page_title: Military bands of the Bundeswehr
section_title: Personnel
hierarchical_section_title: Military bands of the Bundeswehr / Personnel
caption_attribution_description: German Military Band - Drums and Brass Sections, Military Parade
context_page_description: There are 14 military bands of the Bundeswehr, including those of the German Army, Air Force, Navy, and joint bands. Before 2009, the military musicians of the Bundeswehr constituted a joint specialist service, the Military Music Service, subordinate to the Armed Forces Office. In 2009, as part of a larger reorganisation of the Bundeswehr, the organization of the Military Music Service was replaced by the new Military Music Center of the Bundeswehr in Bonn, and several bands were disbanded. The bands of the Bundeswehr provide music for official ceremonies such as the Großer Zapfenstreich and the swearing-in of new recruits. In addition to their traditional military music repertoire, they perform concert band and light music, as well as genres such as jazz, rock, and pop.
context_section_description: The enlisted personnel of Bundeswehr bands are drawn from those who initially volunteer for two years of service in the Bundeswehr (and formerly conscripts). Unteroffiziere (junior NCOs) used to be allowed to enlist for a minimum of four years. Feldwebel (senior NCOs) enlist for a minimum of twelve years of service, including a four-year undergraduate degree in music at the Robert Schumann Hochschule. Commissioned officers earn a Diplom degree as Kapellmeisters and commit to a minimum of fifteen years of service. Senior NCOs and commissioned officers go through their advanced training as members of the Training Band of the Bundeswehr.
  In the case of war, military musicians will serve in the Joint Medical Service. In addition to musical training, every musician receives some form of medical training, including study at the Medical Academy of the Bundeswehr (German: Sanitätsakademie der Bundeswehr) for senior personnel.
caption: Musicians of the Staff Band of the Bundeswehr
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