The Role of the Band Corps

The Australian Army Band Corps (AABC) role is to provide the Army with all musical support and to promote its public image and operational effectiveness.

The following is a list of tasks and functions for Regional Army Bands:

• Provide music for ceremonial and training activities conducted by the Army and other Services of the ADF (Military Ceremonial);
  
  
• Provide music for ceremonial activities involving Royal, Vice-Regal and Federal, State, Territory and Local Government agencies (Government Ceremonial);
  
  
• Enhance morale and esprit de corps through the provision of entertainment to Army personnel in barracks and deployed on operations or exercises, and to support civil affairs and psychological operations (Operational Deployment and Entertainment);
  
  
• Contribute to the attraction of quality recruits to the Army (Recruiting); and
  
  
• Promote the public image of the Army through the provision of musical performance (Public Image).
  
  

The members of it's regular bands are full time musicians who are also trained soldiers. Each band consists of 35 players, a Music Director/Officer Commanding, and a Deputy-Music Director/Administration Officer. The bands support many tasks with a variety of different ensembles including concert band, marching band, stage-band, woodwind and brass quintets, jazz quintet, rock band, vocal and other small groups from within their ranks.

All bands are also self-administrating with some members of the band also working within other administrative roles (clerks, quartermasters, drivers etc) for the unit as well as still playing in the band. Although the AABC has a relatively short history, being formed on the 2nd August 1968, the Australian Army has always had bands.