U.S. Army Field Band

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"musical ambassadors."

The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers' Chorus have performed in all fifty states. They toured Central and South America in 1970, performing in Guatemala and Nicaragua. They toured in the Far East in 1987, performing in Korea and Japan. They toured Europe in 1994 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Normandy invasion, performing in Britain, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. They performed in Hawaii in 1995, to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the defeat of Japan. And, of course, they recently performed at the state funeral of Ronald Reagan. In all these places, the United States Army Field Band and Soldiers' Chorus have acted as representatives of the traditions of the United States Army.

Armies have been allied with music for thousands of years. The Old Testament tells us that the armies of Israel used trumpets to destroy the walls of Jericho. The ancient Scots used bagpipes and drums to shock and awe their enemies. And during the Napoleonic Wars, in countries across Europe, bands played newly composed national anthems to rouse patriotic spirits and to raise armies.