How much do I get paid?

Full-time:
After completing all training, your salary will be in excess of $48,000 per annum.

Additional benefits include housing rental subsidies, home loan subsidies, study assistance, free medical and dental care, travel and personal instruments provided as well as a minimum of four weeks annual leave.

Part-time:
Your daily rate of pay is around $120 tax free (once fully qualified). Each full-time band also has 20 part-time positions available.

What instruments do you need?

An Australian Army Band (full-time or part-time) comprises of the following instrumentation:

What kind of music do you play?

An Australian Army band consists of 35 musicians that primarily operate as a symphonic concert band. The band regularly breaks down into smaller ensembles like jazz ensembles, rock band, big band, woodwind & brass quintets, sax quartet, trios, duos, soloists and fanfare team. This enables us to perform all genres of music, from Glenn Miller to Top 40, Bach to Lloyd Webber and everything in between.

Daily Routine with a Band

Full-time routine

A typical weekly routine for full-time AABC members includes personal performance development, section practice, marching band, two hours of physical training and approximately 20 hours of ensemble rehearsals.

Administration is required to be undertaken by various members of the band to ensure the effectiveness of the unit. Of course rehearsal routines may vary throughout the year due to tours, courses, recording projects and performances.

Like all members of the ADF, AABC personnel are required to maintain a basic level of soldiering skills and physical fitness. Two assessments are held each year to record the member's level of ability in weapons' handling and physical & aerobic fitness. Time is set aside specifically to maintain these skills under the guidance of qualified physical training instructors.

Sport also has a significant role to play in the ADF and is not only an ideal way of maintaining fitness but also encourages a team mentality. With this in mind the Australian Army provide opportunities to develop and maintain a high level of skill in sport. Adventure training is yet another form of exposing personnel to sports such as canoeing, caving, abseiling, parachuting, scuba diving and sailing, to name just a few.

Part-time routine

Reserve bands usually have rehearsals once a week, most often on Tuesday evenings between 7 – 10pm. Public performances are generally held no more than once a month, including the possibility of additional small ensemble performances. Basic Fitness Assessments (involving running, sit ups and push ups) and weapon tests are held twice a year, whilst medical checks are programmed for once a year and a dental check once every 5 years. The routine for reserve musicians working parttime in Regular Army Bands (full-time bands) is flexible and can be negotiated with the Music Director.

What standard do I have to be?

Minimum performance entry level is comparable to AMEB Grade 7 for Unqualified Entry (to study at the Defence Force School of Music) and similarly, Associate Diploma for Qualified Entry.

A high level of sight reading ability and musicianship is what the AABC is seeking. An audition will be required to assess your suitability as a musician in the Australian Army on the following criteria:

• performance of three contrasting works
• sight reading
• technical work ( scales, etc)
• aural perception & theoretical knowledge.

Your audition results will determine the duration of training required at the Defence Force School of Music (DFSM) in Melbourne.
For full-time positions, this training ranges from six weeks up to 15 months. Successful auditions for part-time positions will receive twelve months on-the-job training within the band.

Will I be obliged to sign a contract?

If you join the Army full-time, there will be a contract of 3 or 6 years depending on the length of training you have received.

Can I continue studying?

Yes. Provided that the study discipline is beneficial to the Army, the Army can provide up to 75% of the cost of study in addition to time off work to attend lectures and exams.

Do you travel?

The opportunity exists for musicians to travel nationally and internationally. Recent trips include Malaysia, Japan, Gallipoli, Vanuatu, Iraq, Bougainville, East Timor, Solomon Islands, England and a national ‘Army in Concert' tour.

Will I be deployed overseas?

Bands only deploy into secure operational areas to provide entertainment to troops. Deployments often consist of a rock band (formed from a Regular Army Band) deploying for usually no more than 16 days.

What about fitness?

The minimum level of fitness for entry into the Army is:
Males:
Push-ups 15
Sit-ups 45
Shuttle run level 7.5

Females:
Push-ups 8
Sit-ups 45
Shuttle run level 7.5

So what happens next?

Arrange to visit an AABC band and take the opportunity to see the workplace for yourself. Then arrange a no-obligation audition. The enlistment process, postaudition, consists of aptitude, physical, medical and psychological evaluations.

Upon successful completion, you will undertake basic soldier training at Wagga Wagga, NSW, for 80 days (or 28 days for people wanting to join part-time).

Within the Army you have the flexibility to transfer between full-time (Regular Army) and part-time (Army Reserve) Bands.