Audition - U.S. Navy Fleet Bands

[alexivy2004]

Tuba (two vacancies)
Audition Date: Saturday, January 26, 2019
Materials due: January 11, 2019
Audition location: Navy Mid-South Conference Center - Millington, TN
Winners will be assigned a position at one of nine U.S. Navy Fleet Bands.
Please send resume and applicant face sheet to Mill_NavyMusic@navy.mil" target="_blank. Call 901-874-4316 for more information.

For excerpts and other info: http://www.navyband.navy.mil/doc%20files/navy%20music/usnfb_tuba.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0O-tRZaKJf1mZRVVSaAd3xyTMKDxFBqdE06Vd2FE2rdVEn7Hy2d3CSlCI

Visit our Facebook page, U.S. Navy Fleet Band Activities, where all nine Fleet Bands' Facebook pages are hyperlinked. Student Loan Repayment Program (up to $65,000), enlistment bonuses for qualifying candidates, free health insurance. If offered a position, you must be able to pass all medical and legal requirements for enlistment into the U.S. Navy to become a Navy musician.

[cbettler]

I have been a tuba player for the Fleet Bands for the past six years. I have been stationed in Chicago and Honolulu. Please feel free to PM me or email (chris.bettler8822@gmail.com) if you have any questions. I would be happy to share my experiences. Best of luck to all who choose to audition!

[FarahShazam]

I'm bumping this up.

There are TWO vacancies for Tuba. The Navy fleet program is not a base fleet band. These people are usually graduates with a music ed or performance degree and love to play. You receive the Post 9-11 GI bill (HUGE benefit); full medical; solid salary; and room to grow. One of the things I love most about what *I* do are the collateral duties--you can receive training and education that is marketable for when you retire.

Guys, this is a great opportunity. Please take advantage of it--All you have to do is be deemed acceptable and your name remains on the "acceptable for the navy school of music" for 6 months. Please consider this. You will not regret this decision. http://www.navyband.navy.mil/job_opportunities.html

--farah

[b.williams]

"The Navy fleet program is not a base fleet band. "

Hi Farah.

What does this mean?

[alexivy2004]

Hey, everyone:

Navy Fleet Bands have changed auditions to be in line with industry standard audition processes. We hold open-call auditions to find the most highly-qualified musicians to perform professionally.

Last year, we held an open-call tuba audition and selected excellent tubists who are now either playing music at their bands or are on their way. We advertised 3 spots because we are increasing our numbers.

This year we are advertising 2 vacancies. Only those winners will be offered a position. For the most up-to-date information on our auditions, please call the Audition Supervisor, Andrea Sematoske, at 901-874-4316.

Thank you for the support, and we are excited to see you January 26th in Millington, TN!

[mikebmiller]

My friend Audra has been playing trumpet in various Navy bands for going on 15 years now and she loves it.

[FarahShazam]

"The Navy fleet program is not a base fleet band. "

Hi Farah.

What does this mean?

There are many Army base bands that are volunteer groups for military that don’t require an audition to play. All navy and Air Force bands are competitive and require schooling and an audition to be appointed.

[mctuba1]

Hey, everyone:

Navy Fleet Bands have changed auditions to be in line with industry standard audition processes. We hold open-call auditions to find the most highly-qualified musicians to perform professionally.

Last year, we held an open-call tuba audition and selected excellent tubists who are now either playing music at their bands or are on their way. We advertised 3 spots because we are increasing our numbers.

This year we are advertising 2 vacancies. Only those winners will be offered a position. For the most up-to-date information on our auditions, please call the Audition Supervisor, Andrea Sematoske, at 901-874-4316.

Thank you for the support, and we are excited to see you January 26th in Millington, TN!

When did this start?
Do they come in with any higher rank?
Do they still have to go to the school of music?
What bands will they have open to them opposed to the regular fleet?

Thanks

Tom
Former instructor at the SOM

[J Stowe]

Hey Farah,

I’m not aware of any volunteer Army Bands. The Army Bands are all staffed by auditioned musicians and serve as 42R (job identifier), which is the exclusive slot for a musician. There are both full-time and reserve status Army Bands. The only volunteer group that I know of is the 82nd Airborne Chorus at Fort Bragg, but after their audition, their only duty is to rehearse and perform with the chorus.

My apologizes for hijacking the thread, I just wanted to clarify a little about the Army Music Program.

Best of luck to anyone auditioning! Serving your country through music is a great opportunity, and the Navy Bands are excellent ensembles!

SGT Justin Stowe
282nd Army Band
Fort Jackson, SC

[FarahShazam]

Yes, I was referring to the reserve bands. My bad on the terminology.

https://www.goarmy.com/band/types-of-ar ... bands.html

[J Stowe]

The Army reserve bands are also auditioned ensembles, but the base pay is more equivalent to a regional orchestra. Between drill pay and annual training, the pay would be roughly 8-12k annually with access to Tricare Reserve Select insurance, which have really low premiums for excellent coverage (around $50 for an individual and $200 for a family).

