United States Navy Band

The United States Navy Band
The United States Navy Band's Ceremonial Band ensemble
Active	1925–present
Branch	United States Navy
Garrison/HQ	Washington Navy Yard
Nickname(s)	"The World's Finest"
March	Anchors Aweigh
Anniversaries	March 4, 1925
Decorations	Meritorious Unit Commendation (6)
Website	www.navyband.navy.mil
Commanders
Commanding Officer/Leader	CAPT Kenneth Collins
Executive Officer	LCDR Mark Corbliss
Senior Enlisted Advisor	MUCM Kevin Dines
Insignia
Official Seal
Official Logo

The United States Navy Band, based at the historic Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., has served the nation as the official musical organization of the United States Navy since 1925. The United States Navy Band serves the ceremonial needs at the seat of government, performing at presidential inaugurations, state arrival ceremonies, state funerals, state dinners, and other significant events.

The band performs all styles of music — from ceremonial pieces such as "ruffles and flourishes" to classical, rock, jazz and country hits.

Since its official designation in 1925, the United States Navy Band has grown into a diverse organization of multiple performing units. The organization features six performing ensembles: the Concert Band, the Ceremonial Band, the Commodores jazz ensemble, Country Current country-bluegrass ensemble, the Cruisers contemporary entertainment ensemble, and the Sea Chanters chorus. There are also several chamber music groups. The multiple ensembles help to meet the public demand for different types of music as well as the needs of Navy recruiting.

The United States Navy Band is composed of 172 enlisted musicians and four officers, under the direction of Capt. Kenneth Collins.

The Concert Band is the Navy's premier wind ensemble. This band, along with the Ceremonial Band, was part of the original Navy Band in 1925. The group plays concerts in the Washington, D.C. area, and performs a month-long national tour each year.

The Ceremonial Band performs ceremonies in and around the Washington, D.C. area. Their main mission is performing for funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. Additionally, the Ceremonial Band performs change of commands, retirements, patriotic openers, wreath-layings and arrivals.

In 1956, Lt. Harold Fultz, then the band's assistant leader, organized a group from the Navy School of Music to sing chanteys and patriotic songs for the State of the Nation dinner. An immediate success, ADM Arleigh Burke, then chief of naval operations, transferred them to the Navy Band, named them the Sea Chanters and tasked this all-male chorus with perpetuating the songs of the sea. In 1980, the group added women to their ranks and expanded their repertoire to include everything from Brahms to Broadway.