Our national day on 1 August will be celebrated this year in a very special way. For the first time ever, the Swiss Army Band will come to New Zealand! There have been several visits by New Zealand Military Bands in Switzerland in the past and also a memorable performance of the civilian Top Secret Drum Corps from Basel at the 2016 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Wellington. But now Ambassador David Vogelsanger has convinced our Department of Defense to send a formation of our Army Band on the longest trip they have ever taken.
The formation of sixteen young musicians will perform on 27 and 28 July in Auckland, outdoors and together with the Royal New Zealand Navy Band in a concert at the Bruce Mason Center, followed by the Auckland Swiss Club’s 1 August celebration. On 29 and 30 July the band will be in Taranaki, performing at the Swiss Club’s celebration and at concerts in New Plymouth.
On 31 July follows Wellington where joint events with the Royal New Zeland Air Force Band will take place at the National War Memorial and at other places, followed by an evening concert in Upper Hutt. On 1 August itself, the Swiss and the Air Force Band will jointly perform in front Parliament, the Swiss Army Band in the evening at the Embassy’s national day celebration at the provisional Residence of Switzerland in Upper Hutt.
