The Massed Brass Bands of the British Army have upped their game for today’s Emirates Football Association’s (FA) Cup Final.
Performing for the first time in the Cup’s history, almost 80 musicians from British Army Band Tidworth, British Army Band Catterick and The Band of the Prince of Wales will march on to the pitch at Wembley Stadium where Manchester United take on rivals Manchester City.
As the famous stadium celebrates its centenary, the theme for the competition’s 142nd final is ‘modernity’, and this will be reflected in the pre-match show.
It will kick-off with a musical collaboration from BBC Radio 1 DJ Jeremiah Asiamah, and the bands of The Royal Corps of Army Music, with a fusion of military and contemporary, and associated artists music, to represent songs from the red and blue side of Manchester.
Captain Andrew Porter, Director of Music, British Army Band Tidworth has the job of leading the Band during the in-bowl entertainment, he said: “This is different to the normal for us, we will always play at events that encourage participation from crowd, but when you drop a DJ into the set, it takes it to another level.
“The preparation and rehear
This is different to the normal for us, we will always play at events that encourage participation from crowd, but when you drop a DJ into the set, it takes it to another level
sals have taken most of us out of our comfort zone, the complexities with the different rhythms, syncopations and changing beat, it will become quite an experience. Everyone will have to be on their game.
“We are really looking forward to performing, it has already been a year of big events, playing a part in the King’s Coronation, to have this in the calendar it almost becomes the jewel in our crown.”
In a change to the usual ‘score’, this year the iconic pre-match hymn ‘Abide with Me’ may sound a little different. The hymn has been played at every final since 1927, when it was approved for use by King George V and Queen Mary at the Cardiff and Arsenal match. It was also the first time they had proper congregational community singing at a football match.
Andrew explains:
“We are taking what we would do traditionally and putting a little twist on bringing it into the modern age. Instead of a horn line accompanying the song you will have nearly 80 brass band musicians and percussionists. It will be great to see the crowd’s reaction to that.”
“Community singing is interesting, in that you get two polarised sets of fans who have their own chants and songs and there’s this unique moment before the contest begins when all fans come together and sing Abide with Me, and of course the National Anthem.
The Manchester Derby is the first major final between City and United, and two of the band will be following the match very closely.
Bass Drummer, Sergeant Jim Littlewood, a ‘Red Devil’ fan has been an Army percussionist for 32 years: “My job to keep the band in time, it will be really hard with a crowd of 90,000 to hear the band, keep the tempo and on beat.
“It is a massive, massive privilege to be playing in front of all those Man U supporters, it will be fantastic. The adrenalin will be flowing but it will make me perform better, you could say pitch perfect!”
‘Really excited’ to be performing in front of his sporting idols is Sergeant Rob Tolhurst, he said “It has just dawned on me how big the day will be. I’ve done a couple of stadium gigs before but nothing as big as Wembley, I get to share the pitch with some of the players from the Man City team.
“I’ll have my football shirt on underneath my ceremonial jacket, and I’ll be over the moon, over the ‘blue moon’ if they ‘do the double’.”
Whilst British Army musicians play venues around the world at many varied events, they are soldiers first and their operational role is to support the Field Hospitals.
If becoming an Army musician is your goal, please visit: Musician (mod.uk)