Military Band of Athens

The Military Band of Athens (Στρατιωτική Μουσική της Αθήνας), also known as the Hellenic Army Band or the Military Music Band of the Athens Guard (Στρατιωτική Μουσική της Φρουράς της Αθήνας) is a Greek military band of the Hellenic Army. The band is a direct reporting unit of the Hellenic Army General Staff. It takes part in all events of national importance in Athens, the capital of the Hellenic Republic. Events, where the band is seen, include state visits, military parades and the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

History
After the start of the Greek War of Independence, a band called the Musical Troupe (Μουσικός Θίασος) was created within the ranks of the army, newly formed in 1824 by French Colonel Charles Nicolas Fabvier. Based in Nafplio, the then Greek capital, it was founded as the first military band in Greek history. Its first principal musician was Ernst Michael Mangel, a German who originally hailed from Württemberg. He came to Greece in 1822 and served in the French Army as a Captain. In 1825, Fabvier left for Athens and took the band with him. Under his command, the band took part in the Athens campaign of 1825, as well as expeditions on the islands of Euboea and Chios. In 1828, with the arrival of the first Governor of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, Mangel, and the band moved to the formerly rebel capital of Nafplion, where the band was reconstituted and strengthened. In May 1834, the band was demobilized and led by the Musician Branchel from Austria. With the transfer of the Greek capital from Nafplio to Athens in 1834, the band was re-settled in the new capital with K. Keller as the chief music conductor. In 1837, due to a shortage of musicians and Keller's death, the band came under the direction of Artillery Commander Franz Seiler, with most of its new personnel being foreigners, mainly Germans from Bavaria. On November 15, 1843, the School of Music was founded by the royal decree of King Otto of Greece to recruit Greek musicians. That same year, Mangel returned to the army ranks and was entrusted with the management of the newly established school. In 1855, Mangel became the Inspector of Military Music, and in 1856 the band gained its current status as the premier military band of the Greek state. Mangel later retired in 1870 with the rank of Major.

Selected performances

 * In March 2015, as part of the celebration of the 190th anniversary of Greek military musicians, the Big Band of the Music Band under the direction of Captain Michael Hassouris held a concert at Pallini High School.
 * In February 2018, the band performed at the Embassy of Russia in Athens during a Defender of the Fatherland Day event, during which the band performed a concert program that included well-known Greek and Russian songs, under the direction of Major Evangelos Samaras.
 * In 2018, the band hosted the Athens Military Music Festival.
 * In April 2019, the band led by Konstantinos Konstantinopoulis took part in a concert at the National Philharmonic in Skopje in honour of the 70th anniversary of NATO. The other bands that attended included the United States Army Europe Band and Chorus, the Slovene Military Orchestra, the Band of the Ceremonial Guard Battalion and members of the Band of the Britain's Household Division.