chapter 96

BRd 2

96-1

Service Bands

November 2007 Edition

CHAPTER 96

SERVICE BANDS

(MOD Sponsor: HQBS-SOB)

CONTENTS

SECTION I - GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

ParaJ.9601. GeneralJ.9602.J.9603.

SECTION II - DEFINITIONS

J.9611. Service MusiciansJ.9612. UnitJ.9613. Band

SECTION III - ENGAGEMENTS

J.9621. RestrictionsJ.9622. Duty Nature of all EngagementsJ.9623. CategoriesJ.9624. Category I - Official EngagementsJ.9625. Category II - Service commemorations and charitiesJ.9626. Category III - Unit FunctionsJ.9627. Category IV - Fee-Paying EngagementsJ.9628. Spare

SECTION IV - MUSIC

J.9641. Massed BandsJ.9642. Trumpet and Bugle CallsJ.9643. Controversial MusicJ.9644. Foreign National AnthemsJ.9645. The National Anthem

BRd 2

96-2

Service Bands


CHAPTER 96

SERVICE BANDS

SECTION I - GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

J.9601.General

1. These instructions apply to established and voluntary bands, pipes, trumpets andbugles, orchestras and dance bands of the Defence Services. They present the MODpolicy regarding all musical engagements undertaken by servicemen. These instructionsare extracts and should be used for guidance only; the full instructions can be found ininstructions for service bands and military musicians.

J.9602.

1. These instructions may apply to displays and tattoos provided by Service musiciansfrom time to time, when reference will be made in the relevant mounting instructions.

J.9603.

1. PS 12 (Army) is the branch of the MOD responsible for the co-ordination of the JointService instructions.

9604 - 9610. Unallocated

BRd 2

96-3

Service Bands


SECTION II - DEFINITIONS

J.9611. Service Musicians

1. A Service musician is a member of the regular or auxiliary armed forces of any rankwho is performing in uniform or civilian clothes under the auspices of his unit or Service.These instructions provide for the spare-time acceptance of musical employment byindividual members of a band provided that civilian clothes are worn (J.9621.1 sub para cand Para J.9622. refer).

J.9612.Unit

1. For the purpose of these instructions, a unit is:

a. In the naval service. A ship, commando or shore establishment, or part thereof.

b. Army. An element of a corps or regiment having a separate establishment, or partthereof.

c. In the RAF. A station or establishment, or part thereof.

J.9613.Band

1. The term ‘band’ is used to denote any musical combination listed in Para J.9601.above.


BRd 2

96-4

Service Bands


SECTION III - ENGAGEMENTS

J.9621.Restrictions

1. The following restrictions on engagements are to be observed:

a. Political organizations. No Service musician may perform in either a corporate oran individual capacity at a meeting, demonstration or entertainment organized byor on behalf of a political party or an organization having partisan or controversialaims.

b. Trade disputes. In no circumstances is any band to accept an engagement toreplace a civilian band which is on strike or involved in a trade dispute, nor is aband to reduce its fee and thereby displace another Service or civilian band.Cases of doubt are to be referred to the Ministry of Defence (Commandant-General Royal Marines, PS12 (Army) or P1 (Cer) RAF as appropriate).

c. Performance in plain clothes. Except as noted in b, no restriction is placed on theacceptance of spare-time musical employment by individual members of a band,provided that plain clothes are worn and no special leave or other facility isgranted for this purpose. Permission for Royal Marines to undertake suchengagements is to be obtained from the appropriate authority in accordance withPara J.8402. or with unit orders.

d. Musicians’ Union disputes. Service musicians are not to accept, without specialpermission, employment in an establishment where a trade dispute involving theMusicians’ Union is in progress. If a Service musician is in any doubt on this he isto refer the matter to his superior authority for guidance before accepting theengagement.

e. Title. Individual Service musicians are not permitted to form or take part in anunofficial musical combination under a title which would indicate their connectionwith the Services, except on Service premises.

f. Media engagements. Engagements are not to be sought through publicadvertising media or initiated through musical or other agents. Approvedengagements in the United Kingdom may, however, be accepted through agentsacting directly on behalf of the party desirous of engaging the band, provided thatno commission is deducted from the band’s fee.

J.9622.Duty Nature of all Engagements

1. Service musicians taking part in all engagements which have been entered into by anofficer responsible for the administration of that band, are on duty throughout the periodoccupied by the rehearsals, the performance and by travel to and from the places ofrehearsals and performance.

BRd 2

96-5

Service Bands


J.9623.Categories

1. There are five categories of engagements:

2. No engagements may be considered as a mixture of two or more categories. Thatsaid, a band may undertake two separate engagements sequentially at the same location.

J.9624.Category I - Official Engagements

1. Official engagements are as follows:

a. Parades and engagements held in the course of duty in the interests of the RoyalNavy, Army or Royal Air Force.

b. Performances which are undertaken as a part of a scheme officially sponsored bythe Government for a national object, where a direct request for support has beenmade by the Ministry concerned and has been approved by the Ministry ofDefence (in the case of RM bands, Commandant-General Royal Marines).

2. For Category I engagements:

a. No fees are to be charged or accepted.

b. All expenses are covered by public funds.

