The National Jamboree Band traditonally includes Scouts, primarily between the ages of 16 and 21, from all over the United States, and has included Scouts from other countries as well. The Jamboree Band usually includes some college students (many are aspiring band directors themselves) and many dedicated and sincere band members from high schools large and small. This eclectic bunch of young Scouts always seem to hit it off well right away as they all have at least two things in common, band and scouting. What a powerful combination! Serving the Jamboree in this capacity is very rewarding and great fun!

Jambo 1997

Jambo 2010

The 2013 Jamboree Band has a Senior Staff of five, also from all over the United States:
The Summit promises to provide a more exciting Jamboree enviroment than we've ever had in the past. However, the Jamboree area will also be significantly smaller, so the 2013 Jamboree Band will be limited in size to 60 members including the Senior Staff.

The Jamboree Band is a part of the Daily Ceremonies program. These musicians will play at some of the flag ceremonies and will also perform concerts at many other locations around the Jamboree. We have performed at the gigantic arena shows held at the Jamboree, on the same bill with The Oakridge Boys, The Beach Boys, Louise Mandrell, Lee Greenwood, The U.S. Marine Corps Band, The U.S. Army Field Band, The U.S. Navy Band, The U.S. Naval Academy Band, and many others.

The Jamboree Band has performed at many ceremonies for visiting dignataries including the King of Sweden, Nancy Reagan, President George H. W. Bush, President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush. The band has performed on national television news, National Public Radio and can seen and heard in the two Jamboree videos from 1993 and 1997. There is a even a picture of a portion of the band and its long-time director, Bill Nelson, in the Music/Bugling merit badge pamphlet.

The band usually performs concerts for the general public as a public relations arm of the Jamboree and B.S.A. in the local communities surrounding the Jamboree site. In 2010 the Jamboree Band played in Bolling Green and Fredricksburg, VA. The Jamboree Band has also made trips to Washington D.C. in recent years, performing on the steps of the United States Capitol, in front of the Lincoln Memorial, and at the Washington Monument Grounds.

The 2001 National Jamboree Band at the United States Capitol

As you can see, members of the Jamboree Band are mighty busy. You have some time to see the rest of the Jamboree and do the things that the regular participants are doing - a few hours most days, perhaps a couple of whole days - but you're going to be pretty much a full-time musician for a couple of weeks.

At Jambo 2010 there was also a "Band within the Band". Dave Mruzek organized some of the members of the Jamboree Band into a Jamboree Jazz Band, which had its own repertiore, its own schedule of performances, and its own soloists. We're looking forward to doing this again at Jambo 2013.

Dave Mruzek Conducts the 2010 Jamboree Band At a Ceremony at the Court of Flags

And the 2010 Jamboree Jazz Band At a Regional Stage Performance

In order to be a member of the National Jamboree Band, you must be on the National Jamboree Staff. You can apply online to be on staff here on the BSA National Jamboree website. When you have submitted your 2013 National Jamboree Staff application, indicating Jamboree Band as your requested assignment, next you need to submit to the Director of the Jamboree Band a recommendation from your local band director or music teacher. Please use The 2013 National Scout Jamboree Band Recommendation form which is now available online here. You'll find the directions to complete and submit this on the form itself.

We'll be giving preference to applicants who will be between the ages of 16 and 25 at the time of the Jamboree. However, if you'll be older than that, you may still apply. If we do not fill all the positions, we will accept some Scouters 26 and up.

We want to have a well-balanced Jamboree Band. To have a better opportunity for this we will hold off final selection of Band members until May, 1, 2012. If space remains after that date, we will act on applications as we receive them. As we noted above, there is a limit of 60 members for the 2013 Jamboree Band, so don't delay.

Please be sure to sign up for the full Jamboree. On the National Jamboree Staff application you will see an option to be on staff for just half of the Jamboree, but in fact that is not an option for Jamboree Band members. It's really not practical to deal with Band members arriving or leaving in the middle of the Jamboree.

Jamboree Band is a National Staff position. The fee for Jamboree staff members depends on your age. For the full Jamboree the fee is $425.00 for members who will be 16 - 25 at the time of the Jamboree, and $850.00 for older staff. For information about when payments are due and how the fee can be paid, please look here on the National Jamboree website. Note that you will find there information on three different "sessions" that staff members can choose. However, we need Band members to be at the entire Jamboree, so when you apply for Band you should choose "Session 1 (July 11–25, 2013)".

Not at all! If you join the 2013 National Jamboree Band, you'll become part of a long and proud history. Scout Bands have been part of the pageantry of the Jamboree ever since Baden Powell organized the very first one in London, England, in 1920. They have also been part of BSA National Jamborees since the first one in Washington, D.C., in 1937. Here's a quick peek into the history of Scout Bands at past Jamborees.

Maurice D. Taylor Jamboree Band Director 1937

George Pinchock Jamboree Band Director 2013

Bill Nelson Jamboree Band Director 1977 - 2010