Experience the music of the Civil War era as the First Nebraska Volunteers Brass Band brings the sounds and stories of a 19th-century military brass band to NMM Live!

The ensemble portrays the band of the original 1st Nebraska Volunteer Infantry Regiment of 1861–1862. Wearing Union infantry uniforms and performing authentic musical arrangements taken from actual Civil War band books, the group combines music and living history to offer audiences a glimpse into an important chapter of American musical life. The program includes songs by popular composers of the period, well-known opera selections, marches, and quicksteps. Each performance also incorporates historical narration explaining the music and sharing details about soldiering during the Civil War.

Based in the greater Omaha area, the band’s musicians are active in several of the region’s leading community ensembles, and several members hold graduate degrees in music. The First Nebraska Volunteers Brass Band regularly performs at museums, festivals, community events, and historical celebrations, preserving a tradition that was once an important part of civic life throughout the Midwest.

The ensemble is led by Bill Hall, founder and retired conductor of Omaha Symphonic Winds and former director of bands at Dana College. Hall holds three degrees in music and is a former member of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D.C., and The United States Army Field Band.

The NMM Live! series is made possible by the USD Student Government Association and the South Dakota Arts Council through the Department of Tourism, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

This program is funded by the Clayton & Odessa Lang Ofstad Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee, and by the Howard & Marjory Coker Memorial Fund.

The NMM Live! Series is made possible by the USD Student Government Association and the South Dakota Arts Council through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.