Fijian Bandsman Steps In for U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division Band During Independence Day Celebration
When a sudden illness left the U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division Band without a bassist on July 1, 2026, a Fijian military musician answered the call in record time.
The American ensemble, part of the Army’s premier Schofield Barracks‑based Show of Force rock group, had just arrived in Suva at 3 a.m. after a flight from the Marshall Islands. While the musicians were still in transit, embassy staff discovered that the band’s bassist was too ill to perform. The U.S. Embassy’s rapid response led to a call to Corporal Lawrance Delanimati, a section commander in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) band.
Delanimati, who had been stationed in Suva and was familiar with the local musical scene, met the American musicians at the embassy later that morning. Armed with the bassist’s sheet music—handed to him by Staff Sergeant Chelsea Catalone—the group had only an hour to rehearse unfamiliar material. Despite the limited preparation, the musicians ran through the set and proceeded straight to a sound‑check for the 250th Independence Day celebration.
According to Delanimati, the single rehearsal was enough to bring the program together. “We had to learn the parts quickly, but the music itself was clear,” he said.
The following evening, Delanimati joined the U.S. musicians for a joint concert with the RFMF Band at Sukuna Park. The performance was open to the local community and served as a showcase of military musical cooperation between the two nations.
Delanimati’s readiness to step in reflects more than a decade of professional military musicianship. He enlisted in the RFMF in 2014 and has supported international peace‑keeping missions in Baghdad, Iraq, and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. In 2025 he completed a 10‑month Mutual Assistance Program Music Course with the New Zealand Army Band, graduating as the program’s Top MAP Student of the Year, and earned Trinity College London Grade 7 Practical and Theory qualifications.
The 25th Infantry Division Band’s rock ensemble, Show of Force, is designed to engage soldiers and civilians alike with contemporary music. The brief, high‑pressure rehearsal and subsequent performances highlighted the adaptability of military musicians and the role of music as a diplomatic tool.
While the performances were short, they underscored a broader partnership between the U.S. Army and the RFMF. Delanimati described the collaboration as a reminder that “music brings people together no matter where they’re from.” The joint concerts in Suva serve as a model for future cultural exchanges between the two armed forces.
The events concluded with the final notes echoing through Sukuna Park, leaving both musicians and spectators with a tangible sense of shared purpose. The collaboration is now part of the documented history of military musical cooperation in the Pacific region.
The next scheduled appearance of the 25th Infantry Division Band in Fiji has not yet been announced, but the successful integration of a Fijian musician into the U.S. ensemble is expected to influence future joint performances and cultural outreach initiatives.
