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 The Corps of Army Music was formed in 1994 and is one of the largest single musical organisation in the world. The Corps headquarters is based at Kneller Hall near Twickenham and lies within the Adjutant General's chain of command. It is responsible for the professional efficiency and future development of the Corps of Army Music, which includes the recruitment of musicians, the manning and deployment of bands and the career management and appointment of Corps personnel.
Music has always been important to Armies. Before the invention of the telephone, radio communication, fax or even e-mail, the drum, bugle and trumpet were needed for the very serious purpose of sending messages beyond the range of the human voice to co-ordinate the actions of large numbers of men on the battlefield. Men could be told what to do by drum patterns, trumpet or bugle calls. Complex evolution in the field could be carried out using the drum to give out the time to keep everyone together.
Men and women make music naturally as they breath or talk. Given that Armies needed the trumpet and drum for signalling anyway, it would have been impossible to prevent them from making music as a refinement to work songs or swing them along on the march, as entertainment in camp at the end of the day and (along with resplendent dress uniforms) as part of the bravura display all Armies use to make their men and women look and feel good to themselves and the rest of world.
As musical instruments developed to replace the human voice in church and in court music, Army bands grew in size and variety of instrumentation. The Royal Artillery was the first symphony orchestra to be formed in England in 1762 and it still maintains the tradition of the largest group of string players in the Army to this date.
Army music, with the development of more effective means of communications, has long since lost its' key battle-fighting function, although musicians have not. Army music is able to build self-respect and morale, and present the Army's and indeed the Country's face to the world.
Despite the reorganisation and many reductions in the numbers of bands, music has still a vital role in maintaining the morale and "Espirit de Corps" in the modern Army. Able to meet any of the demands placed upon them, either musically or supporting in a medical role, Army bands of today provide for the State and the Army a truly professional musical service that is the envy of the rest of the world.
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