Naval School of Music

The Naval School of Music is designed to provide specialized musical training for designated personnel of the Armed Forces. It is the first stop after basic training for instrumentalists and vocalists seeking to join the ranks of military bands. If you are a musician who also has a passion for the military, this is the way to go! You get to serve your country while enjoying your passion of music. This school is where you get the initial training, but you can return again for further training for your career in the military music program. They offer many different level of training courses. This unique facility is the largest of its kind in the world. Graduates of the Naval School of Music go on to become musical ambassadors throughout the United States and abroad as members of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Bands. The school originally opened in June, 1935 in Washington D.C. It moved to Little Creek Base in 1955. The building had major reconstruction done to it last year and is now a state of the art facility. There are 9 rehearsal areas linked by closed-​circuit television. They accommodate ensembles of virtually any size. There are more than 100 studios available for individual practice and instrumental instruction. Over 17,000 compositions are kept on file in the music library, and 1,000s of musical recordings, reference materials and publications are also available for student use and training. Additionally, a state of the art repair facility is maintained to service and repair the nearly 3,000 musical instruments presently carried on the Naval School of Music’s inventory. All of the instructors at the school are professional musicians with the desire to help other military members through education and training. If you get the chance, stop by and see if you can get a tour and meet the amazing soldiers, sailors, and marines with the gift of music!