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Naval School of Music celebrates 90 years of Musical Excellence

Center for Service Support

June 23, 2025 | 0:41

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Naval School of Music (NAVSOM) celebrates its 90th birthday June 26, 2025, with a special meal and cake cutting ceremony held at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, followed by a graduation ceremony which saw 6 of the Navy and Marine Corps newest musicians and warfighters graduate primed and ready for the fleet. The school, which opened its doors in June 1935 in Washington, D.C., initially began operating in conjunction with the United States Navy Band before becoming an independent activity in 1942. Today, the NAVSOM continues its mission of developing skilled military musicians who serve in premier ensembles worldwide, from ship's bands to ceremonial units to the service's most prestigious musical organizations. As part of Naval Education and Training Command’s (NETC) Center for Service Support (CSS), NAVSOM plays a vital role in developing the military musician, and its graduates go on to become musical ambassadors on ships and at Department of Defense installations throughout the world. (U.S. Navy video by Musician 1st Class Kent Grover