Many thanks to our trumpet students Brian Beaudreault, Michael Benvenga, Dominick Fortuna, and Trevor Griffiths for participating in today’s national sounding of Taps. A photo is attached. So proud of you!
Interestingly, did you know that trumpets (bugles) were integral to the success of military battles? Back before the advent of technology every military unit had a bugler, and the job held a huge responsibility. Because the trumpet is directional, and can project sound a good distance, buglers were used to command the troops, both on and off the battlefield. The bugler needed to memorize different fanfares so he could quickly disseminate information; attack, retreat, time to eat, time to wake-up (Reveille) time to sleep (Taps), and more.
For additional information on bugle calls and their history, visit the sites below.
https://www.bands.army.mil/music/buglecalls/
https://www.army.mil/article/160873/bugle_calls_part_of_army_tradition
Also interestingly, today Ms. Kluga’s family visited a cemetery near their home in Shrub Oak – to pay respects to the veterans buried there. We were honored to find the grave of Charles F. Hendee, a bugler with the First Independent Battery, Connecticut Light Artillery during the Civil War. It was such a large honor and responsibility to be a bugler that this title was engraved for the ages on his headstone. A photo is attached.