Fife & Drum

Tryon Palace brings fife and drum music to life during special events and programs held throughout the year. Comprised mostly of volunteers, the Tryon Palace Fife and Drum Corps has a stellar reputation of recreating 18th-century military tunes and is easily one of the most visible and popular programs at Tryon Palace.

What does Tryon Palace have to do with fife and drum music though? Quite a bit actually. We know that in 1771 Governor Tryon purchased six field drums which he took with his forces when he marched out to engage the Regulators at the Battle of Alamance. Because during this period, fifes were used in conjunction with drums in the British army, it is likely he would have had a similar number of fifes as well. Furthermore, American soldiers in the Revolutionary War (like those depicted by our 1st NC Line Living History Unit [link to their page here]) would have been accompanied by fifers and drummers as the 18th century equivalent of radio operators.

Musicians were an important part of the 18th-century military. Fifes and drums played from sunrise to sunset and served as a primary mode of communication from commander to troops during battles. The high-pitched sound of the fife made it the perfect instrument to be paired with the drum, as it could be heard over the noise of combat. Music also served more mundane functions in daily camp life by signaling meals, drills, and inspections.

Musicians often wore the reverse colors of the soldiers that they marched with in order to be more easily picked out by officers who needed them to quickly relay orders.

The English may not like music, but they absolutely love the noise it makes.

English Conductor Sir Thomas Beecham

Joining the Tryon Palace Fife and Drum Corps

The Tryon Palace Fife and Drum Corps was founded in 2005. It interprets the songs of the mid-late-18th century, specifically musicians and tunes of the American Revolution (1775-1783). Lessons, uniforms, and instruments are provided by the corps.

• Minimum age: 12 years old.
• Musical experience helpful but not required
• Rehearsals are held every Sunday from 1-3pm at the Commission House.
• New members will work with their instructor until instructor deems them ready to perform with the corps.
  • New members can work with instructors to organize extra practice times outside of regular rehearsals.
  • If new members are interested in marching with the corps prior to being ready to perform, they are permitted to march with the color guard!
• Full uniforms will not be given until member is able to perform.
• Showcase your skills! Perform at events such as...
  • Tryon Palace events like Glorious Fourth and Candlelight
  • Local Parades
  • NC Historic Sites and Battlefields
  • Major Fife and Drum gatherings like Drummer’s Call (Colonial Williamsburg) and Deep River Ancient Muster (Deep River, CT)
  • And more!

Request the Fife and Drum Corps

• Requests for the corps must be made, at minimum, 2 months in advance.
• Due to its all-volunteer nature, Tryon Palace Fife & Drum Corps cannot commit to future events until 2-3 months out.
• The corps can tentatively place events on the calendar ahead of time, but we must wait until closer to the event to give a final confirmation and musician count.

Performance Fees

• Tryon Palace Fife & Drum Corps charges a fee for offsite events.
• Amount can vary based on a number of factors, including but not limited to event type, location/site, and distance.

Music and Tunes

• The TP Fife & Drum Corps interprets an American Revolutionary War-era regiment, thus plays tunes from the 18th century.
• With few exceptions, tunes past 1805 will not be played at events.