Vincenzo Volpe | Photo courtesy of U.S. Army/Sergeant First Class Erin McHale

As a flutist with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree, Vincenzo Volpe (CWR ’17) never dreamed he’d temporarily trade his instrument for an assault rifle. But after COVID-19 shut down many civilian job opportunities for musicians, he started auditioning for military bands and joined the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps last year. Like any new Army recruit, he had to go through basic training. That meant waking before dawn, marching and learning to fire a weapon. Volpe plays the fife (a precursor of the flute) in the Corps, a full-time ceremonial band that entertains visiting dignitaries at the White House, marches in historical celebrations and parades—including the presidential inauguration— and serves as an international goodwill ambassador performing in other countries. Volpe is also founder and coordinator of the LGBTQ+ Flute Choir of the National Flute Association, which recognizes and celebrates LGBTQ+ composers and musicians. He recently spoke with art/sci about how the Corps and choir work support his passion for sharing a love of music and advancing LGBTQ+ rights.

What does the Fife and Drum Corps do?
The Army created our Corps in 1960 to help the soldiers of The Old Guard better perform their drills and ceremonies. Today, we perform at Army ceremonies and represent the Army at public events including parades and festivals. We perform in full colonial apparel. That means black tricorn hats, white wigs and red coats. Fife and drum ensembles were primarily active in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War I, when music was used to signal troops on the battlefield and give soldiers commands. Music was paramount to soldiers’ understanding of what they needed to do. 

In addition to your job with the Corps, you founded the LGBTQ+ Flute Choir. How do these positions complement each other?
The Army is a much different place than it was 10 years ago. Sexual and gender identity are protected classes. I think my identity as a gay man has been embraced by the organization, and it’s exciting to be part of that change. Similarly, with the choir, the more we’re able to show people that the LGBTQ+ community is a positive force, the more we’ll be able to bring people together. With both positions, I’m hoping we’re able to use music as a unifier to make this country and world a better place. 

One of your goals for the choir is to annually commission a LGBTQ+ composer to write a new piece. Why is that important to you?
Some of the strongest flute players in the world identify in the LGBTQ+ community and are proud of it. But there is a lack of LGBTQ+ composers creating flute (choir) music. Expanding that repertory and creating music that resonates in our community is part of my activism. We’ve had pieces dedicated to people at Club Q (the LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado where five people were killed in a mass shooting in 2022); Matthew Shepard (a gay man beaten and left to die in Wyoming in 1998); and the AIDS epidemic. These concerts also are about bringing our community together and recognizing this powerhouse group of musicians. There’s a lot to celebrate.