J.9625.Category II - Service commemorations and charities

1. Category II engagements are as follows:

a. Commemorative occasions (other than any classed under J.9624.1 sub para b)which must be for a Service or ex-Service organization.

b. Performances, the profits from which will be applied wholly to the King George VFund for Sailors, the Army Benevolent Fund, or the Royal Air Force BenevolentFund.

c. Performances given wholly for the benefit of a bona fide charity, the funds orservices of which are devoted exclusively to past and present members of theDefence Services and their families.

Category I Official

Category II Service commemorations and charities

Category III Unit functions

Category IV Fee paying

Category V Community relations (Army Bands in BAOR only)

BRd 2

96-6

Service Bands


2. For Category II engagements:

a. No fees are to be charged or accepted.

b. All transport and out-of-pocket expenses are to be charged to the organizers.

c. A capitation charge (at a rate laid down from time to time by the MOD) will bepayable by the organizers.

d. Third party risks and all MOD property are to be covered by insurance.

e. Regimental and privately owned property should be covered by insurance.

J.9626.Category III - Unit Functions

1. These are engagements which a band attends solely for the entertainment of servicepersonnel and their guests of a different unit or sub-unit of the same or of a differentService. The object of this category is to give to units without an authorized band some ofthe benefits available to those which have one.

2. For Category III engagements:

a. The unit receiving the services of a band other than a dance band will pay acontribution to the band fund as laid down in Para 9744..

b. Dance bands. Extra duty pay will be charged and paid to the dance bandmusicians at the rate shown in current DINs (see also Para 9747.). The purposeof this is to encourage Service musicians to develop the special aptitude required.

c. Transport costs will be payable by the receiving unit.

d. There is no insurance requirement.

J.9627.Category IV - Fee-Paying Engagements

1. Bands are permitted to undertake fee-paying engagements subject to the exigenciesof the Service.

2. For Category IV engagements:

a. Fees are charged to the organization or person requesting the band’s services.

b. All transport and other expenses are to be charged to the organizers.

c. Sponsors booking musicians are responsible for a pro rata contribution to bandsto cover MOD Public Liability Insurance thus ensuring that any subsequentcompensation claims do not fall to MOD.

d. The organiser must accept and acknowledge formally the limitation of MOD ThirdParty Liability and enter into a Service Contract (PS12(Army)).

BRd 2

96-7

Service Bands


e. Regimental and privately owned property should be covered by insurance.

J.9628.Spare


BRd 2

96-8

Service Bands


SECTION IV - MUSIC

J.9641.Massed Bands

1. When bands are massed, the senior Director of Music or Bandmaster will conduct andco-ordinate the programme of music to be played. The musical content of the programmeis subject to the approval of the sponsor or the senior officer organizing the event.

J.9642.Trumpet and Bugle Calls

1. Trumpet and bugle calls, which are to be adhered to without addition or alteration asregards either the sounding or the application, are to be found in:

BR 13, The Bugler’s Handbook for Royal MarinesAC 14163, Trumpet and Bugle Calls for the ArmyAP 162, Trumpet Calls

J.9643.Controversial Music

1. While it is difficult to lay down the controversial connections that music may have,attention is drawn to the need for Commanding Officers and officers supervising bands toexercise careful discretion at all times to avoid offending the susceptibilities of any sectionof the community by the inclusion in programmes for public performances of music towhich they might reasonably take exception.

J.9644.Foreign National Anthems

1. All established bands are to provide themselves with current copies of BR 12, AC14630 or AP 3227, National Anthems, Salutes and Official Marches 1963. Before playingany foreign national anthem, bands must ensure that they are in possession of the up-to-date version.

2. On foreign soil, that country’s anthem is to be played first.

3. On board HM ships visiting foreign ports, God Save The Queen is always to be playedfirst.

J.9645.The National Anthem

1. The National Anthem is to be played and sung in the key of G major by all bands andchoirs of the Defence Services. An official version is contained in the manual NationalAnthems, Salutes and Official Marches 1963.

2. Except as provided for in Chapter 92, and in AC 13206, The Queen’s Regulations forthe Army, J8.039, J8.040 and J8.042b, Directors of Music and Bandmasters havediscretion to play the National Anthem or the appropriate part of it, either at the beginningor the end of an engagement.

BRd 2

96-9

Service Bands


3. If the organizers of a non-military sporting fixture request a military band to play anational anthem (other than God Save The Queen) or song, the officer administering theband, Director of Music or Bandmaster, may agree provided that:

a. The event is a recognized international fixture in which a team from the homecountry concerned is participating.

b. The anthem or song is not played in place of God Save The Queen, which mustalways be played. When the anthems of the competing teams are playedsequentially (as is normal immediately prior to the commencement of a match)God Save The Queen should normally be played last. However, if there are wellestablished precedents to the contrary (for example, at international rugbymatches where Wales is the home team it is customary for Land of my Fathers tobe played last), discretion is given to vary the order.

4. When Loyal Toasts are drunk, the National Anthem is to be played as follows:

a. First verse of the National Anthem

(1) When the Loyal Toast is drunk to The Sovereign.

(2) When the second Loyal Toast is drunk to His Royal Highness The PrincePhilip, Duke of Edinburgh, when he is present.

b. First 6 bars of the National Anthem

(1) On all other occasions.

chapter 96

Documents