The 16th Annual

 Glebe Music Festival

In conjunction with The Glebe Society Inc

US Marine Forces Pacific Band Parade

"Call in the Marines!"

Photos courtesy of Patricia Baillie Click on Photo to enlarge.

The US Marine Forces Pacific Band, established in 1918 and one of the most prestigious bands in the world, is coming to Sydney. They perform free concerts in Glebe on Saturday 26 November starting at 12-30pm in the reserve outside the Glebe Library, corner of Wigram Road and Glebe Point Road. They will then march to Foley Park, corner of Bridge Road and Glebe Point Road for another performance at around 1-00pm, then to Minogue Reserve, corner Francis Street and Glebe Point Road at around 2-00pm. Permission has been sought for temporary "rolling" street closures to cause minimal disruption. Please encourage family and friends to come along for this unique experience. More details about the band can be found at:

http://www.mfp.usmc.mil/mfpband/main.htm

In addition, the band is giving two free public concerts between 12-00pm and 2-00pm in Martin Place, central Sydney, for the Council of the City of Sydney, on Tuesday 29 November. The band will also be performing concerts for the Children's Hospital Westmead, the University of Sydney and the Bondi Beach Public School.

The programme will be chosen from the following:

Fucik - The Florentiner
Rossini - William Tell Overture
Alexander - Olympia Hippodrome
Bernstein - Overture to "Candide"
Fillmore - Rolling Thunder
Smith - The Ascension
Carmichael - Georgia On My Mind
Williams - Oympic Spirit
Grainger - Iristh Tune
Rogers - Guadalcanal March
Mangione/Ford/Herak - Children of Sanchez
Sousa - Semper Fidelis
Sousa - Stars and Stripes Forever

History of the Marine Forces Pacific Band:

In Hawaii during the years following World War I, Marines who had musical talents, although they were assigned to various duties, would collaborate in their off-duty time to rehearse and perform for base dances, social functions and military ceremonies. These activities eventually led to the establishment of the "Marine Post Band" in 1918.

The band spent the next 75 years at Marine Barracks Pearl Harbor when, due to the Navy establishing Pearl Harbor as its own, the name of the band changed to "Marine Barracks Band". Other titles over the years have included the "Pacific Area Marine Band" and the "Pacific Area Drum and Bugle Corps".

In September 1944, by order of Lieutenant General H. M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith, the band was renamed the "Fleet Marine Forces Pacific Band" and was attached to Marine Forces Pacific.

In 1993 the band moved from Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, to its present location at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. Today, as in the past, the band is a versatile organization comprised of Marines with a wide range of musical and military skills. They come from across the nation to represent the United States and Marine Forces Pacific as "America's Musical Ambassadors".

Members of the US Marine Forces Pacific Band (November 2005)

Read the article from the Glebe Society Bulletin
Back to Calendar of Events 2005