Each musical instrument is known for its distinct tone qualities and/or abilities: the haunting sweetness of the violin, the circus-like slide of the trombone, the patriotic tattoo of the snare drum, the smooth vivacity of the saxophone, and others. All have concertos or other solo pieces written specifically for them, and we recognize their sounds from various movie themes, Broadway shows, or other media.
However, the bugle playing Taps is the most widely known instrument, for the important calling of paying tribute to fallen members of the military. Additionally, 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Not only did hundreds of buglers and trumpeters worldwide perform those 24 sacred notes on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we also marked the end of an entire century after what was once thought to be the war to end all wars. Little did humanity know.
Although I was never in the military, I have many family members who were, and it’s always an honor to be able to help others pay tribute to their fallen loved ones who served. Numerous other trumpeters feel the same.
Mid-Atlantic States
This year was especially interesting, since I not only played Taps for Memorial Day and Veterans Day in my home state of Maryland, but in July I took part in One Hundred Nights of Taps in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, hosted by the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania and Taps for Veterans. Every evening at 7pm from Memorial Day through Labor Day, a different bugler or trumpeter sounded Taps at the Soldiers National Monument in Gettysburg National Cemetery.
It was a well-advertised event, and each player was heard by crowds numbering from a few dozen to approaching 100. On my Saturday, about 60 folks attended. It was a sobering, yet inspiring experience, and I met a handful of wonderful people along the way. Many thanks to Jari Villanueva (of Taps Bulger fame) for the suggestion! A few weeks after, each of us received a nice poster featuring a collage of all 100 players posing near the statue. Classy!
Like anyone who is good at an enjoyable secondary skill (read: not your day job)—carpenters, painters, public speakers, etc.—using this skill to help or inspire others usually brings on the warm fuzzies, whether or not you get paid. My fellow performers, can you relate?
Around the World
The Veterans Day event was more an electronic collection of names (and later, pictures) of buglers who signed up to honor the WWI anniversary previously mentioned. With that event now done, we each received a nice patch (pictured above) and a wonderful letter in the mail, which includes the following excerpt:
We had over 650 buglers sounding their call of remembrance throughout the world on November 11th, 2018, at monuments, cemeteries, churches, civic buildings, homes, parks, and other locations. Performers included active duty military, veterans of all services, teachers, students, professional and amateur musicians, clergy, police, firefighters, and Veteran Service organizations. Buglers from many different bugling organizations were represented, as well as members of community bands, orchestras, and ensembles, with participants in 48 states and the District of Columbia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, Afghanistan, and Thailand. Ages ranged from 11 up to 85!
Taking nothing away from any other musicians, or other performances, I can say that sounding Taps always fills me with both pride and humility. I can live with that dichotomy.