He’s been part of the New Zealand Navy for nearly two decades, but instead of being at the helm of ships, weaponry or defence strategy, he’s been armed with percussion and tempo.

Pāpāmoa’s Philip Wiley doesn’t have your average nine-to-five job – he’s one of the talented Kiwi musicians who make up the Royal New Zealand Navy Band.

Coming from a musical family with both parents playing in the Manukau Concert Band in Auckland, Wiley said he got into music at an early age.

“I started piano lessons when I was about 6 or 7 years old in primary school, which gave me a really good foundation and knowledge of music. Then later I moved into drum lessons and became a percussionist from that.”

Pāpāmoa’s Philip Wiley has been a percussionist in the Royal New Zealand Navy Band for nearly two decades. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

The 36-year-old said he was fresh out of high school when the opportunity arose to join the Royal New Zealand Navy Band, which travels around Aotearoa as well as overseas in its work.

“I happened to do a concert where one of the Navy band members was also playing and she said, ‘Oh we’ve just had a percussionist leave and we’re going to audition soon, so come along’.”

This chance encounter opened the door to his career in the Navy Band, which Wiley said is a concert band made up of about 25 musicians who play a range of instruments. “We play flute, clarinet, saxophones, French horns, euphonium, trumpets, trombones and tubas, as well as percussion instruments and we have a rhythm section, with keyboards and bass guitars,” says Wiley, who mainly plays the drums. “I never really saw myself in such a unique job such as this. I think a career in music was always on the cards for me, whichever avenue I chose – but until I had the opportunity to audition, I never really saw it much as an option.”

Ships, presidents

What he loves most about being in the band is the variety and value the role brings.

“What we get to do is pretty awesome because we can go from standing on parade for a visiting Head of State to visiting a local school, pre-school or out to rest homes, or supporting ships that are coming home and being there to entertain the families whose loved ones have been away for months.”

The most recent Head of State that Wiley said the band welcomed at Government House in Auckland was the president of Palau – Surangel Whipps jnr.

Playing official visitors’ national anthems with the Navy band is, Wiley said, “end of the arrow” within defence. “We’re the soft feathery end at the back that helps with the diplomacy and the soft conversations rather than the more attacking end [of the arrow].”

Lockdowns, distant shores

As part of the New Zealand Defence Force, members of the band are required to pass all aptitude, physical and medical testing that other defence personnel need to complete, Wiley said.

During New Zealand’s Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 he was called upon to act as a co-ordinator in a managed isolation facility.

“That was very different to our day-to-day in the band and was a cool opportunity to work in a multi-agency role and managing all the people returning to New Zealand to make sure all their needs were met.”

Wiley said his unique job had also taken him to extraordinary places offshore. “For anyone in a New Zealand military band the pinnacle is being able to travel to Turkey to perform at Anzac Day on the Gallipoli Peninsula and I’ve been lucky to do that twice so that’s pretty cool.”

The New Zealand Navy band in action. Photo / Supplied

Moreover, in 2016 Wiley got to stand as the New Zealand Defence Force’s drummer to commence the Anzac Day commemorations in Gallipoli. “You’re the only sound that’s heard at the start of the service to drum them down. It’s pretty special.”

A tattoo

Looking further across the globe, Wiley said he hoped the band would get to play in Edinburgh, Scotland one day.

“I know the band, as a whole, would like to get overseas to one of the big international military tattoos like in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh tattoo in Auckland this year was great!”

*Do you have an unusual, quirky or novel nine-to-five job you’d like to share with readers? If so, email your contact details and abrief description of your employment to: merle.cave@nzme.co.nz