RAF Waddington Voluntary band
Encyclopedia
The Royal Air Force Waddington Voluntary Band is the largest of the RAF's eight voluntary bands
. It has been based at RAF Waddington
for a number of years although it was previously based at RAF Scampton
. The band currently has a membership of approximately 60 musicians. In the history of Voluntary Bands, membership been open to only serving members of the RAF who would play as a secondary duty. Modern Voluntary Bands have a wide range of members including serving members as well as retired service personnel, local civilians, students and many dependents. The band openly welcomes enquiries from all members of the public and RAF looking for more information on joining.
In addition, the base also has a separate voluntary pipe band, RAF Waddington Pipes and Drums, which won the 2009 RAF Pipe Band Championsships.
and Crown Imperial
. The band also enjoys performing a number of selections including show music and jazz standards. All these are included in regular concerts in and around the county.
The Big band
at Waddington has been through a number of incarnations but is flourishing after a revamp and rebranding. V Force now performs at dinner nights and dances alike.
The Saxophone Ensemble is the youngest of the groups within the band and plays a vital role by attending functions that the full band is unable to attend for any number of reasons. This means they have had the privilege of playing in the British embassy in Washington D.C. and other functions in the US capitol.
Other ensembles the band have available to provide for engagements are a Woodwind Quintet, a Brass Band
and a Brass Quintet
.
Under the leadership of Bandmaster David Jackson, the band has produced a number of widely available recordings - Eye in the Sky (2005) and Wings Over Lincoln (2008). These include a selection of popular music ranging from James Bond themes to traditional military marches.
RAF Voluntary Bands
RAF Voluntary Bands are voluntary military, brass or pipe bands that provide music for ceremonial and social occasions within the Royal Air Force, as well as local and national charities...
. It has been based at RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Formation:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
for a number of years although it was previously based at RAF Scampton
RAF Scampton
Royal Air Force Station Scampton is a Royal Air Force station situated north of Lincoln in England, near the village of Scampton, on the site of an old First World War landing field.-First World War:...
. The band currently has a membership of approximately 60 musicians. In the history of Voluntary Bands, membership been open to only serving members of the RAF who would play as a secondary duty. Modern Voluntary Bands have a wide range of members including serving members as well as retired service personnel, local civilians, students and many dependents. The band openly welcomes enquiries from all members of the public and RAF looking for more information on joining.
In addition, the base also has a separate voluntary pipe band, RAF Waddington Pipes and Drums, which won the 2009 RAF Pipe Band Championsships.
Ensembles
The main band is a military style band, although this is now more commonly referred to as a concert or wind band. Some of the larger works recently performed by the band include The Light Cavalry OvertureLight Cavalry Overture
The Light Cavalry Overture is the overture to Franz von Suppé’s operetta Light Cavalry .Although the opera is rarely performed or recorded, the overture is one of Suppé's most popular compositions, and has achieved a quite distinct life of its own, divorced from the opera of which it originally...
and Crown Imperial
Crown Imperial
Crown Imperial can be:* Chrysler Crown Imperial, a model of Chrysler limousine* Crown Imperial , a musical composition by Sir William Walton* Fritillaria imperialis , a plant...
. The band also enjoys performing a number of selections including show music and jazz standards. All these are included in regular concerts in and around the county.
The Big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
at Waddington has been through a number of incarnations but is flourishing after a revamp and rebranding. V Force now performs at dinner nights and dances alike.
The Saxophone Ensemble is the youngest of the groups within the band and plays a vital role by attending functions that the full band is unable to attend for any number of reasons. This means they have had the privilege of playing in the British embassy in Washington D.C. and other functions in the US capitol.
Other ensembles the band have available to provide for engagements are a Woodwind Quintet, a Brass Band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
and a Brass Quintet
Brass quintet
A brass quintet is a five-piece musical ensemble composed of brass instruments. The most common instrumentation is two trumpets or cornets, one horn, one trombone or euphonium/baritone horn, and one tuba or bass trombone....
.
Events and recordings
The band performs at many events annually as well as a large number of dinner nights and concerts around the country. Regular events where the band can be seen include the Freedom of Lincoln Parade, the Lincolnshire Festival of Remberence, the RAF Conningsby Battle of Britain Parade and the RAF Waddington International AirshowUnder the leadership of Bandmaster David Jackson, the band has produced a number of widely available recordings - Eye in the Sky (2005) and Wings Over Lincoln (2008). These include a selection of popular music ranging from James Bond themes to traditional military marches.
External links
- Official website
- RAF Voluntary Band Association
- The band plays Holyrood at the RAF Waddington International Airshow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVEnpqhgyCk