Military band in Ghana

This study sought to examine the introduction of Military Band by the British during the Gold Coast era (1821-1965). These bands are now institutionalised in the security services such as Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, Prisons, Immigrations, and Fire Brigade. The research investigated four major strands of the existence of military band in present day Ghana under the following headings (1) the historical development, (2) its musical traditions (repertoire) including acculturative influences, (3) costume and insignia, and (4) the contributions of early European Missionaries. Naturally, some of the socio-cultural practices of the British, which Hobsbawm and Ranger (1992) refers to as The Invented Tradition have come to stay through its colonised power including the formation of a militaryband. The Royal Military Brass Band, which began in 1900, was perhaps the first attempt in this regard, but unfortunately, historians in one way or the other have overlooked its significance. Apart from the historical development, the study investigated and described the costume and insignia that were used in the Gold Coast era and that of this present time. However, a field work was embarked upon using Desk Research methods, whereas Interviews were also conducted both in Ghana and England to collect firsthand data from retired bandmasters, ex-musicians and their accounts. Brass Band Movement is attributed to the influence and the coming of the Missionaries. In the hands of the missionaries, music became a tool for fundamentally restructuring traditional societies around the world (Herbert and Sarkissian 1991:167). The study also explored the contributions made by missionaries towards military band movement in Ghana. Findings of this study showed that though the military band tradition is a European phenomenon, indigenous African instruments can coexist with the application of Ghanaian folk materials. For that matter, instrumentation, musical traditions and repertoire were also covered. It also revealed that many Band Directors do not know the musical heritage of the bands they are conducting, not to talk of the history, and its musical cultures. In addition, this work has also noted that Bandmasters who are mostly regarded as ‘insiders’ and know the length and breadth of their profession, do not have interest in documenting the tradition they have inherited. It is hoped therefore that, this study will gainfully contribute to the study of ethnomusicology generally, and military band literature particularly in Ghana.