Australian Army Band Kapooka

AAB-K at a Kangaroo March commemoration ceremony.

Active| 1952; 72 years ago (1952)
Country|  Australia
Branch|  Australian Army
Size| 22 members
Part of| Army Recruit Training Centre
Garrison/HQ| Kapooka
Commanders
Commanding Officer/Music Director| Major Lindsay Mee
Notable
commanders| Major Peter Thomas
Captain Darren Cole
Russell Paynter

Military unit

The Australian Army Band Kapooka (AAB-K) is a full time military band in the Australian Army. Being a band, it is a sub-unit of the Australian Army Band , the army's official music branch. It is one of eleven military bands of the army and as the official band of the 1st Recruit Training battalion (1RTB).[1] It performs regularly in its area of operations that includes Kapooka, Riverina,[2] and Wagga Wagga.[3][4] The current director of music is Major Michael De Jonge.

In 1952, the Army Recruit Training Centre began to be been served by a full time military brass band with a composition of 12 members.[5] It would later be known as the Royal Australian Engineers Band, the Royal Australian Corps of Signals Band and the 1st Recruit Training Battalion Band before being given its current name.[6]

## Role

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Australian Army Band Kapooka performing at a World Mental Health Day event in the Victory Memorial Gardens, October 2008.

The unit has 22 musicians in its ranks who serve on various on the brass and/or woodwind sections. Being primarily a marching band, the AAB-K also boasts a stage band, rock band, and a jazz ensemble. The AAB-K's primary role is to support the ARTC and therefore support all recruit activities within the Kapooka Military Area.

### Events

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WIN Television reporter Erin Willing (left) interviewing Major Jeff Cocks of the AAB-K at the Freedom of the City for the unit in August 2009.

The band performs on national and historically significant holidays in the state of New South Wales, including Remembrance Day[7] and ANZAC Day. In 2009, the AAB-K was granted the privilege of the Freedom of the City to Wagga Wagga to commemorate its 56 years of service.

The band has also represented Australia overseas during world tours and military deployments, really beginning with a visit to Papua New Guinea in 1990 as well as East Timor in 2000 and 2001. As per military festivals, the band had the privilege to perform at the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland on one occasion and the honor of performing in Tonga as part of a combined International band for the birthday celebrations of the king.[8][9] In August 2019 AAB-K premiered an original show Around the World in 80 minutes at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre.[10] The show saw band members performing songs from around the world and vocalists singing songs in English as well as foreign languages.[11]

### Discography

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The band bas released the following CD's:[12]

* Un po' di tutto (1996)
* Stand Easy (2002)
* A Celebration (2001)

## See also

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* The Lancer Band
* Royal Australian Navy Band
* Royal Australian Air Force Band

## References

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1. ^ USA, IBP (February 7, 2007). Australia Army Handbook Volume 1 Strategic Information and Materials. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781433002694 - via Google Books.
2. ^ "Australian Army Band Kapooka". Visit AlburyWodonga.
3. ^ "Australian Army Band Kapooka". KAPOOKA MARCH OUT GUIDE.
4. ^ "Instrumental In Defence: The Australian Army Band Kapooka". Museum Riverina.
5. ^ "The School Musician Director and Teacher". Ammark Publishing Company. December 26, 1966 - via Google Books.
6. ^ "The 1st Recruit Training Battalion Band | Discography | Discogs".
7. ^ Jobson, Christopher (December 26, 2009). Looking Forward, Looking Back: Customs and Traditions of the Australian Army. Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 9780980325164 - via Google Books.
8. ^ "Australian Army Band Kapooka". www.army.gov.au. September 22, 2016. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
9. ^ Delaney, Anne (August 17, 2011). "More than March Out parades". www.abc.net.au.
10. ^ "Social photos from the Australian Army Band - Kapooka in Dubbo | Photos". Daily Liberal. August 21, 2018.
11. ^ Thomson, Craig (August 16, 2018). "Kapooka Army band is ready to rock Dubbo's world in 80 minutes". Daily Liberal.
12. ^ "Army Band CDs". aabcassociation.com.au.