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BAND OF THE ROYAL DUTCH AIR FORCE

Rob  Ouwens

 

The Band of the Royal Dutch Air Force is the youngest professional military band of the Dutch armed forces.

After the Liberation in 1945 a fanfare-band was formed from servicemen of the Condo Air Troops. The Only professional men were the Bandmaster F J Vermeered, sergeant-Major C J Langenbarg and Drum-Major Th de Vries. The band consisted of forty musicians and there was also a Corps of Drums of twenty-six men. Some time later the servicemen musicians were replaced by thirty musicians of the shock Troope.  In 1951 the band became officially a professional band and so on April 1st 1951 The Band of the Royal Dutch Air Force was formed. The new Director of Music was 1st Lieutenant H F W van Diepenbaek. He increased the number of musicians to fifty one and six students instead of thirty and the Corps of Drums got twenty-four men. The first public performance was in the Riviera Hall in Rotterdam. Many performances were to follow and soon the name of Lt Diepenbaek and the Royal Dutch Air Force Band became widely known.

 

In 1976 Major H F W van Diepenbaek retired and Captain H W A Ch Warnas became the new Director of Music and he in turn was followed by Captain, now Major, L van Diepeninigoi. Nowadays the band plays at tattoos, parades, guards of honour, official military engagements and also gives concerts. Its fame has spread and it is held in great esteem not only in Holland but also internationally.

 

All the musicians are professionals and have studied at a conservatorium. At the moment the Band has fifty-six musicians: 2 flutes/piccolos; 17 clarinets; 2 oboes/alt-oboes; 2 alto saxophones; 2 tenor saxophones; 4 French horns; 4 trumpets; 4 cornets; 4 trombones; 3 baritones; 5 basses and 4 percussion.

 

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Last modified: 02/06/06