Royal Artillery Band

The Royal Artillery Band was the first official, and permanent British military band (and former symphony orchestra) originating in 1557, but granted official status in 1762. Consisting of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments (and from 1787, also stringed instruments), it represented both the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and the state. The Royal Artillery Orchestra (of the Royal Artillery Band) [disbanded on 9 February 2014] was Britain's first permanent professional orchestra. All other bands in the British Army received official, permanent status from 1763 onward. Now that the band's overall history of over four and a half centuries has come to an end, it is now claimed that the Band of the Grenadier Guards are the oldest band, with their overall history of over three hundred and thirty years. It is however, important to consider that until 1762, all military bands were formed as and when required, and then immediately disbanded when not, and that they consisted only of hired, civilian musicians; becoming integrated professional soldiers in 1762 (in the Royal Artillery) and from 1763 (in all other regiments and corps). It was announced on 30 July 2013 that the Royal Artillery Orchestra would cease to exist in favour of a forthcoming "State String Orchestra", now known as "The Countess of Wessex's String Orchestra" following the most recent cuts to Army Music. On Sunday 9 February 2014, the Royal Artillery Band, and a specially formed 'Veterans of the Royal Artillery Band' paraded on General Gordon's Square for the last time in their home town of Woolwich, thus ending a 252-year era, before relocating to join their regiment at Tidworth Barracks, Wiltshire The Band spent Christmas 2013 in Afghanistan, where they carried out their wartime role, as well as continuing to entertain the troops, and accompanying such celebrities as Gary Barlow, and Katherine Jenkins. Its former accommodation in the historic Georgian Royal Artillery Barracks became the home of the 24-piece Countess of Wessex's String Orchestra. In October 2019, it was announced that the band would relocate and subsequently disband, to become one of the forming bands of British Army Band Tidworth.