Swiss Army Central Band

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The Swiss Army Central Band (French: Musique centrale de l'armée suisse, German: Repräsentationsorchester Schweizer Armeespiel, Italian: Banda centrale dell'esercito svizzero) is a military band that is part of the Swiss Army and the representative band of the Swiss Armed Forces. It is part of the Military Music Competence Center (Kompetenzzentrum Militärmusik).^[1] It is based on mostly German and French, but also modern British influences. It consists of 80 musicians who every year send a delegation abroad to introduce Swiss Military Music to the world.^[2] In recent years, the band visited military tattoos in Argentina, Brazil, Greece, China, Finland^[3] South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand^[4] and the United States. Events around the world have included the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo, the Norwegian Military Tattoo and the Virginia International Tattoo.^[5][6] The band is the primary host and participant of the Basel Tattoo.^[7][8][9]

It is currently under the direction of Major Aldo Werlen and Drum Major Staff Adjutant Philipp Rütsche. Swiss international euphonium soloist Thomas Rüedi was a soloist in the band from 1996 to 2003.^[10] The band performs in its distinctive red uniform.