Good morning, and happy Memorial Day. Today, my colleague Sarah Diamond has a story on the appeal, and the challenges, of being a military musician. We're also covering Papua New Guinea, surveillance in China and commercials on streaming. —David Leonhardt
From audition to boot campPicture the brass section of a symphony orchestra. Now, instead of formal attire and a brightly lit concert hall, imagine the principal horn player wearing camouflage fatigues, crouching over a loaded rifle at a firing range. For the thousands of classical musicians employed by the U.S. military, this seemingly incongruous image is a reality. The military calls itself the nation's largest employer of musicians, and its ranks include some of the country's most coveted musical performance jobs. Seats in premier military bands are often as competitive as those in the top symphonies in the country, in part because of their stability, pay and benefits. There are aspects of the job that might require adjustment for a civilian musician, though. Band members must adhere to strict military standards — such as passing physical fitness tests, wearing a uniform during rehearsal and, most daunting of all, completing 10 to 12 weeks of boot camp with no access to their instruments. My latest story, which published this morning, explores how some musicians become service members. I spent more than eight months following the journey of one euphonium player, Ada Brooks, from her audition for the West Point Band through a freezing stint at boot camp in the Ozarks, to her first concert. In today's newsletter, I'll explain the unique role that military bands play in the classical music world and the intense demands that come with the job. Shipping outMusic and the military have long been intertwined. Drums were used to set the pace of marches, and fifes served as battlefield communication before there were radios. The country's first military band, the United States Marine Band — known as "The President's Own" — was formed by an act of Congress in 1798. Loras John Schissel, a senior musicologist at the Library of Congress, said that during the Civil War, band members would put down their instruments, take up their weapons and fight — and then resume playing. Today, a military musician's duties beyond music can involve performing drug tests for cadets or teaching classes. One West Point Band member told me that she helps maintain the band's website. And while direct exposure to combat has become increasingly rare for military musicians, it is not unheard-of. In 1941, all 21 musicians aboard the battleship Arizona died in the attack on Pearl Harbor while passing ammunition to the ship's guns. On Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. Army Band helped with search and rescue at the Pentagon.
A stable careerThere are scores of regional military bands that represent the armed forces at ceremonies, parades and holiday celebrations across the United States. A smaller group of elite bands — including the West Point Band, The President's Own, the U.S. Air Force Band, the U.S. Army Band and the U.S. Navy Band — perform at inaugurations and foreign dignitary visits. Seats in the premier bands are particularly attractive. The starting salary is about $70,000, and the musicians also receive tax breaks, education benefits and health care. Because of these factors, band members tend to stay for many years, if not their entire careers. This stability can be appealing for classical musicians, who have fewer opportunities to make a living than many other performers, as Donald Passman, an author and music business expert, explained to me. "It's ironic that jazz and classical are the most difficult, challenging and require some of the most skilled people, and yet those two areas make much less than pop music," Passman said. "If you're a pop musician, you can still do concerts on your own, which is not as easy for a viola player." Culture shockSome aspects of a military band audition — like playing for a jury hidden behind a curtain, to guard against potential bias — are familiar to most orchestra musicians. Other details are unique to the military. When I attended an audition for the West Point Band, two of the other four candidates said they had to lose weight to qualify, and the finalists were tested for proficiency in marching drills. Military life can be a shock to musicians, most of whom have no prior experience with the armed forces. One tuba player in the West Point Band, Staff Sgt. Alec Mawrence, said that at first it was "a little weird" to have to wear a full combat uniform to play the tuba. "Eventually, your head is shaved and you're screaming, 'Yes, drill sergeant,'" he said. But the benefits are apparent. Mawrence, who attended Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music, said that he could think of very few others in his graduating class with a career in music. As Brooks, the euphonium player, told me: "Basic training is no big deal compared to 20 years of a performance job." For more: Read my full story, which includes photographs by Christopher Lee of Brooks's time at boot camp.
Asia
Israel-Hamas War
More International News
New York City
Other Big Stories
Opinions To society, a single, childless older woman is a tragedy. But for Glynnis MacNicol, her life has all the makings of a fantasy, she writes. Catholic traditionalism has organized against the church's hierarchy and attempts to modernize. Ironically, the movement's tactics are progressive, Ross Douthat argues. Here is a column by David French on grief and war. Our new offer starts now. Enjoy 7 free days to discover the complete Times experience, from news to games to cooking, sports and more, followed by your first six months for just $1 a week. Try The Times today.
A medium-rare goodbye: An old-guard Italian steakhouse — and its regulars — said farewell to the establishment's longtime Midtown Manhattan home. A holiday's origin: Read about the history of Memorial Day, which began as a way to remember soldiers killed in the Civil War. Nature: The Times science writer James Gorman suggests studying birds. Their lives are darker than you might imagine. Technology: She lost her right arm in a subway accident two years ago. Now she wears an A.I.-powered prosthetic. Ask Vanessa: "Is it possible to wear neon without looking like a highlighter?" Metropolitan Diary: Help from a well-known stranger. Lives Lived: Don Perlin was a veteran comic book artist who, after decades in the industry, helped create the popular but nontraditional superheroes Moon Knight and Bloodshot. He died at 94.
French Open: Rafael Nadal, who has won the French Open 14 times, has been insulated from tough matches at the tournament for nearly 20 years — until now. Read a recap of the first day. Golf: The PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray died by suicide, his family said in a statement. N.B.A.: The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, pushing their series lead to 3-0. M.L.B.: Ronald Acuña Jr., last year's National League M.V.P., will undergo season-ending surgery after tearing his A.C.L. Racing: Josef Newgarden won his second straight Indianapolis 500 after a daring last-lap pass of Pato O'Ward.
There was a time that streaming offered a promise — under their models, commercials would be a thing of the past. However, Netflix, Disney+, Peacock, Paramount+ and Max have recently added ads in exchange for a slightly lower subscription fee, while Amazon turns commercials on by default. Streamers had initially raced to acquire subscribers, but the issue of profit remained and Wall Street started to cool on their businesses. "Perhaps the changed viewing experience was inevitable," Times reporter John Koblin writes. More on culture
Make a quick and refreshing cucumber salad. Explore these (actually good) Memorial Day sales. Celebrate Pride Month in New York. Sleep better with blackout curtains. Buy a gift for a co-worker. Take our news quiz.
Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was clickable. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com.
|
Opozita i vuri zjarrin karrigeve në shenjë proteste për burgosjen e Ervin
Salianjit, kryetarja e Kuvendit njoftoi mbarimin e mandatit të deputetit të
dënuar me 1 vit
-
Në Tiranë, Deputetët e Partisë Demokratike nxorrën jashtë sallës së
Kuvendit karriget e tyre dhe u vunë zjarrin në shenjë proteste ndaj
burgosjes së depu...
Hace 16 horas
