page_title: Military band
section_title: Fiji
hierarchical_section_title: Military band / Military bands of Oceania / Fiji
caption_attribution_description: English: The Republic of Fiji Military Forces Band performs as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) pulls into Suva, Fiji, Jan. 27, 2017. Michael Murphy is on a regularly scheduled western Pacific deployment with the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group as part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet-led initiative to extend the command and control functions of U.S. 3rd Fleet.
context_page_description: A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music. Ottoman military bands are thought to be the oldest variety of military marching bands in the world, dating from the 13th century.
  The military band is capable of playing ceremonial and marching music, including the national anthems and patriotic songs of not only their own nation but others as well, both while stationary and as a marching band. Military bands also play a part in military funeral ceremonies.
  There are two types of historical traditions in military bands. The first is military field music. This type of music includes bugles, bagpipes, or fifes and almost always drums. This type of music was used to control troops on the battlefield as well as for entertainment. Following the development of instruments such as the keyed trumpet or the saxhorn family of brass instruments, a second tradition of the brass and woodwind military band was formed.
context_section_description: The Republic of Fiji Military Forces sports only one military band, the Fiji Military Forces Band. The perform in the RFMF's ceremonial dress uniform, which consists of a red uniform with a traditional Fijian Sulu, which is also worn by the country's Presidential Palace Guards. The RFMF Band's formation is similar to their British counterparts, particularly the Royal Marines Band Service, which has its drum section at the front of the formation.
caption: Fiji Military Forces Band performs as the USS Michael Murphy docks in Suva, Fiji.
exif: {}