''We're not normally in the limelight as such,'' the Dunedin born-and-bred musician said of the band's role in the New Zealand Dance Company's production Rotunda.
Rotunda is a tribute to the centenary of the World War 1 Anzac landing at Gallopoli.
It was created by the company's artistic director and arts laureate Shona McCullagh in collaboration with its dancers and celebrated singer-songwriter-composer Don McGlashan as musical director.
It is based around the world of the band rotunda as a symbol of New Zealand community. The army band comes marching on to the stage with the dancers.
''Rotunda is a living memorial that celebrates the Anzac spirit and the themes of courage, community and loss and ultimately, a desire for peace,'' Ms McCullagh said.
For Pvt Macfarlane and his fellow band members, some of whom had family who fought in that battle, it was a fantastic production to be part of, he said.
''This is what we're about.''
He joined the army and the army band 10 years ago as a percussionist and bass guitar player but had his start in music growing up in Dunedin first learning piano and then classical guitar.
Drums had always been there for the former Bayfield High School pupil who was exposed to drumming through friends and then through his high school music teacher.
A stint in the Youth Orchestra developed those skills and then he performed as percussionist with the Southern Sinfonia in his last years at high school.
He also did work with the operatic society on productions such as Kiss Me Kate, Evita and Le Miserable.
Then he headed to Christchurch to attend jazz school and there he stayed. He also played for the Woolston Brass Band.
In the army band he was a ''drummer essentially'' but also played electric bass guitar and double bass guitar.
The band was used on ceremonial occasions and was the army's ''main public relations unit'' as far as being the public face of the army overseas.
He likened the Rotunda experience to work he did a few years ago on For King and Country, which used a local brass band at each centre.
''When we mount a show for the NZ Army Band its our own show. Often we do school concert tours but in this we are part of it, playing around the dancers themselves.''
He was enjoying the experience which featured contemporary brass music from New Zealand composers Gareth Farr, John Ritchie, John Psathas and Don McGlashan as well as traditional hymns and rehearsals had gone ''brilliantly'', Mr Macfarlane said.
''It's absolutely amazing. It is good for us to see how it would all fit together. Likewise for them to hear the music live.''
He was looking forward to his mother and other Dunedin-based family to seeing the show which was touring the country and Australia over the next few months.
