The Luxembourg Military Band, known locally as the Musique militaire grand-ducale, was founded in 1842 and has been a major contributor to Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...

's musical heritage. In addition to official performances for the Grand-Duke

Grand Duke of Luxembourg

The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the sovereign monarch and head of state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has been a grand duchy since 15 March 1815, when it was elevated from a duchy when placed in personal union with the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...

, the national government and the army, the band frequently gives concerts in and around Luxembourg City

Luxembourg (city)

The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...

.

History

In 1815, when the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg was created by the Vienna Congress

Congress of Vienna

The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...

, the need began to emerge for a national army. As a result of political difficulties, it was not, however, until 1842 that two infantry battalions finally came into being. The 1st Battalion, stationed in the abbey city of Echternach

Echternach

Echternach is a commune with city status in the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in Luxembourg....

 founded the country's first military band under the leadership of Franz Ferdinand Hoebich on 29 December 1842. Initially some 25 musicians were involved but the band grew from year to year. The 2nd battalion, garrisoned in Diekirch

Diekirch

Diekirch is a commune with city status in north-eastern Luxembourg, capital city of the canton Diekirch and the district of Diekirch. The city is situated on the banks of the Sauer river....

, was founded on 6 December 1847 under the leadership of Jean-Antoine Zinnen

Jean Antoine Zinnen

Jean Antoine Zinnen was a Luxembourgian composer, best known for the Luxembourgian national anthem, Ons Hémécht.-Career:...

 who is remembered for composing the music for the Luxembourg national anthem. Since June 1868 when the 2nd Battalion was disbanded, only the band of the 1st Battalion has remained. With some 60 musicians, it now takes the form of a big band. Since 1986, the bandmaster has been Lieutenant-Colonel André Reichling. The band's official activities consist of performances for the grand-ducal court and for the national government on the occasion of state visits and receptions. Its military activities include playing at parades at the grand-ducal palace and for the changing of the guard.

Public performances

The big band gives some 50 public concerts a year, mainly in locations inside Luxembourg itself but occasionally abroad. The members of the band are professional musicians, most of whom have studied at conservatories or universities abroad. While they are soldiers, apart from basic training they have no military duties. The band's extensive repertoire stretches from military music and marches for brass bands to a large number of pieces from which selections can be made on an à la carte basis to satisfy the particular wishes of the audience for whom they are to be performed. The band also splits up into various formations such as chamber orchestra, brass band, instrumental ensemble, wind quintet, clarinet quartet, saxophone quintet, Dixie groups or bugles and drums. Together these groups give over 200 performances per year and take part in some 150 rehearsals. The home of the Military Band is Luxembourg's Conservatory

Conservatoire de Luxembourg

The Conservatoire de Luxembourg is a conservatoire in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The conservatoire was founded in 1906, after a private donation made possible its establishment, which had been mandated under a Grand Ducal decree issued in 1904...

where they frequently perform in the main auditorium. Ernie Hammes has been a member of the band since 1987 and since 1994 he has been the leader and first trumpet in the Big Band.