Staff Sergeant Justis MacKenzie had a successful career as a touring musician prior to joining the United States Air Force Bands, but the lifestyle of a musician is nothing if not difficult.
“I was looking for an opportunity to have a full-time, structured salary career as a musician. And those opportunities are really few and far between, and all of them are extremely competitive in this country,” he said.
While on the hunt for a more stable lifestyle (and income), MacKenzie discovered the Air Force Bands was in need of a tuba player — it was his time to shine.
The military is the largest employer of musicians in this country, but getting a gig is no walk in the park. The Air Force auditions by vacancy only, and the process can be extremely grueling.
Part of the audition process included MacKenzie recording himself playing a wide selection of music on the tuba. Out of 59 applicants, eight were selected for live auditions. After three rounds of live auditions, those deemed musically qualified move on to the interview portion, which can sometimes last multiple days depending on the number of applicants.
MacKenzie successfully made it through the audition process and was offered a position in the United States Air Force Bands. And just like that, he was off to enlist.
“After auditioning, I realized the gig was actually so much more than just stability, it’s actually the perfect way to serve my country with my greatest talent and continue to pursue my passion for music,” he said.
As a member of the Air Force Band, MacKenzie played a role in major moments in American history, like performing at the state funeral of former president George H. W. Bush.
MacKenzie also participated in big moves of diplomacy abroad, notably performing alongside the Chilean Armed Forces and the Chilean police band in Santiago following large protests in the country back in 2019.
The job entails more than playing music really well, MacKenzie said. “We help to shape global public opinion, to cultivate goodwill among strategically important allies in important parts of the world.”
Later in his career, MacKenzie decided to audition to become an arranger for the Air Force Bands. He now plays a role in crafting the music for ensembles under the Air Force Bands umbrella.
“I have had people say that, ‘You know, I had never heard of military bands,’ and I always love the opportunity to educate them about all of the wonderful things that military musicians do in every branch of the military as instruments of soft power, broad instruments of diplomatic power, and as a way to connect the American public with their United States military.”