[Martin Magna Commitee Sax]

I'm planning on attending either the US airforce academy in Colorado or the US Naval Academy in Maryland. Does anybody attend, or know anybody that plays in the band for either of the two academies? Some information would be great, I know little about it, and plan to major in Mechanical Engineering and take band as an elective. By the way, I'm a sax player who plays strictly in sit down bands and has zero marching band experiance, consider that too in your answer (if there's any). Thanks.

 

[king koeller]

They have drum and bugle corps for everybody at the AF academy however
the AF Academy band is a Professional premiere AF band located in Colorado, along with The Washington DC band. It's Audition only. They are the best of the Best.
The other AF Bands(Field Bands) are located in Ohio, California, Texas, Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, Germany, Massachusetts, Virginia, Georgia, Nebraska, and St.Louis Missouri. There are many AF guard bands also.
Bad News...
There is currently a hiring freeze. No new auditions or recruits.
Will pass along up-dates as we hear of them...

 

[Agent27]

Yeah, I seriously doubt there are any students in either of those bands. Those guys are full-time military musicians. I knew a sax player who's now in the AF Academy Band. He was in the USAF Band of the West in San Antonio before he got in that one.

Hey King, I heard the freeze might come off in November. Have you heard any rumors on that? If they don't take the freeze off by January I may be forced to join the Navy Band.

 

[saxman_aja]

There are student bands at all of the academies, as far as I know, that are usually run by a senior enlisted man or one of the assistant conudctors of the professional academy bands. I think they conduct a couple of concerts a year and do stuff at athletic events.

 

[danarsenault]

All of the military bands advertiae their openings and audition procedures in the musician's union publications.

 

[Agent27]

All of the military bands advertiae their openings and audition procedures in the musician's union publications.

. . . and on their websites, and at local colleges and universities, and probably other places as well.

 

[saxman_aja]

He's not talking about the pro bands. He just wants to play while he's in college.

 

[Dr G]

By the way, I'm a sax player who plays strictly in sit down bands and has zero marching band experience...

How did you manage that? Are there high schools that don't compel everyone in band to march? Why, at my high school (long time ago), the piano player from the jazz band marched with a glockenspiel! :shock:

 

[Agent27]

How did you manage that? Are there high schools that don't compel everyone in band to march? Why, at my high school (long time ago), the piano player from the jazz band marched with a glockenspiel! :shock:

I went to a Catholic HS for two years. Our 100 member "marching" band just stood in a block and played Genn Miller, Count Basie, etc. We didn't even have marching unis. Black dockers, white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, loose red tie, optional shades. We looked more like a Blues Brothers convention than a marching band.

Then I spent a year in Singapore. No football, no marching band.

Finally, my senior year, I came back to the US and went to a private Baptist school that was K-12. The band was so small it had to be grades 7-12 but we needed to borrow a few 6th graders to fill out a 32 person marching band. That was my first marching experience. I imagine it would have been different if I had attended public school.

Then I marched at the University of Houston and at Texas State University.

 

[martysax]

Why, at my high school (long time ago), the piano player from the jazz band marched with a glockenspiel! :shock:

Did he play it with Bruce Springsteen?