Serving as the U.S. Navy’s official musical organization since 1925, The United States Navy Band, based at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. serves the ceremonial needs of the United States Government performing at state funerals, dinners, arrival ceremonies and even presidential inaugurations. They also perform and hold concerts in other significant events and locations. The band can perform in all musical styles from ruffles and flourishes, to classical, and even rock and jazz.
The United States Navy Band has grown into a diverse organization composed of multiple performing units since it was formed in 1925. It features six performing ensembles which include the main Concert Band, the Ceremonial Band, the Commodores Jazz Ensemble, Country Current country-bluegrass, the Cruisers contemporary entertainment ensemble and the Sea Chanters Chorus. Having multiple ensembles help the organization meet the demands of different types of music for different types of events.
Part of the original Navy Band that was formed in 1925 along with the Ceremonial Band, The Concert band is the Navy’s premier wind ensemble. They play regular concerts in the Washington D.C. area and perform month-long yearly national tours.
During the summer, since 1997, the United States Navy Band, together with the Navy Ceremonial Guard performs at the Concerts on the Avenue series on select Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. held at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. In 2019 the band performed a medley of songs from Disney’s The Lion King, featuring Chief Musicians Rachel Sarracco and Shana Sullivan, and Musician 1st Class Danlie Cuenca. It is one of the most popular selections of the band during the event. Watch the amazing performance in the video below.
When you think of the Navy, you usually think of stiff up tight sailors running around the deck of the ship, but this concert group is far from that.
