WordNet
n. a group of musicians playing brass and woodwind and percussion instruments [syn: concert band]
Wikipedia
A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of Bandmaster or Director of Music. Ottoman military bands are thought to be the oldest variety of military marching band in the world, dating from the 13th century.
The military band should be capable of playing ceremonial and marching music, including the national anthems and patriotic songs of not only their own nation but others as well, both while stationary and as a marching band. Military bands also play a part in military funeral ceremonies.
There are two types of historical traditions in military bands. The first is military field music. This type of music includes bugles (or other natural instruments such as natural trumpets or natural horns), bagpipes, or fifes and almost always drums (see military drums). This type of music was used to control troops on the battlefield as well as for entertainment. Following the development of instruments such as the keyed trumpet or the saxhorn family of brass instruments, a second tradition of the brass and woodwind military band was formed.
Usage examples of "military band".
The little military band in its bright uniforms, buttons and ornaments glittering, played some jaunty march which Heris could have sworn she knew.
He fancied him walking with his wife and children under the lindens of a provincial square, all listening with religious unction to the melodies played by a military band.
A military band was playing, and admiring crowds lined the streets.
But as the long black armor-plated limousine arrived with President Jiang Zemin, a military band drowned out the demonstrators with the national anthems of both the United States and China.
I'd wanted to go on account of the Charles Ives 'Three places in New England', because I liked the crazy military band sequence, but the Schonberg was something else again.
The aircraft taxied out, then turned and finally stopped at a space marked by a military band, several rows of soldiers and civilians, and the customary red carpet.
He had a small to medium budget, buried so deeply in the Air Force budget that I think everyone mistook it for a warehouse or a military band or something.