NStar Articles

The U.S. Naval Academy is a special place - and a bit of a hybrid. It’s certainly not your typical college, though it has a vibrant academic curriculum, bustling dining hall, busy quadrangle, and cadre of devoted faculty and students. It’s also not quite the U.S Naval Fleet or the U.S. Marine Corps, but it does require rigorous military training and exercises, uniforms, and an oath of office. So it’s an amalgamation of both, with a unique and proud culture and a passionate group of people who make it both demanding and welcoming at the same time.

The Naval Academy is fortunate to have a devoted group of faculty and staff members who enrich its work every day, and many of them have been here for decades. In this article, we’ll explore the inspiring career path of Monte Maxwell, USNA orchestra director, director of chapel music, and chapel organist at the Naval Academy, who is well known and beloved for his mastery of the organ and has been at USNA for almost 30 years. We recently sat down with Maxwell to hear his fascinating story.

You may be familiar with famous bandmaster Charles A. Zimmerman, who composed and performed the U.S. Naval Academy anthem “Anchors Aweigh”—and you probably know one of USNA’s most famous graduates is Jimmy Carter. Still, the Yard is full of history, and these facts just scratch the surface.