77th Army bandsmen have passion for music

FORT SILL, Okla. (Oct. 24, 2013) -- As a music major at West Chester (Penn.) University, Zachary Holliday learned about Army bandsmen from one his professors -- Master Sgt. Matthew Niess of the Army Band "Pershing's Own," which is based at Fort Meyer, Va.

After graduating in 2010, Holliday said he was looking for a job where he could "play the guitar and have health insurance" so he contacted an Army recruiter. After auditioning in front of the regional band liaison at a Philadelphia recruiting office, Holliday was accepted into the Army band program.

Like many bandsmen with the 77th Army Band "The Pride of Fort Sill," now-Spc. Holliday was able to turn his love of music into a vocation. Still, the almost 40 musicians of the band know that they are Soldiers 24/7.

TO BE A BANDSMAN

"You definitely have to have a true passion for music because in some deployments bandsmen don't get to play music," said Warrant Officer Matthew David, 77th Army Band bandmaster. "And, you have to have the motivation to learn the Army side of things because we are Soldiers first."

Without physical training, and knowledge of warrior tasks, a Soldier won't succeed regardless of their military occupational specialty, he said.

David, who has deployed three times, noted in one tour he was a convoy gunner. "I had to carry a SAW (squad automatic weapon) for the whole year."

ARMY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

After Basic Combat Training, Army musicians attend Advanced Individual Training at the 10-week Army School of Music at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Va. The exceptions are new Soldiers who accepted in the service's premier bands: "Pershing's Own," the Army Field Band and the West Point Band.

First Sgt. Kristin Barrett, 77th Army Band, was an oboe instructor at ASOM in 2000, when the training was six-months long.

"We trained new Army bandsmen to function in a military band and when they went out to their first band they were ready to play and contribute," she said. "We taught them how the marches went, how the national anthem was supposed to go and covered the service songs."

Flute player Staff Sgt. Leanne Muñoz said although she had been taken private lessons since the fifth grade, the ASOM expanded her music foundation.

"I learned to play in smaller ensembles a lot better than I did in high school," said Muñoz.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Bandsmen are expected to maintain their proficiency with their instruments and learn new music, but not at the expense of basic Soldier skills, Barrett said.

"It's a fine line," she said. "Some days we'll be at the rifle range all day long, and when you get back, yeah you're tired, but you still have to get the time in on your instrument so you sacrifice a little bit of your personal time."

Muñoz is also the band's senior human resources noncommissioned officer responsible for personnel actions, such as performance evaluations, awards and promotions. She said balancing Soldier training, extra duties and band practice is all about time management.

REWARDS

David said the band is well-received wherever it performs.

"Everyone respects Soldiers, and it's a powerful experience to be able to share this wonderful thing that we love to do," he said.

David added he enjoys performing for the smaller communities.

"You actually can see the people and meet them, as opposed to these big cities where you just see a massive crowd," said David, who has been bandmaster here since November 2012.

Barrett said so many of their missions are gratifying, whether it's performing at the funeral of a fallen Soldier, playing community outreach at schools or for troops and families at a redeployment. "That's a pretty good reward."