The Benfield Brass Band is a non-profit volunteer organization which performs a number of concerts annually in the Annapolis/Baltimore area, as well as at the annual Gettysburg Brass Band Festival held in June each year in Gettysburg, PA. Many of the band members play together in other local instrumental groups, and the band has several “family” members playing.  The band comes together in the fall and plays through midsummer. Ray Ascione, Conductor for the band, is a retired Navy Commander who, in his 35 years of active naval duty, served as Leader of the U.S. Naval Academy Band and Assistant Leader of the Navy Band in Washington, DC, among other assignments.  Since retiring in the Annapolis area, he remains active musically as a performer, educator and consultant.