MY STORY:A few years ago, a friend of mine told me the Army was looking for conductors. I had never considered a career as a military musician because I had virtually no experience with bands. I am a classical guitarist-turned-orchestra-conductor, and I had never marched. My career as an orchestra conductor and opera producer was going just fine. What would the Army want with a guy like me? Why would I quit my current career to join the military? I applied for the job because that’s what conductors do – we apply for jobs, even jobs we know we won’t get and others we aren’t even sure we want. I was surprised to receive an invitation to the audition in Washington D.C. I thought, “They’ll never hire me, but I’ll take the audition for the experience. For the rest of my life I’ll be able to say, ‘I conducted the U.S. Army Band once.’ Why not?"
THE AUDITION:
I went to D.C., and on the first day of the audition I played a mini-recital on my instrument (Tarrega, Dowland, and Stevie Ray Vaughan) and took a bunch of musical exams: foreign language terms, score reading, sight-singing, arranging, transpositions, etc. It reminded me of the audition for the DMA program at Peabody or Eastman. I could see that they were looking for outstanding, excellent, versatile conductors.
On the second day, I conducted The U.S. Army Band in the morning and the U.S. Army Chorus after lunch. The level of musicianship was epic, and I enjoyed making music with them so much that I did not want the audition to end. Afterward, the selection committee – a panel of Band Officers – asked me about myself, my experience, why I wanted to be a Band Officer, etc. Then I waited in the lobby until a colonel called me back to an office and offered me a position as an Army Band Officer. The colonel told me to talk to my wife and think about it. He said, “This is a life-altering decision.”
THE DECISION:
I thought about this decision for a long time: Should I continue doing what I’m doing? I work in the opera department of a prestigious conservatory in New York City. I am the Music Director of two orchestras. I have guest conducting jobs. I have control over my schedule. I love living in New York. My career is getting better and better each year, though nothing is guaranteed.
Or should I quit life as I know it, join the Army, spend nine months in training separated from my wife, and commit myself to working with Army Bands? I will have to cancel all my conducting engagements for the next year, and for the rest of my career I will move to a new city every 2 or 3 years. I will have much better job security and a pension after 20 years, but there is a strict pay schedule – I will never get rich. I will be at the beck and call of the Army. And will it be musically fulfilling?
TWO YEARS LATER:
I accepted the job, of course, and I think joining the Army was the best decision I could have made. I love this job because I conduct nearly every week (sometimes several times a week), I work with great musicians, and I feel fulfilled and appreciated. This job is not for every conductor, but if you are talented (no hacks allowed!), hard-working, flexible, and fit (and not too old), you might make a good Army Band Officer.
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| On July 3, 2012, I conducted in front of 6,000+ people. That felt good. |
There are plenty of pros and cons. Most of them are either pros or cons depending on you. Soldier-musicians have to stay fit. If you love to run and work out, as I do, this is a pro. Soldiers relocate on a regular basis. If you love to travel and live in new places, as I do, this is a pro. Our repertoire satisfies the needs of each mission and includes a lot of patriotic and pops repertoire. If you like to program long symphonic programs of serious music or opera, as I do, this is a con. Soldiers have to adhere to certain grooming regulations and moral codes. The Army is very structured and steeped in tradition. Military people love acronyms. These could all be pros or cons, depending on your personality.
PAY AND BENEFITS:
Our salaries are public information, and you can see the monthly base pay scale here. Officers start as Second Lieutenants (pay grade 0-1), and after about 2 years, we get promoted to First Lieutenant (0-2). In another 2 years, if all goes well, we make Captain (0-3). As you can see, a Second Lieutenant with less than two years of service is not paid very well. You can also see that a Major (0-4), Lieutenant Colonel (0-5), or Colonel (0-6) with twenty years of service makes a decent living.
In addition to the base pay, the Army pays each soldier a housing allowance. Click here and enter your zip code and "0-1" to see what a Second Lieutenant in your area would get for a housing allowance. The benefit are generous. Free health care for you and your dependents, life insurance, and some other perks. After 20 years, a Soldier can retire and draw 50% of his/her base pay until death. An Army Band Officer will never make as much as the Music Director of the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, or Houston Grand Opera. If you think you have a serious shot at a job like that, good luck.
HOW DO I BECOME AN ARMY BAND OFFICER?
You have to apply by sending a resume, demo DVD, and a full-length photo. You must be at least 18 years old but not older than 35, a U.S. citizen, a college graduate, and physically fit. It is very competitive. The deadline is Friday, January 18, 2013. The Army generally accepts applications every January, so if this week is too soon, consider it in the future. See all the info about the job, audition process, and application here.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions about the process, the job, or anything else, please contact me. What is basic training like? What is OCS like? What is your daily schedule like? How many performances a year do you conduct? What's the best/worst thing about the job? Just ask. I won't sugar-coat it.