[b.williams]

Way back in 1975 my college band director had the same misconception about Army bands. I am amazed that the same misconceptions exist today.

[J Stowe]

I hope I haven’t come across as brow-beating. I only mean to share my experience with the Army Bands. I auditioned and served in the Army National Guard (which is not exactly the Army Reserves, but the pay and benefits are the same) for ten years before auditioning and being accepted to serve active duty in the Army Bands. Coming from a lower income family, it helped finish paying for my undergrad and master’s degree, and the base pay helped me while working on my doctoral degree. I took many special band auditions and performed with a number of regional orchestras all while serving and providing for my family. It’s an opportunity that most folks don’t even know about.

Again, my reply isn’t meant for recruiting for the Army. I would highly encourage any aspiring professional to take this audition listed. The Navy Bands are fantastic, and the pay with benefits is competitive with private musical organizations.

[b.williams]

I hope I haven’t come across as brow-beating. I only mean to share my experience with the Army Bands. I auditioned and served in the Army National Guard (which is not exactly the Army Reserves, but the pay and benefits are the same) for ten years before auditioning and being accepted to serve active duty in the Army Bands. Coming from a lower income family, it helped finish paying for my undergrad and master’s degree, and the base pay helped me while working on my doctoral degree. I took many special band auditions and performed with a number of regional orchestras all while serving and providing for my family. It’s an opportunity that most folks don’t even know about.

Again, my reply isn’t meant for recruiting for the Army. I would highly encourage any aspiring professional to take this audition listed. The Navy Bands are fantastic, and the pay with benefits is competitive with private musical organizations.

You haven't. Military bands are a great opportunity. I was a Navy Musician many years ago.

[ZMan]

In the past, when auditioning for a fleet band, you traveled to the closest band to audition.

Is this still possible or is the Navy Bands changing their process to that of an orchestral/premier band audition?

Do you still have to go to the school of music?

[mctuba1]

Hey, everyone:

Navy Fleet Bands have changed auditions to be in line with industry standard audition processes. We hold open-call auditions to find the most highly-qualified musicians to perform professionally.

Last year, we held an open-call tuba audition and selected excellent tubists who are now either playing music at their bands or are on their way. We advertised 3 spots because we are increasing our numbers.

This year we are advertising 2 vacancies. Only those winners will be offered a position. For the most up-to-date information on our auditions, please call the Audition Supervisor, Andrea Sematoske, at 901-874-4316.

Thank you for the support, and we are excited to see you January 26th in Millington, TN!

When did this start?
Do they come in with any higher rank?
Do they still have to go to the school of music?
What bands will they have open to them opposed to the regular fleet?

Thanks

Tom
Former instructor at the SOM

Anyone? Iask because this sounds very different from when i was the tuba instructor athe SOM in the 90's.

[cbettler]

Hi Tom (and everyone)! I will try to answer some of your questions. As a current Fleet musician, I know most of what you are asking:

The centralized auditions started up in 2017 as a way to ensure consistency with the audition process, i.e. to give everyone auditioning an even playing field. This will be the standard method for all instruments from now on.

Everyone still comes in at E-1 through E-3, depending on their level of education.

All musicians in the Fleet bands still must attend the School of Music (SOM) following Basic Training.

Each new member will be assigned to one of the nine Fleet bands following completion of the SOM based on which band currently needs a tuba player:

Fleet Forces Band, Norfolk, VA
Naval Forces Europe Band, Naples, Italy
Pacific Fleet Band, Pearl Harbor, HI
Seventh Fleet Band, Yokosuka, Japan
Navy Band Northeast, Newport, RI
Navy Band Southeast, Jacksonville, FL
Navy Band Northwest, Silverdale, WA
Navy Band Southwest, San Diego, CA
Navy Band Great Lakes, Great Lakes, IL

The US Navy Band in DC and the Naval Academy Band in Annapolis are still considered premiere bands and have their own individual auditions unrelated to the Fleet Band Activities auditions.

Hopefully this info offers some clarification. Please PM if you have any further questions.

Chris Bettler

Hey, everyone:

Navy Fleet Bands have changed auditions to be in line with industry standard audition processes. We hold open-call auditions to find the most highly-qualified musicians to perform professionally.

Last year, we held an open-call tuba audition and selected excellent tubists who are now either playing music at their bands or are on their way. We advertised 3 spots because we are increasing our numbers.

This year we are advertising 2 vacancies. Only those winners will be offered a position. For the most up-to-date information on our auditions, please call the Audition Supervisor, Andrea Sematoske, at 901-874-4316.

Thank you for the support, and we are excited to see you January 26th in Millington, TN!

When did this start?
Do they come in with any higher rank?
Do they still have to go to the school of music?
What bands will they have open to them opposed to the regular fleet?

Thanks

Tom
Former instructor at the SOM

Anyone? Iask because this sounds very different from when i was the tuba instructor athe SOM in the 90's.

[drow2buh]

One of my students won one of the last spots and thus far is really enjoying his experience!