A visit by the Wind Band to The Royal Marines School of Music

14 – 15 April 2010

Wednesday 14 April

We left Gateshead early on Wednesday 14th April and arrived at our hotel  the Royal Maritime Club in Portsmouth mid afternoon,  then walked over the road to  the Royal Dockyard.

The public part of the dockyard contains several museums and exhibitions, including:- HMS Warrior, Marie Rose and HMS Victory. A few minutes walk from the dockyard is the Gun Wharf shopping centre. We spent another 40 minutes here in smaller groups, some in the shops, and others just enjoying views of the harbour and surrounding architecture.

After returning to our hotel we prepared for the evening; a visit  to the New TheatreRoyal, Portsmouth to watch  the Royal Marine music competition, ‘The Cassell Prize’. We met our contact, WO1 Ian Davies RM, outside the theatre and collected our tickets.  After a brief welcome and introduction by Major Thornhill RM we watched 6 fine performances by training musicians from the School of Music; Violin, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Trombone and Percussion. Followed by a performance from the Big Band and Drum Beatings by the Corps. of Drums. 

After the competition, which was won by Musician John Walker, Trombone, we returned to the Royal Maritime Club at around 10 pm. I think we were all quite glad to get to bed after such a long and eventful day.

Thursday 15 April

Thursday morning, 8.30 am, after a good night’s sleep the whole group looked well rested and ready for another long day.  First stop was a visit to the HMS Victory; 45mins had been allocated although some of us could have spent much longer on-board.  Other members of the party visited the the Naval Museum and art collection, courtesy of WO1 Ian Davies where I believe that they were extremely well looked after. 

At this point I would like to say that during our contact with all members of HM Royal Marines Band Service we were treated with the utmost respect and courtesy.

Before leaving our hotel we left our bags and instruments in an allocated room and we now collected them and en-bused for the short journey to the RM Museum, Eastney. Our Band members wandered freely about the museum and we managed to meet-up again at the gift shop on the way out. Now we were ‘issued’ with our two packed meals and water, courtesy of HMRM’s.

At 1pm we arrived at the Royal Marines School of Music. First we had a short and very informative presentation about Bandsman and woman training and life in the service, from WO1 Ian Davies. Then a quick tour of the music practice and professor rooms; this building used to be a Naval Prison and is a listed building, perhaps that is why the musicians call their personal practice spaces, ‘cells’.
Next stop was the ‘Band Room’ where the Concert band was assembled; we were immediately invited to join-in. Within a few minutes our members had integrated into the band and we rehearsed two pieces with the Band as if for a concert, had a ‘stand-easy’, and then a final performance. This was probably the highlight of the trip for band members. Our members and staff had spent about 2 hours rehearsing with the Concert band. We met two former members of our Band, Kristina and David and one of our ‘number’ was actually called ‘a star’ by the conductor. In fact all of our members were stars and had been for the whole trip.

Outside the band room Colin, our patient coach driver was waiting and at 5pm we set off for Gateshead. We made good time  on the way home (one stop) and even a traffic hold-up couldn’t stop Colin getting us back quickly and safely to Gateshead.  Behaviour of the whole party was immaculate during the trip, which  of course is normal for Senior Wind Band Members.
 
Comments made by our students and staffI enjoyed playing with the Marines;

 I loved my ‘solo’, I’m a star – says the conductor !!!!

it made me want to play more. 

Playing with the marines was awesome! The players were really helpful, overall a great experience.
Watching the finalists in the Theatre was excellent. I thought they all played really well and I thoroughly enjoyed the night.
Playing with the band showed how they play and was really inspirational.

It was, in the ear.

It was really inspiring seeing the finalists play and actually playing with the band.  I enjoyed every aspect.

I really enjoyed playing with the band. All the musicians were really good.  It looked exciting to do all the things they get the chance to do.

It was very entertaining watching the finalists and great actually getting to play with them.

The players in the final were very good and it was even better playing with them.
Playing with the Marines was really cool because we got a taster of what it would be like to be there.

3 words: Fantastic, Brilliant, Legendary!……referring to David Hedley (ex Wind Band member and finalist in The Cassell Prize)

I enjoyed the Cassell Prize, the players were excellent. It was great when we played with the band. I think the two days were amazing.

…SLEEP!

We really enjoyed the whole experience. Nice to see one of our own troops in the Cassell Prize. We were lucky enough to even play with the Marines, what can we say, loved every aspect! x

It’s a better system than music college because they all succeed in becoming musicians and have a job afterwards.

As you may gather, the Royal Marine Band Service has made a massive impression on our members and their teachers.