Swiss Winds: The NCC Command Band

For the first time, The Singapore National Cadet Corps (NCC) Command Band, Swiss Winds, was invited to be involved in the parade and city march segments of the National Day Parade 2010.

We are honoured to speak to the Mr Anthony Chew, Director of Music for the Swiss Winds about its glorious history, and the present duties tasked for the band.

To begin, briefly tell us about your military service career where you were involved in the National Day Parade (NDP) in those years.

I commenced my National Service at the end of 1976 and was posted to the Singapore Armoured Regiment Band, which was formerly known as the 4th Singapore Armoured Brigade Band, serving under Major Ervin E Dragon, Senior Director of Music (SDM) in Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Band.

Times were different then. We had three service bands and they were the Singapore Armoured Regiment (SAR), Singapore Infantry Regiment (SIR) and Royal Singapore Navy (RSN).

Back then, the bands were staffed with regulars and NS men who had failed every other course and had nowhere else to go. When the Late Dr Goh Keng Swee became Defence Minister he implemented the policy of having school bandsmen to serve in the SAF Bands.  I was the first batch that was affected by this change in policy.

I eventually signed on as a regular in the SAR Band, served as Principal repiano Clarinet (now defunct), Senior Librarian and Secretary to the Director of Music (DOM) and Chairperson of the band display committee.

During my service days, National Day Parade back then alternated between the Padang and National Stadium. “Marching In” of the band was an elaborate affair. We combined with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) Band to form the NDP Central Band, and had to play non-stop for 45 minutes for all the contingents to march in.

I remembered that vividly because we had to rehearse our marches for a solid hour non-stop every day during full band!

After the entire parade had marching off, our job then was not yet over. We had to re-form up in standing concert formation on one  side on the Padang, to play all the music for the various displays.

What was the situation like in Swiss Winds when you took over and how has it become to what it is today?

Swiss Winds, was previously known as Swiss Cottage Secondary Military Band. When I took over in the mid 1980s, the band was fairly basic, performing for small functions and having a limited repertoire.

I adapted and implemented methods which I have learnt from my days serving in the SAF Band. The band eventually developed a sense of discipline and comadarie.  However I must add that this was done with considerable amount of effort and persuasion.

In the early years, Swiss Winds (a name we coined in the late 1980s) has been involved in various national events such as supporting the Military Police (MP) Command (known as MP Regiment back then) for one of their Precision Drill shows for Chingay and playing as a supporting unit for various National Days.

One memorable one was when the current Senior Director of Music (SDM) ME5 Philip Tng who had just returned from his course in England and was tasked by then SDM Major Tonni Wei to conduct a combined school band for the fanfare portion of “Wings of Joy” as the President drove around the stadium.

Swiss Winds has been involved in the NDP as part of a pre-parade display band segment on two occasions. The band was also deployed for various community functions in and around Singapore in addition to school function responsibilities.

One defining moment for Swiss Winds was their participation and winning the gold award at the Australian International Band Festival at Brisbane. It helped boost their confidence and it has been a joyous ride since then!

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Related posts:

1. National Day Parade 2010