since 1887. Miles was midshipman first class at the academy, in the class of 1907, and had asked Zimmermann to assist him in composing a song for that class, to be used as a football march. Another academy midshipman, Royal Lovell, later wrote what would be adopted into the song as its third verse.

The Air and Space Training Ribbon is the lowest military award of the United States Air Force, ranking only above foreign military awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Coast Guard Reserve</span> Reserve component of the United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard Reserve is the reserve component of the United States Coast Guard. It is organized, trained, administered, and supplied under the direction of the Commandant of the Coast Guard through the Assistant Commandant for Reserve (CG-R).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meritorious Service Medal (United States)</span> United States Armed Forces military award

The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969.

The Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon is the informal collective name for three equivalent United States military awards for the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard recruits who graduate at the top of their basic training classes: The Air Force Basic Military Training Honor Graduate Ribbon, the Coast Guard Basic Training Honor Graduate Ribbon, and the Navy Recruit Honor Graduate Ribbon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States military bands</span> Musical ensembles maintained by US uniformed services

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 United States military inter-service awards and decorations are those medals and ribbons which may be awarded to all members of the six military branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Each military department awards inter-service awards under the same criteria.

Semper may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SPARS</span> Womens branch of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve during WWII

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Women's Reserve, also known as the SPARS, was the women's branch of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. It was established by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 23 November 1942. This law authorized the acceptance of women into the reserve as commissioned officers and at the enlisted level for the duration of World War II plus six months. Its purpose was to release officers and men for sea duty and to replace them with women at shore stations. Dorothy C. Stratton was appointed director of the SPARS with the rank of lieutenant commander and later promoted to captain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Coast Guard Air Stations</span> Aviation support stations for the United States Coast Guard

A Coast Guard Air Station provides aviation support for the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard operates approximately 210 aircraft from 24 Coast Guard Air Stations in the United States. Fixed-wing aircraft, such as the HC-130 Hercules, are built for long range missions and operate from air stations. The MH-65D Dolphin and Sikorsky HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters also operate from Air Stations, Air Facilities and flight deck equipped cutters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard</span> Military unit

The United States Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard is a unit of the United States Coast Guard responsible for the performance of public duties. Stationed in Alexandria, Virginia, the unit was activated in 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Navy Ceremonial Guard</span> United States Navy unit

The United States Navy Ceremonial Guard is the official ceremonial unit of the United States Navy. It is responsible for the performance of public duties in the U.S. Navy. The guard is composed of 200 enlisted navy personnel. It is based at Naval District Washington, Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C. It is currently led by Commander Dave Tickle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armed Forces Medley</span> American collection of marches

The Armed Forces Medley, also known as the Armed Forces Salute is today recognized as a collection of the official marchpasts/songs of the 6 services of the United States Armed Forces: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and as of 2020 the Space Force. The medley is usually played in increasing order of precedence:

  1. Semper Paratus
  2. Semper Supra
  3. The U.S. Air Force
  4. Anchors Aweigh
  5. Marines' Hymn
  6. The Army Goes Rolling Along

"Semper Supra" is the official march of the United States Space Force, composed in 2022 by James Teachenor and Sean Nelson.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Personnel". uscg.mil. U.S. Coast Guard . Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Our History". uscg.mil. U.S. Coast Guard . Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Coast Guard Band Will Be Featured Here on Tuesday". Ludington Daily News. 31 July 1981. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Manley, Kathleen (2005). A History of Yorktown and Its Victory Celebrations: Revival to Patriotism. The History Press. pp. 51–55. ISBN   1596290781.
  5. ↑ Sullivan, Jill (April 2009). "A History of the United States Coast Guard SPAR Band". Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. 30 (2): 118–146. doi:10.1177/153660060903000204. JSTOR   40215357. S2CID   140813809.
  6. ↑ Sullivan, Jill (2011). Bands of Sisters: U.S. Women's Military Bands during World War II. Scarecrow Press. pp. 77–80. ISBN   978-0810881631.
  7. ↑ Ostrom, Thomas (2009). The United States Coast Guard in World War II. McFarland. pp. 160–172. ISBN   978-0786453719.
  8. ↑ "Rudy Vallee Joins Cal Coast Guard". Lewiston Daily Sun. 18 August 1942. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "Relocation of Coast Guard Band Out of New London Still Under Review". military.com . 6 March 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "Directors". uscg.mil. U.S. Coast Guard . Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "Coast Guard Band Goes Hollywood". WBUR-FM . 25 January 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Hardman, Ray (5 November 2015). "U.S. Coast Guard Might Move Its Band From New London to Washington, D.C." WNPR-FM. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs, "Space Force reveals official song: "Semper Supra"," Space Force News, September 20, 2022 Accessed 22 September 2022
  14. 1 2 3 4 Kaufman, Ellie, "Space Force releases official song 'Semper Supra'," cnn.com, September 20, 2022 Accessed 22 September 2022
  15. ↑ Brodeur, Michael Andor, "With new official anthem, the Space Force hopes to land on your radar," washingtonpost.com, September 20, 2022 Accessed 22 September 2022
  16. ↑ "Chamber Players Recital Series". uscg.mil. U.S. Coast Guard . Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  17. ↑ "Careers". U.S. Coast Guard. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Petty Officer 1st Class Lisa Williamson, a musician with the Coast Guard Band..." dvidshub.net. U.S. Department of Defense . Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  19. ↑ Uniform Regulations M1020.6H. U.S. Coast Guard. April 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.