National Capital Band Celebrates 100 Years of Serving God Through Music

When Staff-Captain Ernest Holz founded The Salvation Army’s Washington Headquarters Band in 1925, few could have imagined what the next 100 years would bring, the ensemble supporting five divisions during its tenure and ultimately becoming the National Capital Band (NCB). From April 11-13 at the Potomac Division’s Camp Rappahannock, current NCB members came together with alumni and other luminaries for a centennial reunion and celebration of both the past and what is to come. 

“It was exciting to really try and honor those who came before us,” says Dr. Steve Kellner, NCB bandmaster and one of the architects of the weekend. “There have been many people who have impacted the band and the Kingdom, especially individuals that helped to start the band and those with decades-long affiliations.” 

The reunion was paired with the annual Potomac Divisional Music Councils, which provided a rare opportunity for the young people of the division to perform and also take in the rich history of the band’s ministry impact in the region. 

“One reason we brought the two events together was that we wanted the current young people to rub shoulders with the living history of the band,” Dr. Kellner says. “The schedule was frantic, but the whole idea is that the band has been the heartbeat of the music in all five divisions that it has touched over the years. We wanted the kids to see that these are many of the people who laid the groundwork for what we have now as a strong divisional music and arts program.” 

But this ministry opportunity was also a two-way street, the growth and hearts of the young people of the Potomac Division leaving a lasting impact on the NCB alumni. 

“I also wanted the alumni to see the fruit of the work they had put in,” Dr. Kellner reveals. “They got to see all these bands playing, kids singing, the singing company competition, and soloists playing. A lot of them said they were just completely blown away by the size and the quality of it. Going back 40 or 50 years, they didn’t have anything like that. We had the band then, but we didn’t have the other stuff that we have now, which actually ends up feeding the band. it just worked beautifully both ways.” 

One of the striking realities of the Centennial Celebration and the differentiating ministry of Salvation Army banding is the age range of participants, both within the current NCB membership and when including the alumni. Within the current roster of the band there is a 14-year-old player just beginning what could be a long individual journey of ministry. On the other end, 99-year-old Campbell Robinson, who wielded the baton for 25 years as the longest-tenured bandmaster in NCB history, symbolizes perhaps the greatest reflection of the long legacy of the ensemble. 

“The weekend reinvigorated my own spirit of discipleship, even going back to my own corps,” says Bernie Dake, territorial director of communications and an alum of the band. “It provided a renewed spirit of things to come, and it is hard to accept any excuse from myself or anyone else when watching a 99-year-old still participating.” 

Dr. Kellner also reflects on the poignant nature of generations covered by the band, saying he “cannot think of another activity, really of any type, in which you have one room with that age range with the same interest and the same group ties.” 

“I actually shared that in my remarks at the Saturday night banquet,” Dr. Keller continues. “What you have is the love of God and the love of music joining us together as a powerful force in brass banding that just obliterates any differences of age, nationality, ethnicity, background. It just rolls over those potential dividers and brings people together.” 

On Friday, April 11, the current divisional youth ensembles rehearsed and performed. Saturday morning began with a memorable and robust Singing Company Competition featuring groups from more than a dozen corps. This was followed by the formal NCB Centennial Celebration on Saturday afternoon, at which point the young people from the division returned home while the NCB and its alumni remained for a Saturday night reunion banquet and a Sunday morning time of worship. 

Reflecting on the Saturday night banquet, Dake relates that “it was rich to hear each person share and emphasize the common bond that is and was the opportunity to minister together in so many ways, going back one hundred years.” In addition, a commemorative program, shepherded by band secretary Maria Mathieson, and an historic exhibit, spearheaded by band chaplain Kathleen Jensen, left many buzzing about the quality of their detailed history. 

“The standard of excellence is and was high, and I don’t mean that simply in a musical sense,” says Dake. “I truly mean the deportment, the character, the musicianship, it’s all very high. And there was a real spirit of joy throughout.” 

The National Capital Band’s robust history is well-documented over a century of ministry, but the band also holds the distinction of being unique in its structure. Unlike most Salvation Army ensembles at the divisional or regional level, the band holds weekly rehearsals and ministers publicly on a monthly basis. Over a typical annual season, the NCB rehearses at least 25 times and shares its ministry in over 20 concert or event settings.