The Prince's Band of Carabiniers of Monaco

The Prince’s Band of Carabiniers, Monaco

Olivier Drean, Senior Warrant Officer, Head of the Band.

The official and business life of the Principality of Monaco is concentrated in Monaco Ville, where Prince Albert’s Palace is also located. The Palace is built on top of a cliff, where back then in 1215 the Genoese settled their fortress. A change of guard is performed daily on the Palace Square by the Prince’s Guards to the music played by the Carabiniers Band.

Long ago, the Prince’s guardsmen would give signals by horn or military drums to set the rhythm of a soldier’s day or deliver orders to the Prince’s palace. The ensembles evolved, and over time, their duties began to include also musical accompaniment of receptions, commemorations and masses celebrated at the Prince’s Palace. In 1966, the ensembles turned into companies, which in 1978 became groups of wind and percussion instruments. In 2014, the groups merged into a single company, named the Prince’s Band of Carabiniers.

Nowadays, the Prince’s Band of Carabiniers plays at a variety of events nationally and abroad; it performed in Edinburgh, Milan, Joun-les-Pins, Colmar and many other cities. Its musicians play at official meetings, sports competitions and international festivals of military music, as well as give public concerts. However, whether they are invited to act as a jazz band on the stage of the Jazz à Juan festival, or accompanied by international stars, or at the Edinburgh Military TATTOO in Scotland, the Carabiniers never forget that their main mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of their sovereign.