Throughout history, the military has relied on music to create an effective and recognizable identity for its troops. Traditionally, percussion instruments such as drums and cymbals, bagpipes, and trumpets have been the primary musical instruments of choice for military bands. The modern military band may also feature brass instruments such as trombones and sousaphones, as well as woodwinds like oboe and clarinet. These instruments are easy to carry and can be played while marching. In addition, the sound of music provides an effective deterrent to enemies, as it is loud and difficult to mistake for other sounds.
The Argentine military has several professional military bands, including the Argentine Army NCO School Band and the Buenos Aires Military Academy Staff Band. The Argentine Navy has the Argentine Naval Staff Band and a band of sargentos at the Escola Preparatoria de Cadetes do Ejercito (EsPCEx). The Brazilian military has several professional bands, including the Banda Nacional do Exercito (BNE), the Instituto Militar de Artes e Ciências (IMAC) Banda, and the band of the 1st Air Brigade.
In addition to a role in training the armed forces, these military bands serve as cultural centers in their respective communities and cities. The prestigious BNE band has had the honor of playing at a number of major events, including the World Cup in 1998 and 2002. It has even performed at the White House and the United Nations.
Although the importance of music in military life is widely recognized, little has been published about the role that musicians play in their own social construction and as agents of change. This article aims to fill in this gap by examining the way that the militarization of music shapes and is shaped by musicians themselves.
Through ethnographic research in a military Ser musico militar band, this study demonstrates how the oblation of servitude to the state and a strict hierarchy of performance can shape a musician’s identity. In addition, it highlights the important social and political roles of this type of music as it is incorporated into a space of conflicting imaginaries that encapsulate both tradition and modernity. These imaginaries are complex and intertwined, demonstrating the complexities of the oblation of servitude as it is constructed and experienced by soldiers in their daily lives. In addition, this research suggests a need for further research to examine the oblation of servitude in other instituionional spaces. Thus, this study contributes to the growing literature on oblation as it applies to various sectors of the polity.
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