Biographies
Art Brockmeier
As a native of Imperial Beach, California, Art began his music studies in 1965 at the age of 9. Throughout his youth he received weekly private lessons, attended the Southwestern Conservatory of Music, and performed publicly with many music youth groups including the San Diego County Honor Band, and the San Diego Youth Symphony. He received numerous blue ribbons at the San Diego Solo and Ensemble Festivals.
In 1975, Art was accepted into the Navy Music Program and attended the Armed Forces School of Music. After graduating at the top of his class in March of 1976, Art joined Navy Band New Orleans, where he performed on electric bass, tuba and vocals, touring the Southern States with Navy Showband South and the Commandants of Dixieland.
Additional travels with Navy Bands included Navy Band San Diego, where he performed with the band's uniquely popular Latin-American band "Sonora del Mar." He went on to another tour with Navy Band New Orleans, this time as the leader of the nationally known Navy Steel Band, the military's only calypso steel drum band. Upon completion of this tour in 1990, he was selected for the Navy's Enlisted Educational Advancement Program, earning his degree in business administration and receiving the school's "Presidential Honors" for academic excellence.
In January 1993, Art reported to Navy Band Great Lakes, Ill., where he served as the band's Assistant Director, managing the fiscal, supply, and operations of its 42 member group who toured throughout 7 states in the Midwest. In October of 1996, Art traveled to Pensacola, where he served as the exam writer for music, and the military team member managing the Navy Educational Advancement Program. While working days for the Navy, Art worked nights and weekends performing on steel drums, electric bass, trombone, and tuba with the Don Louis Orchestra, Florida Marauders, The Islanders, Ere Bert and the Polka Dots, and The Art of Music. He freelanced with many other bands throughout the Gulf Coast, and is currently employed by St Anne's Catholic Church, Bellview, as the Minister of Music. Additionally, prior to retiring from the Navy Music Program as a Master Chief Musician, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree, Summa cum Laude, with a focus on music and business management.
Music has allowed Art to meet so many interesting people and taken him to exciting places. He has performed for 3 U.S. presidents, the Queen of England, the president of France, and John Glenn. He performed in the warm-up band for both Tower of Power and Gloria Estephan and the Miami Sound Machine, performed at the closing of the Pan American Games and World Soccer Championships, met with entertainers such as Bob Hope, Suzanne Sommers, Natalie Cole and Jonathan Winters. He has traveled to exotic places such as Palau, Papua New Guinea, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Japan, and the Philippines.
Today, Art performs throughout the Gulf Coast to include the Portofino Resort, Grand Hotel Point Clear, Perdido Beach Resort, Sandestin Resort, Live Bait 3 and Fishtales at the Wharf, Beau Rivage Casino, Beach Club Resort, Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach, Regatta Bay Golf Club, Homewood Suites, Ramada Inn Pensacola, Zeke's Restaurant in Orange Beach, Sportsman's Bayside Grill, The Purple Parrot, Azalea Trace Retirement Village, Pensacola Health Care Center, Fred Levin's Mansion, and numerous private parties and receptions.
Mary (Vasco) Brockmeier
