View source for Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{short description|British military band}}
[[File:Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas.jpg|thumb|300px|The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas performing in France, 2014.]]
The '''Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas''' is a British military band based at [[Cheriton, Kent|Shorncliffe]]. It supports the [[British Army]] and the [[Brigade of Gurkhas]] in ceremonial settings, pass off parades, concerts and many other musical support tasks. It is a directly reporting unit of [[Regional Bands HQ]] (RBANDS) under London District, which sponsors the promotion of British military music. It is one of two 'Light Pace' regular wind bands in the British Army. (the other being the [[Band and Bugles of The Rifles]]). The band has travelled extensively since its inception, travelling more recently to The Falkland Islands, [[Australia]], [[Brunei]], [[Canada]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Nepal]], [[Belgium]]. Today, musicians from Nepal are chosen during their Gurkha military training. Their musical instruction commences first under [[Director of Music]] (DOM) and then under supervision of the [[Royal Military School of Music]].

==History==
[[File:Edinburgh Tattoo 2010 (4945634149).jpg|thumb|The band during the [[Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo]] in 2010.]]
The band was raised in November 1859 as part the [[Sirmoor Rifle Regiment]], originally consisting of 16 Bandsmen and one with the rank of ''[[Naik (military rank)|Naik]]'' who served as bandmaster. Certain changes in 1886 (such as the raising of a new 2nd [[Battalion]]) allowed for an expansion of the existing band. The two bands often cooperated with each other in both of their musical and operational duties (bandsmen also served as [[Combat search and rescue|stretcher bearers]] and [[Combat medic|medical personnel]] on the battlefield). The army sanctioned the training of a new band in 1949, with 56 [[Army recruit|recruit]]s beginning their army service. Within a year of that decision, a brigade staff band was established, leaving the unit with two separate [[military bands]]. At the time, ''[[ad hoc]]'' instruction and education was given by British bandmasters and acclaimed musicians of working for the army, which would end in May 1951. The two bands routine continued for over a decade until the two bands were amalgamated because of financial considerations. Although they served as a combined band, the two bands remained separately in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Hong Kong]] to support their respective battalions in the 70s and 80s, until the 2nd Battalion initiated their withdraw from the region in 1994.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas|url=https://www.gurkhabde.com/the-band-of-the-brigade-of-gurkhas/|publisher=[[Brigade of Gurkhas]]|accessdate=March 30, 2019}}</ref>

==Pipe band==
The 1st and 2nd Battalions, [[Royal Gurkha Rifles]] currently maintain [[pipe bands]] as part of the band. 

The [[Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment]] also maintains a pipes and drums.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.gurkhabde.com/gurkha-staff-and-personnel-support-annual-briefing-day-and-dinner-night-2017/|title=Gurkha Staff and Personnel Support Annual Briefing Day and Dinner Night 2017|publisher=The Gurkha Brigade Association|date=4 December 2017|accessdate=2 March 2021}}</ref>

==Sounding Retreat==
''Sounding Retreat'' is a variant of the traditional [[Beating Retreat]] done by Massed Bands of the [[Household Division]]. Today, the ceremony is almost exclusively performed by Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, alongside their counterparts in the former Massed Bands of the [[Light Division]]. Aside from the band, the [[Band and Bugles of The Rifles]] and the Light Division Buglers Association have performed the Sounding Retreat on Horse Guards Parade on 31 May since 1993.

==Other events==
[[File:Director of Music, Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas.jpg|thumb|The Director of Music of the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas.]]
*At the dedication ceremony to a [[Francis Tuker]] memorial tablet at [[Brighton College]], the band performed a [[Beating Retreat]] ceremony on the school's playing field. 
* The band performs at the 2009 [[Royal Bath and West Show]].<ref name="2009 RBWS">{{cite web|url=http://www.bathandwest.com/royal-bath-west-2009/2/cGFjaWQ9Mzg4NyZuaWQ9MTc5|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707214234/http://www.bathandwest.com/royal-bath-west-2009/2/cGFjaWQ9Mzg4NyZuaWQ9MTc5|archivedate=2011-07-07|title=The Royal Bath &amp; West Show 2009|date=June 8, 2009|publisher=Royal Bath &amp; West Show|accessdate=March 27, 2019}}</ref>
* The band performs at the pre-game of the [[2015 FA Cup Final]] at [[Wembley Stadium]] in [[London]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Winners of the Songs of Praise FA Cup Fans choir competition announced|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2015/winners-of-the-songs-of-praise-fa-cup-fans-choir-competition-announced|publisher=BBC|accessdate=March 30, 2019}}</ref>
* Took part in the changing of the [[Queen's Guard]] at [[Buckingham Palace]] in May 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Historic Changing of the Guards for Gurkha 200|url=https://www.gurkhabde.com/historic-changing-of-the-guards-for-gurkha-200/|publisher=[[Brigade of Gurkhas]]|accessdate=March 30, 2019}}</ref>
* The band provide ceremonial entertainment during the Royal Norfolk Show in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Royal Norfolk Show 2014|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p021nxdp/p021nyg1|publisher=BBC|accessdate=March 30, 2019}}</ref>
* The band, alongside members of the entire brigade, took part in a visits to [[Nepal]] as part of brigade's 200th anniversary celebrations in 2015. During the visit, the band performed for schoolchildren at [[The British School, Kathmandu]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tbskathmandu.org/news-and-calendar/school-news/the-band-of-the-brigade-of-gurkhas/ |title=The Band of The Brigade of Gurkhas &amp;#124; School news &amp;#124; TBS News and Calendar &amp;#124; The British School Kathmandu |publisher=Tbskathmandu.org |date= |accessdate=2020-03-29 |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815071956/https://www.tbskathmandu.org/news-and-calendar/school-news/the-band-of-the-brigade-of-gurkhas/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* A 200th anniversary pageant in June 2015 was held at the [[Royal Hospital Chelsea]] in [[London]], which featured the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33051576 |title=Gurkhas: London pageant marks 200th anniversary - BBC News |work=BBC News |date= June 9, 2015|accessdate=2020-03-29}}</ref>

==See also==

; India related
* [[Delhi_Republic_Day_parade#Beating Retreat|Beating retreat in India]] 
* [[Deshon Ka Sartaj Bharat]]
* [[Indian military bands]]
* [[Indian Army Chief's Band]]
* [[Military Music Wing]]
* [[Music of India]]
* [[President's Bodyguard]]
* [[Tri-Services Guard of Honour (India)]]
* [[Samman Guard]]

; Other related
* [[Guard of honour]]
* [[Band and Bugles of The Rifles]]
* [[Gurkha Contingent Pipes and Drums Platoon]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscategory|Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas}}
*[https://www.gurkhabde.com/category/bg-band/ Official Website of the Brigade]
*[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UCYCsERoiNs The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas – Marching Display, Brecon 2017]
*[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l3f-6fy5Zlg During Changing of the Queen's Guard]
*[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fN0YxW0jOog At the 2000 Bremen Military Tattoo]

[[Category:Brigade of Gurkhas]]
[[Category:Folkestone and Hythe District]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1859]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Kent]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1859]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Berkshire]]
[[Category:Royal Corps of Army Music]]
[[Category:1859 establishments in India]]